This article is from page 4 of the 2006-12-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
€285,000 was paid out of Killaloe Diocesan funds last year for what Bishop Willie Walsh described as the “ongoing fallout from the tragedy of sexual abuse by a small number of clergy in the distant past”.
The payment was funded principally from part of the proceeds raised by sale of land at Bishop’s House in 2001 and the stewardship trust set up by the Irish Episcopal Conference.
Commenting on the publication of the 2005 diocesan accounts on Monday, Dr Walsh said the payment reflected the continuing demand in time and resources for healing and reconciliation as a result of the clerical abuse scandal. Costs for the training and employment of child protection workers are also included in the payment.
The accounts show the diocese had a net surplus of €92,735 on an income of €772,352 with expenditure running at €679,617. This compares with a net surplus of €212,934 in 2004 when income was €951,908 and expenditure reached €738,974.
Bishop Walsh said the accounts did not fully represent the generosity of parishioners throughout the diocese as the normal collection taken up at churches on weekends went directly to the parish for essential running costs including upkeep of churches, halls, parochial houses, schools and general administration.
Parishioners are asked to contribute directly towards the support of their priests and a new salary system for the payment of priests was established in 2000 which guarantees a basic minimum annual income for each priest working in the diocese.
In conjunction with this scheme, parishes were asked to review their contributions towards the support of their priests. The suggested guideline for parishioners is that they contribute 1 per cent of their annual net income. According to Bishop Walsh, the response has been very generous with the majority of parishes meeting their targets.
In 2005, the basic annual salary for a priest in the diocese was €20,000 rising with increments for years of service and responsibility to €24,600.
2005 saw many special appeals being made to support people in other parts of the world arising from natural disasters, emergencies and ongoing injustice including the Trócaire Tsunami appeal and collections for the victims of the Pakistan earthquare and Hurricane Katrina. A further €1,048,784 was donated through parish churches in the diocese for the needs of the missions and the developing world during 2005.