U.S. Catholic bishops issue guidelines for lay workers

[geezerbob]

contemplative:

Social justice? :nope:

It’s a fact of life. Pay scales vary from one area of the country to another, as does the cost of living. What is unjust about each diocese paying the prevailing local wage for a job?

I’m really sorry that you live in such a bad diocese. Neither the Vatican nor the USCCB appears likely to do anything drastic about the situation in your area and, even if they did, it would still take years to turn things around. However, in my opinion, it is unfair of you to continuously take pot shots at the work the USCCB is trying to do. I made it through the first twenty pages of the report last night and saw nothing really wrong with it. I will try to finish reading it today and tomorrow in order to form an opinion on the complete document. Regardless, it will be up to each bishop as to how the recommendations will be implemented in his diocese, and I do not think it fair to be so critical of the entire group because of the action or inaction of one or two wayward bishops.

Since this board is frequented by mostly conservative, faithful Catholics, I guess you realize that you are “preaching to the choir.” I trust that you’re sending your newspaper clippings and other documentation of your bishop’s conduct to the appropriate Vatican office, which is the only way the change you desire (and apparently deserve) is going to be effected.

 

[contemplative]

geezerbob:

I’m really sorry that you live in such a bad diocese. Neither the Vatican nor the USCCB appears likely to do anything drastic about the situation in your area and, even if they did, it would still take years to turn things around. However, in my opinion, it is unfair of you to continuously take pot shots at the work the USCCB is trying to do.

Thank you for your generous display of empathy.
My arguements are well founded throughout this thread and what I submit should not be rated as a potshot.
This quotation from the guidelines is very questionable and can easily be interpreted as social injustice. What will happen to the quality of Catholicism in a poor rural area compared to a progressive metropolitan area?

Compensation packages vary from one geographic region to another depending on the finances of each diocese and the cost of living in a given area.

 

[geezerbob]

I still don’t see your point about social injustice. The federal government and most large corporations adjust pay scales to reflect the cost of living in a particular area. Unknown to most, even the military does it. It’s just common sense and is neither unfair nor unjust.

Let’s put it another way. Suppose the conference decides that Job A will pay $xxx nationwide. Then, the person holding that job in a poor rural area will be very prosperous while the one doing the same work in a large city will be living in poverty. Where’s the social justice in that?

If you must criticize, then include what you would propose as being something better.

 

[oldfogey]

Since it looks like the local communities are going to have to pitch in for the services, isn’t this a brand of trusteeism? And if “the community” is going to do that, and worry about “the compensation package”, why couldn’t they find their needs in setting up a parish and finding a priest to support?

Frankly, this statement already seems a bit too complicated and “committeed.” It looks like the professionals at USCCB have already set this up, and I distrust it.

If we’re going to have to foot the bill for lay ministers, I would rather have the freedom to find an ordained priest.

Call me crazy.

 

[contemplative]

Qoute by Geezerbob

I still don’t see your point about social injustice.

In a comprehensive personnel system, this area includes salary plans that may establish ranges through which individuals may progress, as well as benefit plans (e.g., health insurance, family leave, child care assistance, funding for ongoing education). These issues can be particularly challenging when resources are limited. Compensation packages vary from one geographic region to another depending on the finances of each diocese and the cost of living in a given area.

It is actually the **funding for ongoing education **that raises the most questions. If a diocese is already financially strapped then how can it keep up with the quality of training in more affluent dioceses? This is the biggest fault line. Education and training ( even non-degree ) costs money.

 

[contemplative]

oldfogey:

Since it looks like the local communities are going to have to pitch in for the services, isn’t this a brand of trusteeism? And if “the community” is going to do that, and worry about “the compensation package”, why couldn’t they find their needs in setting up a parish and finding a priest to support?

Frankly, this statement already seems a bit too complicated and “committeed.” It looks like the professionals at USCCB have already set this up, and I distrust it.

If we’re going to have to foot the bill for lay ministers, I would rather have the freedom to find an ordained priest.

Call me crazy.

This idea reminds me of the Baptist church my nice neighbors down the road belong to. They ( the local Baptists in the community) built a church with their funds and hired a Baptist minister from ‘somewhere’ to preach on Sundays. Everyone else volunteers to complete the rest of the necessary work. The place works like a quality clock…always looking neat as a pin and pretty as a button when I drive by.