Philly diocese to eliminate positions, cease publications to help cut deficit

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has announced plans to cut some of its $17 million deficit by eliminating some staffers and ending its publications.

According to the diocese, Archbishop Charles Chaput has approved a restructuring that includes “staff reduction involving 45 positions, the merging and consolidation of 19 offices and/or ministries, the ceasing of The Catholic Standard & Times and the suspension of Phaith Magazine. The Archdiocese is also planning no raises for remaining staff in the next fiscal year.”

“Please understand that this shortfall does not include the extraordinary legal and other professional expenses of the past year,” Chaput wrote in his weekly column. “As burdensome as those extra costs have been, the much more troubling fact is that the Archdiocese has — for many years — covered the expense of its many good ministries with growing deficits.”

 

Employees lost to staff reductions will get 60 days of pay in lieu of notice and full-time employees will be eligible for one week of severance pay for each year of completed service. All employees will be paid for accrued and unused vacation time, and will have medical coverage through Sept. 30.

CatholicPhilly.com will replace the Standard & Times and Phaith Magazine as the diocese’s news publication.