Bishops approve $129.4 million budget for 2005

By Catholic News Service
Washington

The U.S. bishops Nov. 15 approved a 2005 budget of $129.4 million for their national conference.

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It is 1.8 percent higher than the previous year's budget for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops but does not involve an increase in diocesan assessments.

Archbishop James P. Keleher of Kansas City, Kan., chairman of the bishops' Committee on Budget and Finance, said the higher 2005 budget results mostly from expected rises in fringe benefits for USCCB employees, basically health and pension benefits.

Much of the 2005 budget increase will be covered by using interest from conference investments, said Archbishop Keleher.

In response to a question regarding costs for clergy sex abuse studies and audits, the archbishop said that the John Jay College study, which collected data on the nature and scope of clergy abuse from 1950 to 2002, cost $300,000, and a possible second study using the data could cost $100,000.

More stories from the bishops' conference Bishops approve proposals on marriage, Christian unity, abuse data Internal matters behind them, bishops still face substantial agenda Head of bishops' child protection office plans to resign in February Bishops approve $129.4 million budget for 2005 Bishop Skylstad elected president of U.S. bishops' conference Foster communion and mission, nuncio tells U.S. bishops Bishop Gregory reflects on three turbulent years and changes to come

He said that the diocesan audits on compliance with sex abuse policies were paid for by each diocese with the conference spending about $50,000 for training workshops.

About $95 million of the budget is money that comes from either special collections or government contracts that fund specific projects, said the archbishop.

The budget was approved by a 225-6 vote. In a separate vote, the bishops agreed to increase the number of budget committee members from five to seven.

In a separate vote Nov. 15, the bishops approved continuation of a diocesan financial audit system until 2006. The audits were initially approved on an experimental basis in 2001.

Under the system, the metropolitan archbishop receives information annually regarding the finances of each diocese in his territorial jurisdiction. The information includes a statement signed by members of each diocesan financial council attesting that they met and reviewed the audited fiscal year budget for their diocese.

The vote to approve the extension passed by a 227-5 vote.

National Catholic Reporter, November 17, 2004