Priests’ Remuneration Fund

Each parish must establish and maintain an account, either with a bank or the Catholic Development Fund, under the title “Presbytery Account.”

Refer to Guideline 4 for a description of the money that must be paid into the Presbytery Account.

Parishioners should be informed and educated that the one collection, the Presbytery Collection, is used exclusively:

1. for the support of the Archbishop;

2. for the support of the priests of that parish;

3. for the support and subsidy of a large number of priests throughout the Archdiocese; and

4. for the support of pastores emeriti

The traditional contributions of Christmas and Easter dues and stole fees should be maintained. The amount received from dues, stole fees, and funeral offerings is essential for the adequate remuneration of all priests throughout the Archdiocese.

Most importantly, parishes with a history of “claiming on the fund” should not abolish dues, stole fees, or funeral offerings.

The money paid into the Presbytery Account is the property of the Parish, not the personal income of the parish priest. Disbursement may only be made in accordance with Guidelines 7, 8 and 9.

The following receipts must be paid into the Presbytery Account:

1. the proceeds of a specific collection (the “Presbytery Collection”) at Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses, and Masses on Holy Days of Obligation;

2. Christmas and Easter dues;

3. stole fees for baptisms and marriages, as well as funeral offerings;

4. parochial chaplaincy fees (for hospitals, convents, etc.).

The financial year of the Fund runs from 1 August to the 31 July:

1. priests must prepare and give to the Fund quarterly returns (in the form prescribed from time to time), calculated as at the last day of September, December, March and June;

2. quarterly returns must be forwarded within 14 days after the end of each quarter. They must either be accompanied by a cheque or signed to authorise a direct debit, for the contributions described in Guidelines 7(a) (ii) and (iii);

3. parish priests are asked to complete their returns in full details, even when not making a claim on behalf of the parish, as far as their own and the assistant priest(s)’ remuneration is concerned. This is important for the administration of the Fund and assists settling claims in the event of transfer of priests;

4. remuneration will only be subsidised on receipt of the payment described in Guideline 7(b) (ii) and (iii) and a duly completed return. Payments in respect of claims under Clause 8 (e) will be paid into the Church Account.

The following and other parish expenses are paid form the Church Account:

1. gas, electricity, telephone and other utilities;

2. presbytery repair and maintenance;

3. insurance premiums, municipal rates and water rates;

4. supply fees during a priest’s four weeks annual holidays;

5. supply fees when a priest is on approved sick leave;

6. supply fees when a priest on special duties, living in the presbytery, is on annual holidays and thus is unable to perform weekend supply;

7. the quarterly reimbursement of motor vehicle running expenses (up to $4,500 pa).

From total gross receipts of the parish paid into the Presbytery Account, as specified in guideline 4, and excluding Mass offerings, the following contributions are to be deducted on a quarterly basis:

1. a cathedraticum tax of five percent (5%) for the Archbishop, collected by and forwarded to the Business Manager’s Office;

2. a contribution of twelve and a half percent (12.5%) to the PRF

3. a contribution of twelve and a half percent (12.5%) to the Priests’ Retirement Foundation.

The following expenses are paid form the Presbytery Account:

1. normal household expenses, including food, hospitality and housekeeper’s salary;

2. regular supply fees to augment Sunday Masses provided by the parish priest;

3. for a Diocesan priest using motor vehicle not owned by the diocesan car pool - a quarterly car capital payment of $1,700, paid either directly to the priest or as a loan repayment benefit;

4. for a Diocesan priest using a motor vehicle owned by the diocesan car pool – a quarterly car capital payment of $1,700, paid to the pool.

Once these payments have been allocated, the diocesan minimum living allowance is paid from the Presbytery Account to the priest(s) of the parish, as either cash or exempt benefits, in accordance with clause 7(e).

In general, payments to priests from the Presbytery Account are made quarterly, and to assistant priests no later than 14 days after the end of the quarter. Where a parish makes a claim on the PRF for subsidised remuneration, the amount should be paid to, or set aside for, the parish priest or assistant priest as soon as possible after it is received in the Church Account.

Benefits are to be accessed in accordance with the Exempt Benefits Protocol for active priests, and the Protocol for retired priests entering supply arrangement (first published in the Archbishop’s Advice to Parish Priests on Implementation of PAYG Withholding, 15 May 2002), as amended from time to time.

The diocesan minimum living allowance for all priests is $20,000 per annum ($5,000 per quarter).

The diocesan minimum motor vehicle capital payment is $6,800 per annum ($1,700 per quarter).

The diocesan maximum reimbursement of motor vehicle running costs is $4,500 per annum.

The allocation of priestly moneys between parish priests and assistant priests must be made on the following basis:

1. the parish priest and the assistant(s) receive the minimum quarterly allowances;

2. any remaining moneys in the Presbytery Account are then allocated equally and promptly;

3. if there is insufficient money remaining in the Presbytery Account to remunerate the priest(s), a claim for remuneration is made on behalf of the parish to the PRF;

4. all claims for remuneration are made at the discretion of the PRF committee, in accordance to these guidelines

Regular supply fees to augment the services provided by the parish priest shall be from the Presbytery Account.

Payment for the supply priest during a priest’s four weeks annual holidays, shall be from the Church Account.

Payment for the supply priest during approved sick leave, shall be from the Church Account.

In general, priests on “special duties” are remunerated by the office to which they are appointed.  A portion of their remuneration may come from the parish if their letter of appointment specifies parish duties other than those in Guideline 10(b).

Priests on special duties living in presbyteries perform a weekend supply in return for their board and lodging.  When these priests are on their annual holidays, their supply shall be paid from the Church Account.

In the case of all transfers of parish priests or assistant priest, the Presbytery Account books must be closed after the weekend preceding the taking up of the new appointment.  The payment to the transferred priest of the appropriate amount of remuneration to that date, calculated on a weekly rate must be made immediately and before the priest takes up the new appointment

It is the policy of the Priests’ Remuneration Fund to adjust payments from the Fund in accordance with the full or part pension that a priest might receive, or be entitled to receive. 

Priests who are eligible to apply for a pension are expected to apply for this benefit for the common good. 

Remuneration benefits payable under these guidelines will be adjusted accordingly.