The Catholic Church has asked some priests receiving JobKeeper to donate almost half of the payment back to the organisation.
Key points:
- The Archdiocese of Parramatta has 41 priests receiving the Government’s JobKeeper supplement
- The $3,000 payment almost doubles their usual monthly stipend of $1,590
- Priests and other religious practitioners became eligible for JobKeeper following an amendment to the scheme’s rules in May
ABC Investigations has obtained letters sent to priests about the taxpayer-funded payment which ask them to hand back some of the money to help make up for a plunge in donations from parishioners.
The letters, sent to clergy in the Diocese of Parramatta in Western Sydney, say an “amount between $500 and $700 per fortnight is recommended” to “assist with future payments and the balance sheet”.
“The closure of churches and the stopping of public masses has had a drastic effect on not only our parish communities, but also the pastoral revenue collection,” another letter reads.
It is unclear whether the letters were sent to all clergy in the diocese, or only those receiving JobKeeper payments.
One senior Catholic Church employee, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retribution, described the church’s request to the clergy as “immoral”.
“One of the fundamental principles of the church, and the priests who commit to joining it, is to help the poor,” the employe