By Eileen Connelly, OSU

ARCHDIOCESE — The Archdiocesan Pastoral Council gathered for its quarterly meeting on March 15 at the Athenaeum of Ohio.

On the agenda was a financial report on the archdiocese prepared by the council’s finance committee, with assistance from Steve Burger, director of financial services for the archdiocese. According to the report, a number of recommendations have been made and policies have been enacted that have improved the financial picture of the archdiocese and contributed to the first net asset increase since 2000.

Among the contributing factors was the increase in the general assessment rate from 5.7 to 7.2 percent in 2007, which resulted in an increase in archdiocesan assessments revenue from $7,927,000 in 2006 to $9,818,000 in 2007. In addition, there is a current moratorium on archdiocesan-financed building projects and the Finance Office has been working with parishes and on payment plans. The archdiocese currently has some type of payment plan in place with eight of the top 10 delinquent parishes and will continue to work with the parishes.

Another factor was the redesign of the archdiocese health-care plan beginning July 7, 2007. All employees must now satisfy an annual deductible, and there is now one prescription plan for all employees as opposed to separate PPO and HMO plans, resulting in significant savings in the current fiscal year (2007-08).

An archdiocesan-wide payroll system is also currently being evaluated, which should result in cost savings for payroll service fees and allow archdiocesan employers the opportunity to provide Flexible Spending programs. Interviews will be conducted with three firms in mid-March to select a company to provide services throughout the archdiocese.

Also on the agenda were a discussion on potential topics for future gatherings, along with the opportunity for faith formation and remarks from Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk. The meeting’s afternoon session featured a presentation on global warming by Tony Stieritz, director of the archdiocesan Catholic Social Action Office, and Marianist Sister Leanne Jablonski, executive director of the Marianist Envioronmental Education Center.

In addressing the social justice and moral aspects of preservation of the environment, promotion of sustainable development and climate change, Stieritz and Sister Leanne echoed the message of the U.S. bishops’ document, Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence and the Common Good (November 2001), along with other resources that urge a prudent response to the issues while focusing on the impact on the poor and future generations.

In terms of what steps area Catholics can take, the presenters suggested the formation of a resource committee within the archdiocese, along with making the environment an election issue and taking measures to use renewables, reduce consumption and conserve energy.

Stieritz also noted that the archdiocese is co-sponsoring a climate change event, featuring Archbishop Celestino Migliore, papal nuncio to the United Nations, to be held at Xavier University on Oct. 28.