INACTIVE PRIESTS SURVEY

Father Bob Kiffman, M.A., J.C.L. is doing a thesis and requests input from Corpus members. This
is a questionnaire he has sent to me and that I pass on to you for your consideration. I have replied
personally. I think it would be of interest to us to see his results. 

Current province of domicile:------------

Are you currently employed or retired? -------------

Diocese of incardination: --------------(N.B. will be deleted if published).

1.a. Was your departure amicable or acrimonious with ecclesiastical authorities?

b. How would you rate support provided by your confreres?

2.a. What year did you depart active ministry?

b. For how many years did you provide active ministry?

3.a. Did you obtain laicization?

b. Is it in process?

c. Were you advised by any ecclesiastical official of your diocese to NOT apply for it?

If so, by whom (ecclesiastical office, not name)?

4.a. Did you participate in a formal diocesan pension plan?

b. Did you actively make contributions to the pension plan?

c. Can you estimate your contribution with a reasonable degree of accuracy? $____

d. If you are aware of the current pension for retired clergy of your diocese of incardination, what is
it per month? $______ (excluding any government pensions).

e. Are you currently receiving any pension from your diocese of incardination? _____

f. Did you receive any "lump sum" payment upon departure? 

g. Did you receive any "lump sum" settlement from your diocesan pension plan? What was the
amount? _________

5. How would you rate your current financial situation? _____

Rating: Poor: need public assistance; support from family; 
Adequate: I can pay my bills and a minimum of income tax; 
Better than adequate: I can afford a holiday and/or membership in a club (golf, curling, athletic, et al.); 
Excellent: I have no financial problems or financial concerns.

6.a. What is the population of your city of residence? ______

b. What is the average income of your city per person? _____

c. In your estimation, what is the cost of "middle class" housing per annum? $_______

d. How much would you need per month to live a comfort-able lifestyle in your retirement? (As a
single person) ______ (As a married person) _______

Having lived the life of an active presbyter in ministry:

7.a. Do you agree or disagree that presbyters should be paid according to comparable salary scales of
their secular peers? __ Why? ____________

b. Do you agree or disagree that presbyters should be obliged to reside in parish rectories as
provided? __ Why? _________

c. If living in a rectory, should a presbyter pay the "going rate" on the street for comparable
accommodations and services? ___ Why? ____________

Other observations or comments: _______________ 

Please return completed questionnaire to: Rev. R.M. Kiffman, M.A.,J.C.L., 249 Main Street,
Ottawa, ON K1S 1C5.

                 Commentary on the Pope's Plea for Pardon, Sunday, March 12, 2000

In the seminary I was taught to deny absolution for past sins if the penitent did not have a "firm
purpose of amendment". It is not enough to be sorry, one must also do something about one's
sins in order to make right the wrongs of the past by future good deeds.

As Rabbi Yaskovitz of Jerusalem remarked, this gesture of penitence does not go far enough. We are
waiting for the second chapter, when the Church will right the wrongs of the present.

What about the sin of not providing the eucharist on the Lord's day - even though priests are
available (See Neil Parado's letter, Prairie Messenger Feb. 23)? The Church no longer
imprisons priests and sells their wives into slavery as in 1095. But, still today, one quarter of the
world's Catholic priests, that is over 100,000 are punished terribly. And why? Because we
would not lead a double life, we got married.

No matter how long we had served, be it 30 or 40 years, when we married we were suddenly cast out
of the ministry. We lost everything: our homes and livelihood. We even lost our pensions no matter
how much money we contributed to the priests'; pension fund. Finally we are denied the
sacraments, unless we appeal to the Pope for special permission. One priest I know waited 13 years
for this.

Even convicted sex abusers get better treatment. After they serve their time, the diocese provides
them a home, a liveli-hood, a pension, and their legal bills are paid by the Church. They got
forgiveness. Is a married priest so much worse?

In Canada we estimate that there are between two and three thousand married priests. Could we not
ask the Holy Father, what crime did we commit to be treated so shabbily? He might say we broke our
vows. I disagree. We did not break our vows. Any theologian would admit that my right to marry
comes from God, not from the Church. The Church cannot take away a right it never gave. Further
proof is that the Eastern Rite Catholics have married priests.

So Holy Father, does the penitent Catholic Church have a "firm purpose of amendment"? Or does
shabby treatment continue. We married priests wait for the second chapter.

Emil Kutarna, married priest, Regina, SK