By Julie A. Miller
Catholic Herald
"It's important (for laity) to know there is something there to help priests and also to know that priests are helping fellow priests," said Fr. John Anderson, a member of the St. Pius Priest Fund board of directors.
The retirement fund was started at about the same time the diocese was formed in 1905 and is named for Pope Pius X, who was the pope at the time. The fund's present form dates back to Bishop George A. Hammes' tenure (1960-1985).
The money in the fund comes from parishes, based on the size of parish membership, and from other diocesan institutions where priests serve. "All people in the diocese are helping us out as well (by parish participation). We want to make it clear that the (Diocesan Services Appeal) does not fund it, " said Anderson.
The priests also contribute. Although their contributions are technically voluntary, priests receive significantly less in pension benefits if they do not pay into the plan. The amount of pension a priest receives is based on a combination of his years of service to the diocese and the amount of his own contributions, said Fr. James Powers, who serves as secretary of the St. Pius Priest Fund board.
Priests' contributions also help others by increasing the total value of the fund. Anderson said, "I feel I'm obligated not just to myself but to my brother priests. I'm involved because we need to take care of our brother priests."
Fellow board member, Fr. John Spanjers, added that if priests receive stipends for more than one Mass in a day, they are asked to give that money to the fund.
Another source of funds is bequests. Priests, and occasionally lay people, leave a part of their estates to the St. Pius Priest Fund when they die.
A priest is eligible to participate in the plan after he is ordained and incardinated (officially becomes a diocesan priest). Priests working in the diocese who belong to religious orders are not included in the plan, as their retirement is the responsibility of their order.
At present the St. Pius Priest Fund has assets of about $5.8 million, which due to declines in the stock market, is below the actuarial liabilities. Spanjers said, "Our intention is to pay retirement off interest but the last couple of years we've had to take out of (principal) funds for priests."
The fund currently pays out benefits of around $30,000 a month to 32 priests. A priest can begin collecting retirement benefits at age 65, whether or not he is still actively serving in the diocese. He can also choose to wait and let the money accrue.
The fund has a form of portability, in that priests who leave the diocese or leave the priesthood are entitled to benefits according to the number of years they were active in the diocese.
"Our priests retirement plan is one of the most just plans in the nation in as much as it has portability. Very few dioceses and religious orders have this portability," said Fr. Philip Heslin, moderator of the diocesan curia.
The money is invested through a local broker and managed by fund managers specializing in various types of investments. Overseeing the retirement fund is a board of directors consisting of Bishop Raphael M. Fliss, chairman; Fr. Dennis Mullen (Cumberland-Almena), vice chairman; Fr. Peter Szleszinski (Hudson), treasurer; Powers (Solon Springs-Gordon-Minong), secretary; and board members Fr. Andrew Ricci (Spooner-Sarona-Shell Lake); Anderson (Ladysmith-Hawkins-Tony); Fr. David Oberts (Dobie-Birchwood-Haugen); Spanjers (Turtle Lake); Fr. James Brinkman (Somerset-Farmington); Fr. Dennis Meulemans (Medford); and Fr. William Green (Hayward-Cable).
The board has an investment policy to assure the funds are invested appropriately. Powers said, "As a board we have come up with an investment policy that upholds the morals and values of the Catholic Church and we expect those that are doing these investments (for us) not to invest in companies that don't respect that."
Another retirement concern is housing. "We have no place for our retired priests to live. We are concerned that when a priest retires, he has to find his own place of residence," Spanjers said.
The other dioceses in Wisconsin do have retirement housing available. Retired priests in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee have two facilities available. There are 25 rooms on the second and third floors of one wing in the Archbishop Cousins Catholic Center, which also houses the diocesan offices. In addition, there are 15 rooms at Meyer Hall on the grounds of the St. Francis Seminary in St. Francis.
In Madison, retired diocesan priests can live in apartments in the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center that also houses the diocesan offices. At present there are eight priests living there.
There is a similar arrangement in the Diocese of La Crosse, where there are 15 apartments in the retired priests residence at Holy Cross Diocesan Center.
The Diocese of Green Bay has 16 apartments in Grellinger Hall, a separate wing for priests attached to a residential building for senior citizens.
Editor Sam Lucero contributed to this story.
© Superior Catholic Herald, 2001