1153 Compensation for Deacons

The Division of Clergy Personnel

1153.1 General Principles

Deacons who receive a salary, compensation, or a pension by reason of their secular occupation are to take care of their own and their family’s needs from the income derived from this source and, therefore, they receive no salary as a deacon.

1153.2 Church-Based Employment

Deacons who have no other occupational source of income and devote themselves completely to part-time or full-time ministry in the Church deserve a salary and benefits by which they can provide for their own support and that of their families. When deacons are employed in full-time positions in the Archdiocese, e.g., Central Services, Catholic Charities, a parish, they are to be compensated according to the policies for lay employees. Their salary is determined according to the appropriate lay scale and their benefit package parallels that of lay employees.

1153.3 Ministerial Expenses

Expenses incurred by deacons in the exercise of their ministry should be compensated by the agency, institution, parish, or diocese for which the ministry is undertaken. Canon 281 §3

1153.4 Voluntary Offerings

Voluntary offerings given in relation to liturgical service are normally to be rendered to the parish/agency unless otherwise directed.

1153.5 Professional Expense Allowance

Voluntary offerings given in relation to liturgical service are normally to be rendered to the parish/agency unless otherwise directed.

1153.5.1 In General

Each active deacon will have available to him an annual allowance from his ministry site to afford ongoing formation. The amount is determined by the Division of Clergy Personnel and shared with each deacon and ministry site. This money is in addition to any reimbursement entitled to the deacon for exercising his ministry such as mileage reimbursement.

1153.5.2 Retired Deacons

Each retired deacon is to receive the same allowance from the ministry site from which he retired if he continues to minister there. If the retired deacon is providing ministry to a different ministry site, the deacon should ask that ministry site to budget for the annual allowance.

1153.5.3 Eligible Expenses

Allowed expenses may include, but are not limited to:
- automobile mileage;
- education expenses;
- clerical clothing;
- vestments;
- Emmaus expenses;
- retreat expenses;
- Convocation and Day of Enrichment expenses; and
- other legitimate professional expenses incurred in the exercise of his ministry.
Documentation Required: Each deacon must provide written documentation which supports his reimbursement request to the parish or institution he serves.
The parish or institution is responsible for retaining this documentation as part of its financial records in accordance with Archdiocesan policy regarding temporal goods. The reimbursement request is to take place on a monthly basis.

(Committee review 12-11-2020; Board review 05-04-2021; Chancellor review 06-20 2021; Ad experimentum approval 11-19-2021)