Some priests may not require any financial help, thanks to independent means or family support, but many will need at least some level of assistance and financial support for housing, healthcare, and day-to-day living costs.
Accommodation – Some retired priests need support with their own accommodation.
Residential or nursing care – This can become one of the biggest costs when a priest becomes frail or needs specialist care.
Health and wellbeing support – Retired priests many need additional support as they age, including help when they can no longer live independently.
Clergy support – The Diocese has a clergy support team responsible for the welfare and personal support of priests, including those who have retired.
Why are donations important?
The Diocese doesn’t receive any funding from the Government or the Vatican. It relies heavily on charitable giving to meet its ongoing costs. In the most recently reported year, donations from the faithful accounted for 74% of the Diocese income.
Donations to the Priests’ Retirement Fund help us provide long-term security throughout their retirement for our priests. This is becoming particularly important as the number of retired priests increases, with another 24 expected to retire over the next decade.
What difference does my donation make?
In 2023-24, £422,000 was spent providing accommodation, grants, and/or contributions towards care for 35 retired priests. That is an average of roughly £12,057 per supported priest for the year, although actual costs will vary considerably between individuals.
But your donation is more than a financial contribution. It is a way of saying thank you and helping ensure that those who have spent their lives serving our communities are supported when they need us.
You can donate to this important fund below:
