Diocese of Linz has to cut 80 employees

60 of 885 full-time equivalents must be cut. For two fifths of the approximately 80 people affected, this can be solved through retirements and expiring project positions, while for three fifths it is a matter of new tasks within the diocese or termination.

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The number of contributors has decreased by ten percent, or 100,000 people, over the past ten years. 75 percent of the diocese’s income comes from church contributions – in 2022 it was 99.9 million euros – and this amount is stagnating, but expenses – especially personnel costs – are rising, also due to high inflation. That is why the “Securing the Future” framework concept developed in recent months is intended to enable a balanced budget without using reserves by 2028, according to the documents for a press conference on Tuesday in Gaspoltshofen. After the vote of his advisory committee, Bishop Manfred Scheuer gave the order to implement the package of measures.

Savings target “not quite achieved”

“The current result shows sustainable savings of at least 13.4 million euros. The originally targeted 17 million have therefore not yet been fully achieved. However, with follow-up projects and continuous evaluation, we will succeed in remaining on a stable financial course,” said Reinhold Prinz, Head of Finance and Administration at Diocesan Services.

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During the process it became clear that considerable costs can be reduced through better coordinated cooperation, the merging of units or their joint management. For example, individual church contribution advice centers are to be merged, said Vicar General Severin Lederhilger. The five educational centers that currently exist will also be reduced to one with three locations. The center will remain the Schloss Puchberg educational center in Wels, and the Haus der Frau in Linz and the Franciscan house in Ried im Innkreis will be renovated in Puchberg and Wels. The Maximilianhaus in Attnang-Puchheim and the Dominican house in Steyr will not be continued in this form, and the Greisinghof in Tragwein will also be withdrawn after consultation with the Marianists based there. The Maximilianhaus could possibly be used for the future parish.

• More on the topic: Comment: The church and money

In addition, a building strategy is being launched as a follow-up project, which will look at what should be done with the properties. Sales would be one-off measures that would not help in the long term, it was said.

Opportunities for change for employees

“It is important to me that employees know that there are also opportunities for change within church professions and that we offer qualification opportunities with appropriate advice,” emphasized Bishop Manfred Scheuer. Human resources manager Edeltraud Addy-Papelitzky announced talks with the affected employees – especially in the houses that are being closed – to explore opportunities for change and further qualifications. “Thanks to the internal job exchange that has now been set up, internal applications are given priority.” A total of 1,170 people are employed in the diocese, 100 of whom will retire in the next four years. At the same time, 30 full-time positions are vacant in youth work as well as in pastoral care and innovation projects in parishes, and in the coming years 20 full-time positions for administrative boards in the new parishes will be advertised.

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The new parishes with their parish communities and pastoral places will be maintained and supported, announced Lederhilger. The current personnel plan will be in effect until 2026. Youth work will be supported, and the new “Weyregg Youth Meeting House” will be built at the campsite on Lake Attersee. The conversion of the diocesan educational institutions into a “Campus for Education, Science and Humanity” will not be affected. The funds are part of the extraordinary budget. Savings will be made on diocesan subsidies and the project is intended to create synergy effects.