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	Layoffs Completed in Boston Archdiocese 25 Administrators Said to Be Affected By Michael Paulson Boston Globe June 20, 2006 http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/06/20/layoffs_ completed_in_boston_archdiocese/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City%2FRegion+News The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston completed layoff notifications yesterday to about 25 people who work in the church's central administration, as part of an effort to reduce the diocese's operating deficit. The archdiocese is also preparing on June 30 to turn over to Boston College the Metropolitan Tribunal building on its headquarters in Brighton. The archdiocese had agreed in 2003 to sell that building to the college, as part of an effort to help finance a settlement with abuse victims. The 25 people laid off are among about 270 who work at the church's headquarters overseeing a variety of educational and administrative services to parishes and other church facilities. A spokesman, Kevin Shea, said the archdiocese has reduced its staff by 30 percent since 2002. Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley had pledged to cut 50 positions from the chancery staff. He is accomplishing about half of the reduction by not filling open positions and by transferring employees to jobs in parishes and other parts of the church. Shea said a handful of those affected by the cutbacks are diocesan priests, who are being reassigned by the archdiocese, and religious-order priests, nuns, and brothers, who are being reassigned by their orders. The archdiocese has been struggling financially since the explosion of the abuse crisis in 2002, which caused a dramatic reduction in contributions. "The archdiocese can no longer continue to operate the way that it has," Shea said. "The reduction in workforce is one way we are working towards fiscal recovery," Shea added. Shea said that the archdiocese will not eliminate any ministries as a result of the cutback, but that some will be consolidated. He also said the archdiocese is working on a planned reduction in the number of people serving on the cardinal's cabinet. He said that the Metropolitan Tribunal staff is moving to the campus of St. Theresa of Avila Parish in West Roxbury and that other agencies formerly housed in the tribunal building have been moved to a hall at St. John's Seminary in Brighton. A Boston College spokesman, Jack Dunn, said the Catholic university will use the tribunal building to house a newly named Institute on Aging in the 21st Century, which will include research centers on healthy aging, retirement, home and community life, and aging and work. Michael Paulson can be reached at mpaulson@globe.com.
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