Should the Bishops Take a Pay Cut?

My friend and fellow Catholic working mother Kelsey L. has an interesting proposal for the U.S. bishops (shared with permission):

In the wake of the McCarrick and PA grand jury scandals, Catholics are divided on the subject of tithing. Some have decided to never give another dime to a Catholic organization, even their home parish (as a percentage of what you give will eventually be paid to the local diocese via cathedraticum). This is causing suffering on the parish level. Some diocesan bishops have responded by chastising the laity for withholding funds, blaming the laity for parish coffers being empty.

This could be a solution:

As penance, and in order to show that their newfound contrition is sincere, I propose that all bishops take a pay cut equivalent to 1 year’s worth of cathedraticum, taken out of their salaries – 50% of every paycheck until they’ve paid the full amount.

Additionally, bishops will be required to forego all “appearance fees” – no more charging parishes for administering sacraments or saying mass. This is in keeping with the desires of the Holy Father.

Simultaneously, bishops MAY NO LONGER ACCEPT GIFTS, unless they are willing to pay the equivalent dollar amount BACK to their parishes (divided according to their contributions to the Cathedraticum). So, your Excellency, if you ask a donor to buy you a $400 fountain pen, you will cut a check to each of your parishes for a percentage of that $400. If the Cavaliers of Christobal cut your diocese a check for $250,000, which is then used to pay for a remodel your private chapel (which was redone 3 years earlier) you owe each of your parishes a portion of that $250,000.

All bishops will be required to pay out of their salaries all attorneys’ fees. So, your Eminence, if you’re going to hire a $1200/hr partner at “Dones Jay”, fine, but you’re footing the bill, not us.

Most importantly, for the next year, NO PARISH WILL PAY CATHEDRATICUM. There are too many good priests and parishes out there who are suffering because of your actions. It is unjust for you to force them to pay your debt.

I say all this not in anger, but in charity. I genuinely believe this will not only begin real healing among the faithful, but will help our bishops – our spiritual fathers – to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid that which leads them to sin. This is about getting people to become saints, folks. And bishops take heart in knowing every saint has a past; every sinner, a future.

Kyrie eleison.

What do you think?