Bishops approve reduced budget, no rise in assessments

Published: 2003-11-12

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Amid concerns about reductions in staff and programs in many of their dioceses, the U.S. bishops approved a balanced 2004 budget for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that shaved $4.5 million off the 2003 expenditures. They also approved no increase in the assessments dioceses pay to maintain their national office, although the amount an individual diocese pays may vary up or down depending on factors such as a change in Catholic population. Both approvals came Nov. 12 during the bishops' fall general meeting. By voice vote the bishops approved a USCCB budget of $126.8 million, down 3.5 percent from 2003. Hurt in the budget squeeze is the bishops' office for Migration and Refugee Services. It anticipates a $1 million shortfall for 2004 because of a drop in government funding as the number of refugees flowing into the United States has diminished.

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