The Archdiocese of Bamberg, positioned in the Bavarian region of Germany, is forecasting a budget shortfall of approximately 9.9 million euros in the upcoming year. This financial predicament is primarily due to a decrease in church tax revenues and an increase in public sector wages, as revealed by the archdiocese on Wednesday.
Facing this challenge, the archdiocese anticipates an income of 229.5 million euros for 2024, with expenditures estimated at 239.4 million euros. Mathias Vetter, the Finance Director, stated, "Rising salaries and accompanying church taxes can only somewhat offset the loss of church tax income due to the high number of individuals leaving the church and declining baptism rates." As a consequence, the archdiocese expects church tax income of only 172.2 million euros for the next year, a decrease from the current year's 177.5 million euros.
Crucially, the budget does not include reductions in expenditures related to pastoral care and educational sectors, such as schools, education, science, and arts. This comes as Vicar General Georg Kestel declared, "People are at the heart of everything we do in the church, especially during challenging times characterized by wars and climate change," echoing the church's desire to act as an anchor in periods of upheaval for its community.
The archdiocese, home to roughly 606,000 Catholics, plans to make up for this projected deficit using its reserves unless alternative solutions emerge. With the financial challenges ahead, the archdiocese is determined to allocate its resources responsibly and effectively.
