"Tut weh" - Bishop on Austerity Measures for Diocese of Erfurt - Erfurt Diocese slashes services and closes centers amid deepening financial crisis
The Diocese of Erfurt is implementing austerity measures due to financial struggles. Bishop Ulrich Neymeyr has announced closures and service reductions to secure the diocese's future mission. The St. Sebastian Youth Center in Erfurt will shut down, joining the CentrO in Rudolstadt and the diocese's media office in Erfurt, which are also closing. Subsidies to the Diocesan Caritas Association will be tied to church tax revenue, scaling back services. The diocese's two schools may adjust class sizes and increase tuition fees. The 2025 budget is €2 million short due to shrinking membership and the end of the Structural Support for the East payment. The Diocese of Erfurt has recorded its first-ever annual budget deficit. Cost savings are necessary because dioceses, including Erfurt, face stagnant church tax revenues and rising personnel costs. Funding for pilgrimages will be cut, and the number of church-owned buildings will decrease, with some potentially sold. Financial support for external groups and full-time positions for hospital and university chaplaincy will be reduced. The diocese must significantly cut spending to prevent a €15 million budget gap by 2030. These austerity measures aim to ensure the diocese's long-term sustainability and continued mission.
