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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMore than 12,000 Catholic churches in the U.S. applied for PPP loans - and 9,000 got them
As suffering small businesses around the country clamor for much-needed loans from the federal Paycheck Protection Program, news of prominent national chains receiving millions of dollars sparked an outcry among owners of smaller businesses who have been shut out. Now, many will likely be surprised to learn that between 12,000 and 13,000 of the 17,000 Catholic churches in the U.S. also applied for those coveted PPP loans.
Pat Markey, the executive director of the Diocesan Fiscal Management Conference, an association of finance officers from Catholic dioceses, estimates that around 6,000 Catholic parishes had their applications for federal funding approved in the first round of PPP and around 3,000 have received loans so far in the second round.
While most people likely don't think of Catholic churches as small businesses, Markey says houses of worship and their affiliated schools are trying to keep employees on their payrolls as well.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/catholic-churches-paycheck-protection-program-loans/
marble falls
(56,359 posts)OnDoutside
(19,908 posts)dlk
(11,438 posts)Grift and graft is found a everywhere.
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)I think Queen Elizabeth is number one overall.
dlk
(11,438 posts)I could be wrong
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)'And Catholic churches were not the only religious institutions seeking PPP funds.'
Yet only 'Catholic churches' appears in the headline.
Mariana
(14,849 posts)and given the number for all of them combined.
msongs
(67,198 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)NoMoreRepugs
(9,260 posts)supporting an institution that allowed pedophiles to run amuck for decades.
ffr
(22,649 posts)smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Tax all religious institutions. The Catholic church has plenty of money and they are deeply corrupt. This is obscene!
JCMach1
(27,544 posts)Hell to the no!
JustFiveMoreMinutes
(2,133 posts)thank you all!
crickets
(25,896 posts)It just seems to me that if a church considers itself enough of a small business to qualify for federal funding intended for said businesses, maybe that church should lose religious exemption and start paying taxes.
JT45242
(2,173 posts)We are using it to pay the music director, children's youth pastor, secretary, and custodian who are all part time.
My wife, who is a musician, knows a lot of people who normally work as church musicians, choir director, etc. Most are not getting paid.
I am of two minds on this ...there are a lot of people who work for churches that PPP will keep from being unemployed. On the other hand, if they are tax exempt they should not benefit from taxes.