M.I.L. lost her job because "the parish can't afford yr health insur"

[Patiod]

She was at work on Wednesday, when the pastor came into her office - she's the church secretary - and said "Marie, I'm going to have to let you go because we can't afford your health insurance premiums anymore."

I know this is off-topic, but I bet any amount of money that the Philadelphia Archdiocese is paying health insurance for the FOUR molesters who have been stationed at her parish. And the 160 others that are mentioned in our District Attorney's Grand Jury report.

But that aside, what the hell is going on in this country when the person who basically runs the parish (she does ALL the administrative work, runs the Seniors groups, organizes trips, etc.) has to be let go because they can't afford her health insurance anymore?

[Demit]

1. Do you suppose he's hoping she'll now "volunteer" her services?

Could he be hoping to guilt-trip her?

[Patiod]

6. Father did ask her "you'll still run the Seniors group, right?"

And knowing her, she will. A poor widow who wasn't being paid hardly anything as it was.

True story: when her husband died at his desk during a high-pressure negotiation, his union tried to deny that the death was work related, which influenced how much his widow would receive.

The union's lawyer had her up on the stand at a trial over the benefits, and said "and isn't it true, Mrs. E, that you have outside employment?!"

She calmed replied that yes, she was the secretary at St. XXX church, and that she made $9,000 a year. Scored some point with the judge, who was also an Italian Catholic. Plus the fact that the big negotiation her husband was running certainly seemed to have contributed to his heart attck.

[Demit]

9. She should quietly explain to him that she can't afford to, now.

As having no health insurance will mean she has to curtail her activities to what is absolutely necessary in her life. Much as she'd like to work for him for free.

[Patiod]

12. A good answer, but she fears Father will simply disband it

She's not young or healthy herself, but she feels for the seniors in her neighborhood, many of whom (like herself) don't drive and have no where else to go.

My guess is that she will bitch and complain, but she won't let the pastor just ditch the Seniors. She's a good woman - I'm just glad some of it rubbed off on her son.

[Demit]

13. A shame. About the pastor's manipulating her, I mean.

Just to save the Church a little money. And make himself look good, I suppose, to the Church hierarchy. I'd like to see someone leak this tidbit to the members of the parish. It wouldn't hurt for the pastor to feel what it's like to be on the other end, being shamed into doing something good.

(I put in twelve years of parochial school. I still remember how I felt thinking how the nuns took a vow of poverty, but not the priests--oh, no, not the men. They lived pretty good, with getting cases of beer delivered to the rectory, and walking around the church carnival with their cigars sticking out of their mouths.)

Well, if your MIL keeps the Seniors Group going despite knowing she's been manipulated into it, I hope she scores double points in heaven. She'll have earned them.

[Patiod]

15. I never understood the disparity between nuns and priests

Priests got a beautiful house with a housekeeper. Big dinners, wine, cigars, etc.

Nuns got a dorm, and did all their own cooking and cleaning.

[mondo joe]

2. I don't know who they ARE covering, but I do know healthcare costs are

out of control and many employers - even and especially non profits - can't maintain them.

[Patiod]

4. I know that's true, and I think we're hitting crisis situation

It doesn't help that the many parishioners are witholding their envelopes every Sunday until they feel that the conditions that led to the molesting cover-up have been remediated. Boston went through it, and now Philadelphia is dealing with it.

I know they crucified Bill & Hillary for trying to fix the situation, but maybe now the time is ripe for reform

[kurth]

3. Health insurance is a big crisis we MUST address

It has reached a point where most working people are just a paycheck away from bankruptcy. All it takes is a layoff, followed by an illness or car accident. This is America, and most Americans realize how ridiculous the situation is.

There must be a program to keep working people insured. We're spending a huge amount of resources on health care for people who are NOT working or who are NO LONGER working. What about WORKING people and their families??

[MountainLaurel]

10. It shouldn't be tied to employment at all n/t

[Coyote_Bandit]

11. And there are a lot of us

who are not working but would very much like to be working. Are we less deserving of health care?

I am a single 40 something educated female. Ten years of college, three graduate degrees, and two professional licenses. I have now been unemployed for nearly three years. I have been more than willing to relocate, change job functions and industries, accept lower wages and entry level positions. I've collected well over a thousand rejection letters and have even been turned down for a part-time position in a thrift store. I am not alone. My last employer laid off thirty percent of the staff and to my knowledge at least half of those laid off remain unemployed today.

I refuse to be catagorized as less deserving, less worthy, or otherwise inferior or lazy because I currently find myself unemployed against my own desires. Health care is, after all, a basic need.

And, oh by the way, I am fortunate to be able to afford my own catastrophic health coverage.

[elehhhhna]

5. WWJD? lol

[Blue Diadem]

7. That's awful! When is our country going to realize that we need

a national health care plan?

Our area has recently closed several of it's Catholic churches and a few schools. My Sil works at one of the still open schools and she's gone from a 5 day work week to 3 because of the budget.

[knitter4democracy]

8. I know that when I taught that insurance was part of the equation.

I taught in Catholic schools, and our insurance, crappy as it was, was expensive. That made it part of the decision on whether to hire another teacher or not.

Of course, if we had even the national health insurance Nixon wanted, we'd be better off now. :eyes:

[progressivebydesign]

14. Insurance crisis.! Bet her premiums were higher than her salary.

Our healthy youngish family of 3.. well our insurance costs per month, with zero pre-existing conditions and maybe $300.00 total used over the past 5 years, our premium is around $2,000 a month or more.

I have this sinking feeling that the insurance premiums have actually overtaken her salary at that job. I don't condone what they did, but am commenting on the condition of the health insurance market. It's wrong.. so wrong.

I wish your MIL well. I HOPE that someone in the parish will hear of her plight and have a job for her somewhere. That's just sad.