PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh has closed a $2.4 million budget deficit for the coming year, but three people lost their jobs. Bishop David Zubik said in a statement today that a combination of over $1 million in cuts to non-staff expenses, voluntary retirements and reorganization balanced the budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year. Two full-time and one part-time staff members lost their jobs. “We have changed our pastoral staff dramatically. Every area of diocesan pastoral staff has been impacted,” Zubik said. “Secretariats have been re-structured, positions have been eliminated.” Overall, 25 full-time positions and eight part-time positions were eliminated, while 10 new positions were created. The changes are at the central administration, but the Rev. Ronald Lengwin said surrounding parishes face similar pressures. The six-county diocese has 635,000 parishioners, down from 815,000 in 1993, but the diocese is cutting expenses because it’s committed to not running a deficit. The last time that happened was in 1989. The reorganization will be effective Oct. 1.
