Hoflich, James E.

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The Linacre QuarterlyVolume 32 | Number 4 Article 14November 1965The Priests' Mutual Benefit SocietyJames E. HoflichFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnqRecommended CitationHoflich, James E. (1965) "The Priests' Mutual Benefit Society," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 32 : No. 4 , Article 14.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol32/iss4/14The Priests' Mutual Benefit So< �ty RIGHT REVEREND MSGR. JAMES E. HOFLICH We are living in an age of change -the changing society-the chang­ing parish. At the beginning of Vati­can II very few of us realized the changes that were about to take place and in reality have already come to pass. Not only the total so­ciety but the individual is involved in this transition. Pope John said, «There must be an aggiornamento," an up-dating. .Our purpose here is to relate briefly the up-dating of what is now known as the Priests' Mutual Bene­fit Society of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The diocesan priest, at ordi­nation, makes a vow of obedience to his Ordinary but he does not take a vow of poverty as do the religious ·communities. We had a professor in the seminary who was a member of . a religious order and his comment on this was, "We take the vow of p:)V­erty but you keep it." Consequently, the diocesan priest who is hospital­ized, incapacitated by sickness or byaccident and those who have retire:l would have to be dependent entirely upon whatever savings he may have Monsignor Hoflich, Moderator of the St. Louis Catholic Physicians' Guild, is cur­rently president of The Priests' Mutual Benefit Society. 330 accumulated to take ca In anticipation of this January 31, 1870, the < of the County of St. porated "The Cieri Benefit Society of St. I February 5, 1870 this by the State of Missour filing this petition wer, ends P. F. Ryan, Chari, Henry Muehlsiepen. � great foresight because Third Plenary Council made a mandate substa of himself. oblem, on ·cuit Court Juis incor-Mutual is" and on ,s certified 'he officers he Rever-?:igler, and is showed ·1 1884 the · Baltimore iating this. In the beginning, th as a vol-untary organization ,. ,ereby the priests of the diocese wr invited to enroll in the Society. T' , following quotation is from a lette 0 ,ent by the president of the Soc> . y, Father Muehlsiepen, in Septem · ,-r 1870: A word of explanation as to he nature of its organization may be we ·,tl: corporate powers are invested in a , ,ard of nine Directors, not that a few m.� rule without the consent of all, but in o .. · r to simplify and give unity to its actions. 1f these Direc­tors (who have been appoint< l by the Most Reverend Archbishop, and ,. ho are after­wards to elect their success,,,,) were to be elected by votes of the m('r11bers of the Society and the same members were to vote on By-Laws etc., there would be likely to arise much confusion from the varying views of persons of so many different LINACRE QUARTERLY nationalities and modes of education and the result might be the entire dissolution of the Society. What is chiefly required is to invest the money safely and to pay regularly the amounts due to the sick and superan­nuated members; thus there is nothing to rule. Besides, every member has the right to propose amendments, and it is the duty of the Directors to take such proposals earn­estly into consideration. The purpose of the Society is to raise a fund, the interest of which should be sufficient to cover all claims members may be entitled to. In order to obtain this, the money paid in for the first ten years shall not be used, but remain on compound interest. But pro­visions will be made that, in the meantime, members becoming sick will be aided from other sources, so that in reality the benefits of the Society may be realized from the · time of entrance. One sees from this communication that membership was entirely volun­tary. In November 1890 the following communication was sent. Whilst no priest anticipates having to call on the Society for assistance, no one can tell how soon we may be so circumstanced,· ·by sickness or accident, that we would have 10 depend for support on our relatives or friends, or on the charity of strangers, neither ot which we would wish to do. Would the majority of the priests of Lh� diocese become members-much bP1'�r all would-in a few months, as soon as the first annual installment be paid, the amount in the treasury would exceed $5,000.00 .. If a priest falls sick, so· he can no longer attend to his congregation, another will have to be appointed in his place. By what or whom will the sick one be supported? Few priests, if any, especially those in the country, can put aside anything for the future. If a priest meets with an accident, on sick-call or otherwise, he may be dis­abled for months or for life. What will �aintain him? 'Tis easy to say, "Let the diocese support him," "The diocese must NOVEMBER, 1965 support him," and the like. We know there is no diocesan fund for such purpose. Ask yourself, on what would or could you rely, if broken down by sickness, or disabli>cl by accident; you would have to resign your present charge. Would you have saved enough to support you for a year or maybe longer? Would you wish to be an object of charity in some hospital? Most assuredly not. This Society provides a way by which priests are enabled to render aid-not charity-to a member when it is necessary. The small sum required for membership is within the reach of all. For the first four years of membership, $25.00 each year; after four years only $10.00 annually. No priest will miss it. In 1895, the Clerical Mutual Benefit Society of St. Louis was suc­ceeded by the St. Louis Infirm Priests' Fund and by synodal decree, all "secular priests affiliated with the diocese must cooperate in sustaining this Fund." The annual contribution from each associate was $10.00. There was a provision made that should this Fund become exhausted by unusual demands upon :he tre�s­ury, "the Archbishop will devise ways and means to replenish it." ADMINISTRATION OF THE FUND Further conditions follow: I The administration of the Fund will be  i�  the hands of the Archbishop, assisted by a Board of five clergymen selected by him . Of these one shall be treasurer of the Fund, and another, secretary of the Board. 2. At the call of the secretary, the Boardwill meet with the Archbishop towards theend of August each year, to authorize t�e annual statement, which the Secretary will send to each associate, and to transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting. 3. The accounts of the secretary and treas­urer will be audited each year by the Vicars­Ge�eral. 331 \I' DISBURSEMEN I' OF THE FUND 1. All applications for relief, together with the attending physician's certificate, must be sent to the Archbishop. .?.. In each case, the treasurer will give relief ciuring such a length of time as may be ,pecified by the Archbishop; and no relief ' ':· be given without the Archbishop's .. er. . Until it can be safely increased, $40.00 3hall be the monthly allowance. 4. Relief is not allowed for the first month. When relief is granted, it begins at the end of the second and consecutive month· and for that month. ' 5. If applicant receives revenue from his own charge, or for labor in another, he cannot expect an allowance from the Fund. 6. In cases of destitution at death, funeral expenses may be paid from the Fund. 7. Delinquents may be denied relief at the ,discretion of the Archbishop. The present organization, estab­lished in July 1948, is known as The Priests' Mutual Benefit Society of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The consti­tution adopted at that time was re­·vised in May 1956 and again in1960. The revision was a change indues. The dues to 1954 were $40.00:per year per priest. From 1954 until1960 the priest paid $40.00 per year and the parish or institution paid$40.00 per year. Beginning with1960, the priest and parish or insti­tution paid $100.00 each per year. A further revision was made in 1961 in which The Priests' Mutual Benefit Society broadened its cover­age and will henceforth take care of the diocesan priests in the following categories: those in retirement, those incapacitated by sickness and acci­dent and those hospitalized. In order 332 that this new arrangen·· successful, synodal dee each diocesan priest member of this Society dues are $200.00. I­amount is paid by the F The other half is paid rthe institution or the d, which the priest has b, BENEFITS 1. Priests in Retirement might be 1 obligates become a 1 he annual of this st himself. :he parish, :utment to 1 assigned. a) The Priests' Mu .11 BenefitSociety shall pay $100.0 ;m month to priests in retiremen at Regina Cleri or in a parish rec· '°Y· b) The Priests' Mu. 11 BenefitSociety shall pay $200.0(' Jer month to retired priests not livir at Regina Cleri or in a parish recto 2. Sickness and Acciden ::::ases Upo n  applica t i o n  · writing,benefits shall be as folio- , . a) Medical and surg: ,I hospital care. b) Private room, mir, ; luxuries, i. e., television, teleph 1e, etc. c) Out-patient care, Lth regularand diagnostic care.d) Reasonable hospi, il chargesdue to mental disorder.e) Care in a nursing or rest home. f) Private nursing ca1 ·, at home or in a hospital, is no! included.g) Sick leave benefits are $200.00per month. If a pric.,t on sick leave is being taken care of at an institution (e.g., St. Joseph Hill Infirmary) the sick leave will be $100.00 per month.LINACRE QUARTERLY h) While ill, the parish does notcease to pay the salary of the priestunless so ordered by the ChanceryOffice.i) In case of the incapacit� of pa�­tor or assistant, the parish willcontinue to pay honorarium fora period of one month. For en­suing months, the members mayseek sick leave benefits by apply­ing to The Priests' Mutual Benefit Society. 3. If temporary or permanent dis­ability is sustained by accident inline of duty and is thereby covered bythe Workmen's Compensation blan­ket insurance policy at present inforce in the Archdiocese, no benefitsfor said disability shall be paid bythe Society. 4. All claims for aid shall be madewithin a reasonable time, in writing,directly to the executive secretary.5. All payments shall be made towhom due (hospital or physician),and the individual involved will lie notified of the fact of payi:nent aU:d the amount. 6. All  disputed claims sha l l  b eadjusted b y  the Claims Committee.As of June 30, 1965 there were 576 diocesan priests. NOVEMBER, 1965 Number of priests on retire-ment during year 28 Number of priests on sick leave during year 12 Number of priests admitted to hospitals (in-patient) 96 Number of priests admitted to hospitals ( out-patient) 30 Number of priests admitted tohomes 7 Number of priests chronicallyill 12 Number of priests deceased 7 Number of priests taken care of during year 178 Number of priests at ReginaCleri during year Average number of days in hospital (not chronicallyill) 16 11 Average number of servi�es received monthly (not m­cluding retirement and sick leave benefits) 26 This Society, founded in 1870, has been most beneficial for our diocesan priests. 333 

The Priests\u27 Mutual Benefit Society

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The Priests\u27 Mutual Benefit Society

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