More than 12,000 Catholic churches in the U.S. applied for PPP loans - and 9,000 got them

[mfcorey1]

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]

1. Wrong, wrong, wrong. This is just plain wrong. The Church is sooooooo wrong.

[OnDoutside]

2. It really is a collection of small businesses.

[dlk]

3. The Catholic Church is the largest landowner in the world

Grift and graft is found a everywhere.

[Scurrilous]

8. Largest non-governmental landowner.

I think Queen Elizabeth is number one overall.

[dlk]

11. I don't think she is, any more

I could be wrong

[Scurrilous]

4. ROFL

'And Catholic churches were not the only religious institutions seeking PPP funds.'

Yet only 'Catholic churches' appears in the headline.

[Mariana]

7. I agree, it should have said "Christian churches"

and given the number for all of them combined.

[msongs]

5. the church IS a business first, using religion to get customers in the door to spend nt

[Roland99]

6. The Vatican could auction probably 1-2% of all their historic assets and cover all that 10x over

[NoMoreRepugs]

9. I for one am furious that any of my tax dollars are

supporting an institution that allowed pedophiles to run amuck for decades.

[ffr]

10. This is government via conservatives. CORRUPT from beginning to end.

[smirkymonkey]

12. Tax them!

Tax all religious institutions. The Catholic church has plenty of money and they are deeply corrupt. This is obscene!

[JCMach1]

13. One of the richest and biggest property owners on the planet

Hell to the no!

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

14. My church got $71000 - $84000... Protestant....

thank you all!

[crickets]

15. And did they pay taxes into that pool of relief money they are asking for a piece of?

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]

16. Our Protestant church got money

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.

[Celerity]

17. revoke tax exempt status for ALL organised religions