MINNESOTA
Star Tribune

Article by: JEAN HOPFENSPERGER , Star Tribune Updated: November 11, 2014

$5 milllion in cuts to chancery’s operating budget linked to abuse cases, other spending.

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis will cut 20 percent of the chancery’s operating budget, or more than $5 million, in response to growing financial pressures resulting from clergy sex abuse lawsuits and other spending.

Staff layoffs in the central office as well as a reduction in some parish support services are expected in the move, which may be followed by the sale of some church assets.

Minnesota’s roughly 200 Catholic parishes and 90 Catholic schools are incorporated separately from the chancery and not directly subject to the budget cuts.

“Even without including unanticipated legal … fees, our current operational budget is unsustainable,” said vicar general Charles Lachowitzer in a statement posted on the archdiocese’s website.

Lachowitzer said budgets and…