April 8, 2020
Dear Parish Leadership:
PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM:
The past couple of days have provided additional clarification related to the Paycheck Protection Program. I am confident that additional details will be provided in the near future and we will forward that information as it is received.
- Parishes are eligible to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program provided they have part-time and or full-time employees. Contracted providers, such as supply clergy, can not be included in your application. A good rule-of-thumb is that you include individuals who are issued a W-2 by your parish.
- PPP – Borrower Application Form: there is a section on the application asking for the Owner Name. Because parishes are not owned by any individual, I recommend you try to enter the following: N/A or Non-Profit – No Individual Owner. If your bank challenges you on this answer, please have them contact me directly at clinder@diocesecpa.org or (717) 968-5550.
- Pension Payments – If your parish has sought Clergy Pension Relief for April and May, you may want to consider still making the payments, depending on if your PPP application is approved. In most cases, you can include pension payments on your PPP application.
The links below will take you to resources that provide additional information on PPP.
If your parish is or will be applying for relief under the Paycheck Protection Program, I would greatly appreciate if you could email me the following information:
- Parish Name & City
- Bank you will be using
- Amount you are requesting
- Name, Position, and Email of individual(s) within your parish working on the application.
- Email a copy of the completed application.
This will help me better target future communication related to PPP and identify additional ways I may be able to help.
BUIDLING & GROUNDS:
Due to most parish buildings being closed, the risk of vandalism and theft is on the rise. Please make sure your building is locked securely. If possible, have someone periodically check on the property. If you do not have a security system, you may want to consider placing an inexpensive camera such as a Ring Camera or Blink Camera somewhere in the Nave or near the altar. These cameras can provide remote notification of any movement and allows users to open a live view of the area.
Ed Robertson, the Diocesan Emergency Disaster Coordinator, has been providing the Bishop and I daily updated from FEMA and PA Emergency Management on COVID-19. Ed is a terrific resource during this crisis and please don’t hesitate to reach out to him at
erobertson@diocesecpa.org
. You can also find additional information on Disaster Preparedness at
https://diocesecpa.org/disaster-preparedness-response/
.
Below is a link to a document Ed provided that may be helpful to your parish when it is time to reopen your buildings. It is likely that your water system will need some attention and this document provides some guidance on how to best get your water system up and running.
Thank you for your time and please let me know if you have any questions.
