The Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon, in 1993, adopted a provision to its Clergy Pension Plan that introduced a vesting program "to allow those persons leaving the priesthood to retain a portion of their retirement benefits earned. Vesting will be allowed after seven years of service in the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Portland. The amount allowed will be based on a proration of total months service compared to an expected 40 years of priestly service. Recipients will receive this percentage of the normal, monthly retirement benefit upon reaching age 70 (although a reduced amount is permitted after age 50). Consistent with current policy, vested benefits are non-transferable and are not subject to any form of assignment." 

 

The Archdiocese of Seattle Clergy Pension Plan, adopted in 1972, provides a benefit currently of $1400 per month with 30 years of service.  A Plan participant who has completed fifteen years of service and whose service is terminated "shall be entitled to a vested interest in the pension credits he has earned to date of termination, and shall be entitled to receive a deferred monthly pension commencing at his eligible retirement date." 
 
The Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island Plan provides for a full pension of retired priests of $11,220 annually or $935 monthly at this time. Vesting occurs after 20 years of active service in the Diocese after ordination, and guarantees a pension beginning at age 70, according to a prescribed formula that begins with 20-24 years of active ministry which equals 1/6 pension. 
 
PENSION ADVOCACY INITIATIVES BY RETIRED RESIGNED CLERGY 
 
The Resigned Priests Pension Committee (RPPC) of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, organized in 1999, has been a model for representative advocacy and engagement with diocesan policy makers. Issues they have raised for discussion with some successes include: 
 
Representation on Pension Board; Information about the Pension Plan; Equitable application of inclusion; Use of a single formula for years of active service to determine full benefits; Periodic increases; Vesting from 10 years to 5 years for resigned priests on a prospective basis; Early retirement; Application of IRS Code Section 107 Housing Allowance Tax Deduction; A speedy appeals process. 
 
The work of the RPPC resulted in an increase of resigned priests receiving diocesan pensions from 3 to 79 vested retired resigned priests. RPPC co-chairs are Walter Cullen and Edward Kohler.

 

The Detroit Resigned Priests Pensions Committee has successfully obtained the consent of the Archdiocesan Pension Board for the use of the IRS Section 107 Retired Clergy Housing Allowance Tax Deduction by resigned priests receiving an Archdiocesan pension following careful and persistent research and advocacy by one of its members, Robert Fehribach. This represents up to 70% of the annual pension payment. 
 
Bishop Matthew Clark of the Diocese of Rochester, NY announced in 2001 the inclusion in the new diocesan pension program of all priests of the diocese both canonically active and resigned who have served at least five in the new diocesan pension program.  This was in response to the advocacy initiatve of resigned priest couple James and Carolyn russell and their generous contribution for that purpose.