£37,000 to £41,000 plus benefits. Incredible. We can't even raise £100,000 for a Church building that is falling down and feed the hungry on the soup run and the Catholic Bishops Conference is advertising for a lucrative post for Marketing, PR and Fundraising! Meanwhile, the same Bishops are closing Church buildings around the country. Outrageous, scandalous and shocking! Bash the Bishops! Marketing and PR, eh? Well, here's some marketing and PR for you. £41,000 a year to 'raise the profile of the Catholic Church in the UK'? I can't wait to see some of the marketing ideas because coming at that price, they're bound to be well worth it! I fear, however, that this could see the roll out of the biggest nationwide parish Church poster campaign for FairTrade tea, coffee and cakes in the history of the World...ever! It'll probably be digital and involve widescreen plasma TVs.
At least we know the person hired will be solid and orthodox in their Catholicism because the post is being advertised in The Guardian, that bastion of religious freedom, respect and firm and loyal Catholic identity! Also, I'm sorry, but am I missing something? There are Priests, bloggers, widows and lay people doing more to 'raise the profile of the Catholic Church in the UK' than any marketing, PR executive possibly could and certainly more than the Conference of Bishops. Why? Well, people can tell we're not doing it for the money!
It is funny, isn't is, that the Bishops of England and Wales so rarely comment on the exponential growth of Catholic bloggers in the new media raising the profile of the Church and the Faith of Christ while the Holy Father commends us. I mean, anyone would have thought that they didn't appreciate it at all, really. Good grief! £41k!
How much was St Francis paid when he 'raised the profile of the Church'? Maybe the Bishops should take a leaf out of Pope Sixtus V's book, who, I learned very recently was a Franciscan Cardinal who upon being voted into the Papacy threw down his crutches, stood upright and exclaimed, "All my life I have sought the key of Heaven and now I have found it!" He went on to continue to live Franciscan poverty, cut costs dramatically and improve the lot of the Poor and all the needy of Rome and found time to drain the marshes, which may sound a footnote but I'll bet they needed draining! Bishops! For the love of God and His Church! Drain your marshes and start with this marsh, the position of Development Manager! I remain the Pope Benedict XVI's humble and obedient servant and yours!
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5 comments:
I think you might be the right man for the job!
To be honest you won't get much talent, in London, for £40k! It would be interesting to see the thought process behind this and whether the Bishops have prepared a proper business case for appointing such a person. I doubt it or they wouldn't be offering £40k! The scandal though is it just adds to the already bloated bureaucracy that serves no purpose but to flatter egos.
Instead of a Development Manager to "market and PR" the Catholic Church why not just give loyalty points to parishioners. Now that should attract new punters !!!
Hmmm ... I think I'll apply for the job. I have great ideas to get the people in and fill the pews on Sundays. How about "Do one confession and get the second penance free."
My previous joking comments aside; it is worth remembering that the country is suffering one of the worst financial crisis for some time. Family budgets are tight and people are losing their jobs.
Every penny donated to the Church is causing hardships to many; just like the widow and her two coins we read about in the Bible.
It then behoves the Church and its hierarchy to spend every donation wisely.
I cannot imagine what this post's responsibilities will be; although I would like to see a job description. The advert mentions "Conference and Events" and "Fundraising".
I am intrigued that the Church is willing to spend £41k + benefits each year for someone to fund raise for it. This is not a brand image we're dealing with here - with the purpose of attracting supporters with their cheque books. Christianity is not a product to advertise and sell like soap powder.
Surely the role of the Church is to preach the Word of God and to save souls for our Lord.
Christ never needed a PR man to do this, or a fund-raiser or a Development Manager, whatever that is.
I feel really saddened that our Church seems to have lost its way.
The words of St Francis of Assisi come to mind about preaching the Gospel by acts and examples.
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