Incoming Bishop Mark O’Connell weighs in on former St. Clare’s Hospital staff losing pensions

Albany, NY (News10) — The Catholic Diocese of Albany announced its 11th Bishop, Bishop Mark O’Connell, from Boston. He’s stepping in during a time when the Church is dealing with challenges including the closure of St. Clare’s Hospital, which left nearly 1,000 of its former employees without their pensions.

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In a press conference Bishop O’Connell said that while the church has many challenges, they also “have an opportunity to gain trust.”

Mary Hartshorne is a lifelong Catholic who says her trust has been broken since losing her pension.

“We were promised each year when they said they couldn’t give us a raise because if we got a raise then our fellow workers would be laid off,” Hartshorne said. “But they’d say, ‘but don’t forget, we always have that pension for you. It’s guaranteed.’ That was a lie.”

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Hartshorne said the loss has affected people’s ability to pay their bills…

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