An interesting study of Orthodox and RC clergy. I don’t think this part will surprise any clergy wives:
“Ninety percent of Orthodox priests named their wife their greatest support and 79 percent of them saw their spouse as “a partner sharing my ministry.”
And here is an interesting bit:
“The overall greatest worry of 37 percent of Orthodox clergy is how to provide financially for their families.”
Only 37 per cent? The article continues:
“Two thirds of the Orthodox indicated that their ministry would be enhanced had they more time to spend with their families.The survey disclosed that salary and housing allowances for Orthodox priests in 2004–based on years of service–ranged from $41,000 to $101,000 with a theoretical mean salary of $76,141.50.”
I don’t know which Orthodox priests they surveyed for those salary numbers, but in my jurisdiction I know many tentmaker clergy who do not get anything like even the low end of this range on which to support their families.
The Orthodox Clergy Wife by Presbytera Anonyma 