Los Angeles Archdiocese to Cut Programs and Jobs

The operations will affect pro-life activities and outreach ministries to college students and people with disabilities, among other programs, the newspaper said.

The cuts come two weeks after the opening of the archdiocese's $189 million cathedral. Cardinal Roger Mahony said the edifice and the layoffs are not related. The deficit results, rather, from losses in the stock market, he said.

The cardinal said he expects that local parishes or regional groupings of parishes, known as deaneries, to pick up many of the lost jobs, the Times said.

On many college campuses, the Catholic presence will all but disappear, Campus Ministry director Laurie W. Oester said, according to the Times.

The archdiocese, the nation's largest, serves 5 million Catholics. Its overall budget is $600 million. The cuts will cause some programs to be eliminated while others -- including marriage encounter retreats -- have been ordered to heavily cut the number of workers.