Senator Jim Tedisco today announced a new approach to garner support to help make the more than 1,100 dedicated former St. Clare’s Hospital pensioners financially whole – a direct appeal to the head of the Catholic Church, American-born Pope Leo XIV.

Tedisco has sent a letter to Pope Leo XIV and newly installed Albany Catholic Diocese Bishop Mark O’Connell requesting the Vatican’s intervention to expedite payment to the struggling pensioners, many of whom have lost their homes and been forced to go back to work in what should be their golden years.

“My Dad always said if you have a problem, go to the highest source. I, and I’m sure many of the pensioners, as well as others, have said many prayers to our Heavenly Father for his intervention.  Here in state government, as she walked to her State of the State Address in the Assembly Chamber, I asked Governor Hochul to personally meet with the pensioners, which unfortunately, she has refused to do.  Now that a jury has ruled in favor of the pensioners and the judge said that the Diocese is financially liable for its employees, in the spirit of the Christmas season and the birth of Jesus, I’m reaching out directly to the Vatican and the man at the top, the Pope, to intervene and help to expedite payment to the pensioners of the $54.2 million the jury awarded,” said Senator Jim Tedisco, who represents many of the St. Clare’s pensioners and has been a steadfast advocate for them since day one.

In 2018, the St. Clare’s Pension Board with little notice, notified the 1,100-plus pensioners that their retirement savings had suddenly collapsed, but as revealed in the recent Schenectady court case, we now know that’s not the case because it was cratering for years. Among the Pension Board members, were the past two bishops of the Diocese: Bishop Edward Scharfenberger and the late Bishop Howard Hubbard.

Last week, a Schenectady court awarded the pensioners $54.2 million in damages after a jury found employees of the Albany Catholic Diocese including Bishops Scharfenberger and Hubbard liable for breaches related to the hospital’s pension plan. 

According to the Judge in the case, the Honorable Vincent Versace, the jury “did find the Diocese vicariously liable of the actions of their employees.” Since this verdict, in a cynical attempt to skirt financial responsibility and stall the court punitive portion of the case, Bishop Scharfenberger and another Board member have filed for bankruptcy.

“The jury has spoken and justice will not fully be served until the pensioners are made whole with the release of the $54.2 million that was awarded to them. It’s time to do the right thing and settle this once and for all, stop the delays and make these pensioners whole,” said Senator Tedisco.

Note Attachment of Senator Tedisco’s letter to the Vatican