CROOKSTON, Minn. — The Diocese of Crookston is urgently seeking solutions after discovering its pension plan is severely underfunded.

A letter was sent to current and former employees in late October after the diocese found it was nearly $25 million short on funds.

The plan is managed by the Catholic financial organization Christian Brothers Services.

Bishop Andrew Cozzens said there was a lack of transparency from the organization. He added that some of the 180 other organizations whose finances are managed by Christian Brothers Services, including other dioceses, have also been underfunded.

The Crookston Diocese covers 65 parishes and eight Catholic schools from Warroad to Frazee, Minn. Cozzens estimates about 500 past and present employees will be affected by the shortfall.

The iss

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