Jesuits can’t recover retirement benefits of deceased priest

Despite his vow of poverty and commitment to provide all of his property to his religious order, when a retired Jesuit priest named his sister-in-law as the beneficiary of his retirement plans, the Employment Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) prevents a claim under state contract theory, the federal District Court in Connecticut has ruled.  It has dismissed a claim by the priest’s Province seeking a declaratory judgment that it was entitled to the funds.