Financing the Parish

The Offertory at Mass is a symbol of our giving of ourselves to God. The money we give enables the parish to pay its way. As well as the money received through the regular collections as cash, in Planned Giving envelopes or by contactless payment, there is income from standing orders or other donations, the Christmas and Easter Offerings, stipends given for masses, baptisms, marriages and funerals, payments from the sale of votive candles, Mass cards etc. Plus, there is money raised through specific fund-raising activities and the tax rebate we receive from the government for Gift Aided offerings.

In the early Church as described in the Acts of the Apostles, “no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, as everything they owned was held in common”. That is not what the Church asks today. Cardinal Hume once suggested that wage earners might consider one hour’s pay as the basis for deciding the amount of their giving. In deciding what to give, perhaps compare the amount you give with what else you might spend the money on each week – a bottle of wine, a take-away meal. Each must look at their own circumstances in deciding how much to give each week and no-one is asked to give what they cannot afford.

If you want a set of envelopes to make your offerings please email the office, stroudgreen@rcdow.org.uk, giving your name and address, including your postcode or, to set up a regular payment from your bank, you can download a Standing Order form.

Second Collections

Most retiring collections that are taken are set by the diocese and few are for the parish.

• Day-to-day running costs – salaries, heating, lighting, telephone, postage, housekeeping, printing, insurance, etc.
• The amount which the diocese levies as our contribution to the costs of running and maintaining the diocese and providing central services including schools. Currently this is around 30% of our ‘assessable income’ from the Sunday collection whether that is loose cash, in Planned Giving envelopes, standing orders, contactless payments etc. plus any Gift Aid the Parish receives on those donations.
• To support parish activities such as the Soup Run and to provide assistance to people in need as well as passing on what is given in retiring collections for the likes of CAFOD, the missions and the Priest Training Fund.
• Funding parish projects such as the new porch and re-decoration of the church. We presently will need to raise funds if we are to replace the aging church boiler.

Salaries

The priest’s living expenses – housekeeping, utilities, etc. are met from parish income. His monthly salary is based on the money received for celebrating masses, baptisms, weddings and funerals plus the Christmas and Easter offerings (which are not paid directly to the priest) subject to a minimum amount set by the diocese. The diocese also sets salaries for parish employees – secretaries, housekeepers, etc. based on the demands of the job and the hours worked.