Ways to Support Our Parish

Becoming a regular Giver will enable the Parish to continue the liturgical, sacramental, pastoral and charitable works of our parish. One way is to contribute to our parish is by giving via the two collections at Sunday Mass. You can do this by one of two ways.....

Direct Debit / Electronic Planned Giving

As we move more and more into a cashless society, many parishioners prefer to contribute to parish giving electronically

We’ve created a number of ways for you to easily give electronically on a regular basis or as a one-off gift.

An electronic regular gift provides many benefits. You will find it a secure, convenient and efficient way to regularly support our parish, while also reducing our administration costs.

It will also help us to confidently forecast and plan, as we know that we can rely on your support. You can increase, decrease, discontinue or restart your monthly gift at any time.

If you would like to learn more about Electronic Planned Giving click here or see the Parish Office to fill in a Direct Debit Authourisation form.

Planned Giving Envelopes

Planned Giving Envelopes are the more traditional way of regularly supporting our Parish through placing your weekly contribution into an assigned envelope then placing it in the collection basket at Sunday Mass.

If you would like to learn more about contributing through the Planned Giving Envelope System, please see Father after any of the weekend Masses.

How is your parish giving used?

A parish is dependent on the generosity of its parishioners to sustain itself and its many charitable and pastoral works. Generally, this support is through two collections at each Sunday Mass.

First Collection

For our Priests

Historically, these have been funds for the parish priest to use as an allowance for his financial livelihood, a stipend (small salary) for the assistant priest(s), their weekly sustenance needs and a modest wage for a house keeper. After the Second Vatican Council in the early 1960s dioceses were encouraged to establish a central fund to which the proceeds of each parish’s first collection (less their deductions for sustenance needs) was directed and from which stipends were then paid according to an equitable arrangement.
In 1984, a central fund known as the Clergy Remuneration Fund was established.

Today, this fund provides for a priest’s:

Monthly stipend
Private health insurance
Superannuation contribution

… which, altogether is comparable to the value of the aged pension. This fund also provides a co-contribution towards the financial support of a priest who is on light duties due to ill health or who has retired.

Second Collection

For your Parish Community

Planned Giving (which comprises envelopes and direct debits) and any loose cash donated at this collection are banked into a parish account which is overseen by your Parish Finance Council. The many costs of running a parish are deducted from this account. Some of the expenses covered include:

Parish operating costs such as insurance, utilities, telecommunications, general maintenance and upkeep of the church, presbytery, buildings and parish property
Any loan debt servicing for parish buildings
Parish pastoral programs
Parish staff salaries including superannuation
Car expenses for the priest(s) in the parish
A Cathedraticum (contribution) to the Bishop towards the costs of running the Diocese (10%).

After the end of each calendar year, an external auditor reviews the parish accounts. A copy of the auditor’s report is given to the diocese, the Parish Finance Council and is made available to parishioners.