Finance Committee
Collectors
Counters

Finance Committee

The purpose of the Finance Committee is to advise the Parish Priest in all areas relating to the financial management and administration of parochial property and goods. This entails advising and helping the priests of the parish in matters such as:

	Compiling an accurate and up-to-date inventory of all parochial property and equipment;
	Drawing up an annual account of income and expenditure for the parish;
	Preparing the parish account books;
	Safeguarding the ownership of parish goods and property;
	Operating a parish fund-raising policy;
	Ensuring adequate security, insurance and fire safety precautions for all buildings and properties for which the parish has responsibility.

The Committee wishes to thank all the parishioners who have so generously supported the parish and ask them to continue to do so.

Parish Collection Envelopes
The collection taken up every Sun at Mass is vital for the general upkeep of the parish and to help reduce parish debt. The white weekly collection envelopes are used solely for this purpose. Contributions in these envelopes can be used for the purposes of the Gift Aid Scheme.

Gift Aid Scheme
This scheme was introduced recently by the Government to replace the old Covenant Scheme. It is simple to operate and means that the parish can increase the contributions given by tax-paying parishioners who use the collection envelopes by claiming back tax from the Inland Revenue. For this reason we would encourage as many parishioners as possible to use the envelopes as the parish cannot claim any tax for money which is collected loose on the collection plate.

Upkeep Of The Clergy
The three (pink) Voluntary collection envelopes at Easter, October and Christmas and the (blue) 'monthly stipend' envelopes are the contributions which go to the upkeep of the clergy of the parish.

Special Collection Envelopes
There are nine yellow envelopes or 'Special Collections' taken up during the year. They are as follows:

	Education of Diocesan Students - This collection helps to fund the formation of Clerical Students from the Diocese of Down and Connor.
	Peter's Pence (Pope's Collection) - The proceeds are collected on a nationwide basis and given by the Church to the Pope for charitable purposes throughout the world, eg. natural disasters such as earthquakes etc.
	Diocesan Pastoral Services - This collection has been used for various purposes in our own Diocese, usually in respect of care for the elderly.
	Diocesan Care Homes - Used for the upkeep of the many care homes throughout the Diocese.
	Propagation of the Faith - To help with the promotion of missionary activity throughout the world, especially in the Developing World.
	Bishops' Commissions - This collection is to assist in financing the many commissions set up by the Irish Bishops, eg. the Faith and Justice Commission, The Family Life Commission and commissions for other contemporary issues.
	Diocesan Youth Commission - For the Youth of Down and Connor Diocese.
	Sick and Retired Priests - For all the priests of the Diocese who, because of sickness or retirement, are no longer in active pastoral ministry.

Collectors

During the Sunday Masses after the Prayer of the Faithful the collection takes place. People put their offertory envelopes or an offering of money into the collection basket. One collector brings the peoples offering to the altar.

This offering is for the support of the parish. When there is a second collection, once a month, the Priest’s Stipend or another Diocesan stipulated collection it is taken immediately after the first and again is brought to the altar.

Counters

A group of parishioners meet to open the weekly envelopes and count the donations in preparation for banking.

We wish to express our gratitude to all our parishoners who support the parish financially, and who give freely of their time to help with the collection, counting and administration of the donations. May God reward you for your generosity.