COLLECTIONS
The money contributed in the offertory collections, along with all other church income is counted and banked weekly. Obviously, standing order payments go straight into our account. Each item is identified and recorded. It’s an extensive list but includes: offertory collection (gift aid and loose); retiring collections; Cafod; Mass offerings; fees for weddings, funerals, baptisms; candles; Holy Souls; Catholic papers; Coffee Shop hire payments; donations from Sunday and Monday morning coffee etc; other collections including Lenten and Advent Alms; any special donations.
The money is counted by one of the team of counters, each of which consists of two independent parishioners. They both sign and date a weekly income sheet which complies with diocesan requirements. This is necessary to ensure that tax, charity and any other regulatory requirements are met. These sheets are retained and are auditable. The records are checked by the Gift Aid coordinator who also updates the gift aid records using the confidential details that he holds. A copy of the weekly sheet goes to the parish accountant who records the income against relevant headings, and reconciles it with the monthly bank statement.
None of those involved in counting, recording or banking the income has any authority or responsibility for payments from the parish account. Equally, those who do have such authority do not play any part in the income process.
This series of checks and balances ensures that the money donated by parishioners is properly accounted for.
If anyone would like more details on this process, please get in touch with the Gift Aid co-ordinator via the Finance Committee email: fc@st-cuthberts.org
As well as the weekly parish collection from time to time there is a retiring or second collection. These are mandated by the bishop to be taken on specific dates throughout the diocese and support the working of the diocese, particular aspects of the Church’s work nationally or internationally or to fund various Catholic agencies such as Pax Christi or the Catholic Education Service. In addition there is usually an appeal each year by a particular religious order or confederation to support their work for Church’s mission overseas. In exceptional cases and normally to respond to some pressing crisis or disaster a local parish might also have an additional voluntary collection as an expression of solidarity and charity.
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