Lumen Christi | Annual General Report 2020

10 A Lumen Christi Catholic parishes Wollongong The Second Collection – for the Parish Planned Giving envelopes and any loose cash donated at this collection are banked into a parish account which is overseen by the Parish Priest/Administrator and Parish Finance Council. Direct debits and direct donations through BPOINT and Tap Donations are also deposited into this Parish Account. The very many costs of running a parish are deducted from this account. These expenses include: • parish operating expenses such as insurance, electricity, water, telephone & internet, general maintenance and the upkeep of the church, meeting room, presbytery, car park and church grounds • parish pastoral programs, such as Scripture in state schools • parish staff salaries including superannuation • car expenses for the priest • a Cathedraticum – a contribution of 10% of the second collection (excluding donations) to the Bishop towards the running cost of the Diocese. Bishop Mascord, suspended cathedraticum payments from 1 March 2020 until further notice Audited Reports At the end of each calendar year, an external auditor reviews the parish accounts. A copy of the Auditor’s Report is given to the Administrator, Diocese, the Parish Finance Council and is published in our churches. We need your contributions especially for the Second Collection. If you wish to be part of the plan giving program or would like to increase your direct deposit, please contact the parish office by contacting Leanne Burlin on 4211 0500 or email wollongong@dow.org.au Plan Giving The Envelope Collection is part of the Parishes Plan Giving Programme whereby a family chooses to take a set of envelopes for the year, marked with the date for each week, and decides on an agreed amount they will contribute. Alternatively, a family may set up a Direct Debit either from a credit card or through arranging a monthly scheduled transaction paid into our parish account. The plan giving programme is important as it enables the parish to budget for the coming year depending on the pledge made by parishioners. Loose Collection Bundled into the Loose Collection are all monies received via the church’s collection boxes that are not placed in an envelope. The following is a comparative summary of the planned giving & loose collections for years 2020 and 2019 in our three parishes.