1300 Stratford Road, Stratford, CT 06615
P: 203-377-9901   E: info@stjosephsofstratford.org

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Parish Finance Committee

Canon Law (Canon 537) states ‘In each Parish there is to be a Finance Committee to help the Parish Priest in the administration of the goods of the Parish’.

The Committee also handles the routine of dealing with civic decisions, which affect the smooth running of the Parish.

The members of the Committee are:
John Hurley, Shelia Kenny, Michael Lynch, Pat Reilly, John Smith, Eugene English, James Tallon, John Kerrigan, Fr. Doyle, Anne Murtagh.

Church Income

The Finance Committee thanks all who contribute to Church Funds.

The Offertory Collection

Better known as the Plate Collection, the weekly Offertory Collection is taken up at the Offertory of all weekend Masses in Bohermeen, Boyerstown and Cortown churches. The recommended contribution per person is €5. In this day and age a donation of €5.00 is relatively painless. The Offertory Collection covers costs of heating, electricity, insurance, Altar breads and wine, Parish Bulletins, Collection Envelopes etc.

Weekly Envelope Collection

At the beginning of the year a box of Planned Giving Envelopes is delivered to each home in the Parish. The Box contains

  • A coloured envelope for each Sunday of the Year. This contribution augments our weekly plate collection for the upkeep of the Parish. Recommended contribution per week €10.
  • A pink Offering Day envelope for the 6 Offering Days of the Year – Christmas Day, Candlemas(Feb), Easter Offerings, Easter Dues (June), August and November. This collection defrays the living expenses of the priests of the Parish.
  • A List of Dead Envelope and Name Sheet (with the October envelopes). Write the names of your departed on the sheet and return this envelope with your offering to the Parish office before November 2 (All Souls Day).

 Standing Orders / Direct Debits

Some parishioners find it difficult remembering to bring their envelope to Mass each Sunday. Also coming back from holidays and finding 3 or 4 envelopes unused can be daunting.

So, many have opted to pay by Standing Order.

Simply fill out the form at the Parish Office. Tell us what breakdown between Weekly envelope and Offering days you would like. You can pay monthly, quarterly, half – yearly, or even yearly. We will credit your contributions to our Account Books from the Church Bank Statement.

Download our Bank Standing Order Form

PAYE Charity Reclaim

The Church as a designated Eligible Charity under Section 45 of the Finance Act 2001 can reclaim a percentage of your PAYE, if you pay PAYE. Under the Tax Relief Scheme for Donations to Charities, introduced by the Revenue in 2000, any sum over €250 donated to the Church is eligible for some tax rebate. Donations from all individual donors, whether you are a PAYE or Self Assessed worker, will be treated the same with the tax relief being paid to the Church. Prior to this the Parish could only reclaim tax from PAYE workers. Now the parish can claim back tax from both PAYE and Self Assessed workers who donated €250 or more in the year.

The refund of tax will be given at a specific rate of 31% on all donations. All you need to do is complete the new Enduring Certificate available at the Parish Office.

A new Enduring Certificate which will be valid for 5 years. This means you only have to sign the certificate every 5 years, thus eliminating having to send out the form every year. If you wish to you cancel it before the end of that period or if your circumstances change, you should let the parish office know.

Once again we thank all our parishioners who support financially our policy of providing well maintained and heated Churches, while offering an efficient parish administration in arranging and conducting Masses, Baptisms, Marriages, Funerals, First Communion, and Confirmation etc.

 



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