PASTORAL MINISTRY PALLOTTINE PARISHES
We are working in 18 Parishes, in the Diocese of Bacolod, Asti, Rourkela, Raipur, Jashpur, Ambikapur and Ranchi.
1. Pallottine Parish is a communion of communities:
One parish with many associations / groups (Parish Council, Catholic Sabha, Mahila Sangh, Children Group, BCC/SCC, Social Groups etc. or groups based on ward or village or Moholla etc) at the service of the parish.
2. People Centered Parish:
A parish though hierarchical yet in today’s world it has the spirit of democracy in its function. More and more laity gets involved in the function of the parish. Therefore, they have rights as well as responsibilities towards the building up of the parish.
3. Finance:
This is one of the important matters for the external development of the parish. It is sensitive issue because money gives temptation to all if not handled properly. Ther should be clear policy with regard to the collection and use of Finance.
Finance in the full pledge Parish:
Parish which is financially and pastorally self sufficient:
1. People together with the leadership of the Parish Priest manage the parish. All the temporal activities of the parish are managed by the Laity, in consultation with the parish priest.
2. Bank account is jointly operated of which the parish priest signature is must. Register is maintained with the people and money is kept in the Bank.
3.Subscription or ( 1% as per the diocesan rule or 10 % tithe as the Biblical Tradition ) Collections is done by the people and deposited in the Bank.
4. Sunday Collection is counted by the lay people and deposited in the Bank after entering in the cash register and priest registers it in the announcement book and the collection register is counter signed by the PP/ asst. pp/and counting person.
5.Advisable 40% of the total income should be used for the maintenance of the Parish: Priests salary, sacristy requirements, cleaning the church campus, repairs, electricity and water, and other daily expenses. If more than five thousand depending on the place needs the approval of the parish council and in emergency the permission of the PP.
6.40% of the total income should be kept for future development of the parish: Painting, purchase of chairs, building repairs etc.
7. 20% of the income should be utilized for the social work. Lumen Gentium, says, Church is by nature missionary. Therefore, Parish in essence is missionary. It should undertake some social concerns of the parish or outside the parish. Attending the Sunday Mass alone is not enough. Eucharistic celebration should lead to concrete actions, like adopting a poor parish, helping out poor students in the parish or outside the parish, building houses for the poor or finance for the evangelization, organize renewal program, Bible studies, training program etc.
Maintenance of the Parish Priest:
Parish Priest and the maintenance of the PP is done the Parish office.
His food, pastoral travel, laundry, telephone bills, etc. all that a parish priest needs.
Stationary and correspondence
Medical expenses of the PP
Parish guests, his guests, visitors etc.
Pocket allowance, holidays allowance, retreat etc.
1. Additional mass or Wedding mass, house blessings, (stole fee), vehicle blessings, etc. fee goes to the PP directly of which he is answerable to his superiors . Hiring priests for celebration of Mass has to be paid separately.
2. Mass intention goes to the priest
3. Offerings at the altar on Sunday Mass goes to the priest.
4.Parish Priest takes a leading role in the spiritual aspects of the parish:
5.Sacraments, sick call, family visit, preaching, teaching, counseling, etc.
6.Clerical Centered Parish:
If you reverse the function of the parish, then PP, takes leadership role both in the spiritual and temporary matters of the parish.
Finance in Missionary Parish:
Parish is financially, socially, pastorally depends onthe outside agents.
Finance:
1.Subscription is collected with the help of the parishioners and deposited in the Bank.
2.Sunday collection is counted by the PP or the sacristan
3.All the income and expenses are managed by the PP
4.Though the amount is small, yet, some amount has to be deposited for the future development and social work
5.He announces the Sunday collection during the mass and present the annual income and expenditure on the feast of the parish
6.PP makes a annual budget and submits to his superiors
Pastoral Plan:
1.Pastoral plans are made together with the parish council but prior to if there are sisters then the superior or the community and the asst. pp plan for the parish council meetings.
2.Timely evaluation is also done
NB: These are only some of the guide lines to discuss with regards to the finance of the Parish in different parishes depending on the type of the parish under consideration. Having said this, Parish Priest is the whole sole of the Parish in the hierarch