The Finance and Administration Committee thank 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 each Sunday in Kells and Girley churches. The weekly average is €2250 for Kells Church and €165 for Girley Church.

One estimates the average contribution per person to be €2. In this day and age the donation is relatively painless but the total collection plays a major role in the income of the Parish.

At the beginning 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. Average contribution per week €7.

•  a WHITE Offering Day envelope for the 6 Offering Days of the Year - Christmas Day, Candlemas(Feb), Easter, St. Colmcille (June), August and November. This collection defrays the living expenses of the priests of the Parish. Average contribution per envelope €10.
• A List of Dead and Name Sheet (with the October envelopes). This envelope may be returned to the Parochial House before November 2 (All Souls Day).

ANNUAL DUES COLLECTION

This door to door annual collection has a long tradition and our volunteers collect during the Summer months. It is used to augment the Offering Days envelopes. Average contribution is around €10.

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 Offfice.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.

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. Annual contribution to our weekly and offering envelopes or via Direct Debit must be €250 or over. If you pay tax at 20% we can claim 20% of your contribution. If you pay at 41% we can reclaim at least 41% of your yearly contribution.

At the end of each financial year, the Parish Office will send a statement to you, if you have contributed €250 or over. You simply sign the statement, insert your PPS Number and return to the Parish Office. Any benefit will be returned from the Revenue Commissioners to the Charity i.e. the Parish. Last year the Parish reclaimed over €35,000 in this scheme.

If you pay tax by Self Assessment, you simply give the certificate which you will get from the Parish to your accountant. Any benefit will be returned directly to yourself.

You are under no obligation to participate in this Scheme.

 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, Confirmation etc.