Special Collections
 

Every now and then, we take up extra collections to support special causes such as Catholic Mission and the Holy Father (Peter’s Pence).

Annual Parish Financial Statement 2024

Sunday, 1 September 2024

Dear parishioners of Corio and Lara,

It gives me great pleasure to present to you the first Annual Parish Financial Statement for Corio Lara Catholic Parish. This Statement covers the eighteen months from 1st January 2023 to 30 June 2024. The key positive takeaway from this Statement is that your stewardship contributions have increased by 20% from 30 June 2023 to 30 June 2024. At the same time, the cessation of Bingo at the end of 2023 will have a significant impact on the parish’s income going forward. Over the months ahead, I will work with the Finance Committee to strengthen the parish’s financial position in anticipation of our 50th anniversary in 2026. Should you have any questions about the Annual Parish Financial Statement, please do not hesitate to approach me.

Funding Mission

Before getting to the detail, it is important to remember why the parish needs to have assets or deal with money in the first place. The parish’s financial assets are ordered towards the advancement of the parish’s mission: the salvation of souls. Jesus himself used money to support and advance his ministry. Saint Luke tells us that Jesus was often accompanied by people “who provided for him out of their means” (Luke 8:1-3). Saint John tells us that the Lord entrusted the management of these resources to Judas Iscariot, for “he had charge of the common purse” (John 12:6). After the Lord’s ascension, the apostles continued to maintain a common fund to support the mission of the Church, “for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:34-35). Our Lord shows us that money and property are necessary tools in advancing the parish’s mission of the salvation of souls.

The Responsibility of Good Parish Governance

The parish priest (or administrator) is responsible for governing the parish and its resources. The bishop and parish community rightly trust and expect the parish priest to manage the parish’s finances prudently and responsibly. As Saint Paul wrote to the Christians of Corinth: “It is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy” (1 Cor 4:2). At the same time, church law obliges parish priests to form a Parish Finance Committee “to assist the pastor in the administration of the goods of the parish” (Code of Canon Law, Canon 537). Parish Finance Committees are governed by the Archdiocese of Melbourne’s Finance Committee Statutes. As a rule, parish Finance Committees meet quarterly.

Fr Daryl Montecillo began the task of bringing order to the parish’s finances and this is a work that I have been able to continue. It is due to Fr Daryl’s efforts that I can present accurate financial data for 2023. I am grateful to Fr Daryl for his initiative and advice. I commenced my appointment as Administrator on 1 January 2024. In March, I held my first meeting with the Parish Finance Committee. Following that meeting, I engaged Davidsons Accountants (Geelong) as our provider of bookkeeping and accounting services. The Finance Committee then met in May and August. The next meeting is scheduled for October.

The October meeting of the Finance Committee will focus on the formulation of a parish budget for 2025 to guide operational and capital expenditure.

The Parish Finance Committee Membership 2024

Fr Marcus Goulding (Administrator), Bernard Lewis, Maricar Mesoga, Jo-Anne Dean, Gerard Rowan, Jasna Brdar (Ex officio)

Initiating the Annual Parish Financial Statement

Although not required by church law, it seems to me that good financial stewardship also involves giving parishioners regular updates on the parish’s basic financial position. The parish’s resources are the fruit of your contributions and being accountable to you is an expression of basic respect. At the same time, information about the parish’s financial position needs to be received with the same respect with which it is offered.

For this reason, I am initiating the publication of an Annual Parish Financial Statement. This year, the Annual Parish Financial Statement is being published in September. However, going forward, it is my intention to publish the Annual Parish Financial Statement each March. Parishes organise their finances according to the calendar year, not the secular financial year. This makes March an ideal time to publish the previous year’s financial report. Consequently, we will aim to publish the next Annual Parish Financial Statement in March 2025.

Thank you and congratulations

This first Annual Parish Financial Statement is the fruit of eight months of patient and painstaking work. In closing, I wish to thank those whose hard work has brought this Statement together, especially Jasna Brdar, our Finance Committee, and the team at Davidsons Accountants. Most importantly, however, I wish to thank all parishioners for your ongoing support for Corio Lara Catholic Parish. Your contributions are a powerful expression of your faith in God and your participation in the mission of the Catholic Church.

Yours faithfully,

 Fr Marcus Goulding
Administrator