Last week I mentioned that we would be introducing the Tax Rebate system to boost our collections amount in the new year. The most common way this is done is by way of the weekly envelope system. The system works as follows:
You are asked to take a box of envelopes all of which have the same number, for example number 102. There are two envelopes for each Sunday, corresponding to the two collections we have already. The first is for the running expenses of the parish, and the second for the development fund, which will go mainly to specific projects such as running our new parish centre, new lighting and alarm system in the church as well as providing various courses for people. On certain Sundays the second collection will go to Diocesan special collections.
You will be asked to fill in your name and address in the first envelope and your envelope number will be recorded against that name and address and kept confidential. Each week your envelope will be opened by a team of counters and the amount will be recorded against the number, such as 102 as mentioned above. The counters will not know who each number belongs to.
At the end of the year, if your total amounts to €250 or over, the parish will send you a form to sign, in which you must include your PPS number, and we can then claim back the tax at no cost to you. This information will be kept confidential to a small number of people.
You can also pay by standing order every so often, or by cheque once a year, but we must have a record of who you are to claim back the tax.
Last year, 29 parishes in the Diocese of Cloyne used the tax rebate system. The total refunded to them was €709,000!
Please do sign up for this system next year, it will be great help to the parish at no cost to you.