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UNITY
WAY
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Regularly ridiculed because of its Catholic connections, the Billings method of charting human fertility is winning converts all over the world, including nations with serious population problems such as India and China where it has been officially backed with government support. The method, named for Melbourne GPs John and Evelyn Billings, above, held its annual conference in Malaysia in April, enabling delegates from more than 20 countries to hear progress reports, build relationships and and swap information. Matthew Biddle reports - Page 4. PHOTO: JOHN CASAMENTO
Parishes feel the pinch as Australia’s cost of living affects parishioners, Sunday collections
Household costs hit parishes
By Matthew Biddle PARISHES are struggling to pay for necessary expenses as the cost of living continues to increase around the country. Combined with parishes’ increased costs, members of congregations are finding it difficult to put money in collection plates as a result of their own rising household expenses. While some Catholics may not know where their donations are going, a number of parishes in Perth now make their collection figures available the following week in the parish bulletin.
One parish that goes a step further is St Paul’s in Mt Lawley, where the parish makes public both the collection amounts and a list of weekly expenses. On the weekend of July 20-21, St Paul’s collected $1,483.80 but the parish expenses that week reached more than $4,000. The expenses included plumbing and roof repairs, and $1,900 worth of tree lopping. While collection amounts vary from week to week, of the parishes that publicised their collections for the July 20-21 weekend, the average total was about $1,850. With the financial year finish-
ing recently, some parishes are also making their income and expenditure statements available. Our Lady of Grace Parish in North Beach collected $214,295 during the 2012-13 financial year, with more than 85 per cent received
lection provides the annual income for a diocesan priest in Perth, which goes on daily expenses such as food and petrol. If the first collection amounts to more than is required, the Archdiocese uses the additional
On the weekend of July 20-21, St Paul’s collected $1,483 – but parish expenses exceeded $4,000. via the parish’s second collection. But capital expenditure exceeded the parish’s income for the year by more than $10,000. The Record was informed that the money received in the first col-
funds to help sustain other parish priests whose income is insufficient. The proceeds of the second collection are used on parish expenses, such as building repairs, council rates and telephone bills. A portion
of the second collection is also given to the Archdiocese to support projects such as new church buildings. Finances in every diocese around the world are governed by the Code of Canon Law, which calls for finance councils to be set up for each diocese. It is understood that dioceses differ in the way they distribute parish funds received from the Mass collections. The annual income of a Catholic priest is substantially less than that of other religious leaders. An American survey in 2010 reported that Protestant church pastors can receive as much as $400,000 a year.