Ruadhán Jones
Eight Cork parishes will be the first to provide a secure online donation system in the diocese of Cork and Ross.
In an online statement, the diocese explained that the new measures were being trialled to combat the “substantial reduction” to priests’ salaries and parish incomes.
Before the pandemic, “people have made it possible for parishes to meet all their bills and priests have been supported also with offerings”, the statement said. “But a lot has changed since March of this year.”
The statement explains that parishioners will now have four methods to support their local parish and provide income for their priest(s):
– Contributing to the collections taken up at Mass.
– Returning envelopes for clergy offerings or Station Dues.
– Using the parish’s new online donate facility.
– Setting up a standing order on their bank account.
The parishes selected to pilot the new donations system are Bandon; Blackpool, The Glen and Ballyvolane; The Cathedral; Clonakilty; Douglas and Rochestown; Frankfield, Schull and Ss Peter and Paul’s Parish, Cork.