Parish Assessments, Collections, and Finance Councils

"The Church is responsible for the financial resources which have been entrusted to it. This responsibility includes safeguarding Church assets, exercising prudence in financial matters, accountability to those who provide monetary support to the Church and to regulatory authorities, and compliance with all civil regulations. As such, the Church is committed to the highest standards of fiscal integrity and accountability."

(Diocesan Financial Management A Guide to Best Practices from the USCCB Committee on Budget and Finance) 

• Works with EthicsPoint, a comprehensive and confidential reporting tool that allows employees and others the ability to anonymously report suspected financial malfeasance in our diocesan administration, parishes, schools and other institutions
• Relies on a diocesan finance council, which includes six lay professionals, two priests and one deacon, to monitor diocesan finances, review the diocesan annual audit and parish financial audits, and to fulfill the requirements of canon law
• Employs the use of an audit committee to oversee and provide guidance on internal control and accounting matters 
• Addresses parish and school financial operations through the newly-established Office of Parish Financial Services
• Requires all parishes to have an active finance council that meets regularly and requires that they submit meeting minutes to the diocese
• Obligates parishes to comply with a two- or three-year audit cycle
• Mandates that parishes submit to the diocese their annual parish financial report, signed by the pastor, parish finance council and lay trustees
• Calls for parishes to adhere to the diocese's policy of handling and control of collections
• Uses donations given to the Bishop's Annual Appeal, Catholic Charities, Catholic schools in the diocese, and donations given for a specific ministry or apostolate, exclusively for their intended purposes