Finance
St Gregory + St Osmund
95 Exeter Street, Salisbury, SP12SF | T. 01722 562703 | E. [email protected]
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Dear Parishioners
Unfortunately, the response to our Parish “Feel the Pinch” Appeal, launched by Mike Riding (Chair of the St. Osmund Parish Finance Committee), at the end of February, has been very disappointing. If you missed the appeal at the Masses, may I encourage you to spend just a few minutes listening so that you understand why it is vital that we increase our income. Please click on the video above.
Mike highlighted that the 2024 budget has a deficit of almost £ 220,000, which includes nearly a quarter of a million pounds on essential infrastructure projects, such as repairing the roof of the Salisbury Parish Rooms, upgrading the toilets in St. Gregory’s Hall and finalising the redecoration of the Parish Centre. These projects are essential to ensure that our properties are ‘Fit for Purpose’ for generations to come and that the mission of the Church continues.
He pointed out how fortunate we all are that we celebrate Mass in two outstanding churches and, that therefore, it was only fair that each and every parishioner or family should contribute to the church’s administration and upkeep. He acknowledged that our parishioners have varied financial positions but promoted the philosophy, that if we all donate to the extent that we “Feel the Pinch”, then the burden of the £ 220K deficit, will be equitably shared.
If you have an existing standing order but are able to give a little more, you can either update it online or complete the attached form and return it to office.
If you wish to set-up a Gift-Aided standing order, please complete the attached form and return it to the office. A regular amount, however small, will be gratefully received.
This issue is very real and I would not write to you about it if it were not so. If the Parish continues to incur annual deficits, we will eventually become insolvent and thus no longer be able to meet our mission “To nurture and sustain Catholic Christians so they may encounter Christ through Mass, the Sacraments, Prayer and through the life of the Parish”.
May God bless and keep you with love and prayers.
Fr Anthony Paris
Parish of St Osmund
