27/03/2020
Dear Parishioners
Bishop Philip has asked that Parishioners still try to continue to offer their financial support to their individual Parishes during these troubled times.
My thanks to Irene Perry for addressing the Burghfield Common part of our Parish on this matter. A special ‘Thank You’ to Helen Warner for attempting to put in place a system for our Parish Area before events overtook us all.
In order to facilitate the continued support of Sunday Offerings, you may be contacted, on my behalf, by one of your fellow Parishioners, who already had your personal email address, so as not to breach any personal data guidelines.
It is suggested that the way forward would be for people using envelopes to keep their weekly envelopes with their Offerings aside. These can be collected once the crisis abates. If they are not using envelopes, I would suggest that they still put the money aside each week and again their Offerings can be collected at the end of the crisis.
Some may prefer to keep a record for each week and then contribute a lump sum at the appropriate time. With the present situation one cannot expect people to be bringing Offerings to the Presbytery.
Obviously those who are now in financial hardship due to the current Coronavirus crisis are not expected to exacerbate their monetary situation by making a contribution, but others would want to continue their support as is happening in other Parishes.
I am aware that the supply of envelopes for Sunday Offerings for the new tax year will not be available for distribution during these times, so would ask that you provide your own envelopes for the foreseeable future, once the current ones have been used.
PLEASE ENSURE THAT ALL ENVELOPES HAVE THE RELEVANT SUNDAY OFFERING DATE CLEARLY WRITTEN ON THEM, AS IS THE CASE WITH THE ENVELOPES SUPPLIED BY THE PARISH FOR PLANNED GIVING.
I have been asked about the Easter Offering Collection as the Churches will still be closed, and I greatly appreciate this concern shown for my welfare. If you wish to make this Offering, then may I suggest that you put this Offering within an envelope marked ‘Easter Offering Collection’ and retain it together with the other monies.
Again, I would like to express my sincere thanks to all Parishioners for all the support shown and given not only to me and the Church, but to others within our communities in these troubled times. Let us continue to care and pray for everyone and everything and may we continue to grow in love, strength and faith.
Father Patrick Tansey
