Share collections in Dublin’s Catholic archdiocese, which fund its support services, dropped significantly in the 18-month period to the end of December 2015, ending with a deficit of €3.65 million.
An opening balance of €18.1 million in July 2014 was reduced to €14.4 million by the end of December 2015 with the trend pronouncedly downwards, according to figures published by the archdiocese.
Share provides support services in the archdiocese to parish communities in child safeguarding, education and schools, repairs to buildings, financial management and human resources (including meeting legal requirements under the Charities Act) and communications, as well as in training people to work in evangelisation and catechesis.
Income, through parish collections mainly, between July 2014 and December 31st, 2015, was €10.5 million while spending over the period came to €14.1 million.
Weekly contributions
In the five-year period from 2010 to 2015, average weekly contributions to Share collections in the archdiocese dropped from about €140,000 to almost €128,000, a fall of more than 10 per cent.
Where individual parishes are concerned the top 10 contributors to Share collections over the 18-month period from July 1st, 2014, to December 31st, 2015, were Mount Merrion (€164,519), Foxrock (€157,062), Leixlip (€149,191), Donnybrook (€144,053), Rathfarnham (€129,608), Lucan (€128,386), Crumlin (€127,293), Maynooth (€111,194) and Newtownpark (€110,120).
Among the lower 10 contributing parishes, frequently related to location and Catholic population locally, were Darndale (€5,955), Dublin Airport (€5,770), Killinarden (€5,735), Moone (€5,650), Blessed Sacrament Chapel, Bachelors Walk (€5,111), Cross Chapel, Blessington (€4,795), Jobstown (€4,779), Deansrath (€4,396), Manor Kilbride, Blessington (€4,045) and Sean McDermott Street (€3,850).
Also included is an annual personal donation of €100 from "Pierce BH" as well as €2,922 from the Sybil Hill nursing home in Raheny and €3,398 from Coiste Tréadach which deals with ministry to Irish speakers in Dublin.
Monies from these collections were also used to supplement spending at 30 of the busier and low-income parishes. Included was €189,097 for the Pro Cathedral on Marlborough Street, €182,394 for Ballyfermot parish, €148,605 for City Quay, €56,019 for Ballymun parish, €20,000 for Darndale and €10,800 for Jobstown.
‘Invaluable contribution’
Noting the decline in Share collections, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said this was happening as demand for essential services was increasing. He appealed to people “to give generously to Share, the second collection, each Sunday. Your help is an invaluable contribution to the work of renewal in the church.”
A Share newsletter published at the weekend said that 15,000 children were baptised in Dublin archdiocese last year, with almost 8,000 funerals and 1,900 couples married.
There are 372 Dublin diocesan priests and 149 religious priests (members of religious congregations) working in the archdiocese with more than 100 priests retired.
There are 466 Catholic schools in Dublin where thousands of children are currently preparing for First Holy Communion and Confirmation. In total, the archdiocese has about one million Catholics in 199 parishes with 231 churches.
The first collection at Masses in Dublin every weekend goes towards the support of priests and sick and retired priests. The second, Share, collection goes to funding services, and a third collection is towards operating costs – heat, light, repairs – in the parishes.
