Church Collections
On fourteen occasions in the course of the year, a second collection takes place at the end of Mass. These collections are authorised and required by the bishop.
The collected money is forwarded promptly to the Diocesan Office for onward transmission.
Sanctioned collections are –
| Diocesan Pastoral Centre | January |
| Trócaire | March |
| Emigrants | March |
| Holy Places | March |
| Clerical Students | April |
| Lourdes Diocesan Pilgrimage | June |
| Peter’s Pence | July |
| Hierarchy Commissions | July |
| CURA | August |
| COPE Galway | September |
| Mission Sunday | August |
| Diocesan Family Services | November |
“Church Gate” Collections
So called “church gate” collections are entirely outside the jurisdiction and responsibility of the Parish of Oranmore.
Such collections are sanctioned by permit by An Garda Síochána as “street collections”.
This permit expressly forbids such collections from taking place on parish property. *
As a matter of simple courtesy to those attending Mass, organisers are asked not to hold such collections when there is already an authorised church collection on the same day.
The dates of authorised church collections are given above.
Likewise, as a matter of simple courtesy and as an expression of respect for our parish and for those attending Mass, organisers of such collections should abide by the following code –
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- No aspect of such collections can take place on Church grounds. *
Our grounds are clearly demarcated by a solid green line at each entrance. - No posters or advertising material can be placed on any part of parish property, including on gates, poles or walls.
- Placing advertising material on parked cars in our carpark is expressly forbidden by the Litter Pollution Act 1997. Violators will be reported to our local Litter Warden.
- People have a right to attend Mass unhindered. Those coming to Mass must be allowed to pass freely. They must, in no way, be made feel obligated by any action or word of collectors to to support a particular collection.
- Those coming to Mass must not have their safety compromised by the presence, location or action of collectors.
- Collectors must not interfere with traffic-flow either before or after Mass.
- Collectors must ensure that the safety and dignity of motorists and pedestrians in paramount when making arrangements for a so-called “church-gate collection”
- The Parish of Oranmore strongly encourages anyone with concerns or complaints about the organisation and conduct of so-called “Church Gate Collections” to contact An Garda Síochána.
- The Charities Act 2009 specifies that permitted collections must take place in a ‘public place’. A ‘public place’, is defined as ‘any place to which the public have access whether as of by right or by permission and whether subject to or free of charge’ but does not include a Church or building used for public worship or the grounds of a Church or of such building.
- No aspect of such collections can take place on Church grounds. *
