Building Fund
We are asking each family to prayerfully consider a monthly contribution of $150 for our building fund. Please carefully consider your contribution and no matter what the dollar amount, we ask that you make a personal commitment to our parish debt reduction. This is in addition to your current weekly tithing amount. There will be a yellow envelope in your monthly package for this purpose.
Making a Charitable Gift through an IRA Charitable Rollover
Consider the benefits of an IRA Charitable Rollover as a gift to your parish. Normally, a distribution from your IRA is taxed as ordinary income. However, in 2011 federal tax legislation just enacted allows you, if you are 70½ or older, to make a direct gift from your IRA to the Church through your parish, the Archbishops Annual Appeal, or the Archdiocese of Hartford, without the distribution taxed as income to you. The new law also allows that you may consider an IRA distribution made in January 2011 as made in 2010.
The IRA charitable rollover law may provide a very good charitable giving vehicle if you are age 70 ½ and take the standard deduction rather than itemize deductions on your tax return. The law may also reduce the tax impact on your Social Security benefits. Your IRA could be considered a special fund for distributions to the Church and charities without the normal consequences of reporting additional taxable income.
The distribution must be from your IRA, not a 401(k) or other retirement plan. However, consult with your financial or tax advisor about the possibility of transferring funds from one of these other plans to establish an IRA, with the distribution to charity coming from the newly established IRA.
The IRA distribution must be a direct charitable gift and not a distribution to a donor-advised fund, a Charitable Remainder Trust or for a Charitable Gift Annuity.
To take advantage of the IRA charitable rollover to support the Church, please contact the parish office or review the following helpful tips in the forms section of this website.
DISCLAIMER: The helpful information tips is only for your information on this change in the IRA law and are not to be considered as legal, tax or financial advice. You should consult with your legal, tax and financial advisors to implement the benefits of the IRA charitable rollover law and related matters. Click Here for Form
Mass Offering
To have a Mass offered for a love one, friend, or other special intention, please visit the Parish Office to pick up a white and green Mass Offering envelope Completed envelopes may be given dropped off at the Parish Office , given to a priest or drop in the weekend collection basket. The normal donation for a Mass Offering is $10.00. Click Here for Form
Special Contributions
Special contributions are the vehicle by which the Catholic faithful reach beyond their own immediate needs and assist the Catholic Church at the diocesan, national and international levels, offering all of us an opportunity to help others in the light of the Gospel.
Thank you for all you do to support the needs of the larger Church through the promotion of these special contributions.
Below is a calendar of special contributions at St. Patrick Church of Merna throughout the year. The collections may be done in the form of cash or check from a personal bank account or online contribution.
List Organization Date
Mass Offerings: YEAR Round
Flowers for Easter: April 1, 2012
Diocesan Appeal Weekend: April 22, 2012
Flowers for Christmas: December 17, 2012
Society of St. Vincent DePaul: First Sunday of the Month
NOTE: This is not a complete list it used as an example of possible dates
Electronic Contribution/Online Giving
Parishioners may set up electronic giving using the parish’s form (Click Here) or their own, through their own bank, designating that specific funds be transferred to the parish on a regular basis. Some parishioners in our parish already have been making these kinds of arrangements on their own.
The parish will continue to use an envelope as a symbol of giving. The envelope can still be used as an indication of Mass attendance, which remains the primary act of stewardship. The envelope can be used at home in prayer and dedication to stewardship. This enables you to reflect on the act of giving in a concrete way and is seen by some as an important way for family members to be informed in the importance of giving.
Memorial and Honorarium Gifts
A beautiful way to honor an anniversary, baptism, and birthday or remember someone who has gone before us in establishing a scholarship or purchasing a brick in our memorial garden located in southwest corner behind Shamrock Hall.