ADMINISTRATION & FUNDING

How does Catholic Mission determine which projects they will fund?
A parish, project holder, or religious congregation makes an application to its Diocesan Bishop for funding. The Bishop collates and prioritises all applications from his diocese.

The Bishop then makes an application for either:

An Ordinary Subsidy (‘bread & butter type items) or Extraordinary Subsidies (special projects, etc)

Applications are sent to Rome through the Apostolic Nuncio.

National Directors from all countries are circularised with the details of all applications prior to the May meeting in Rome. A National Director can nominate if he wishes to speak to any application.

National Directors, at the General Assembly, examine, assess, and determine the level of funding for each diocese.

Each General Secretary informs the National Director of each country of the destinations to which funds held in their country are to be sent.

From July onwards the funds are distributed accordingly.

All recipients are required to acknowledge receipt and to provide reports/photographs about the projects that are receiving funding.

How does Catholic Mission collect and distribute funds for projects?
Catholic Mission Diocesan Offices recieve funds via Parish Appeals, donations, direct mail appeals, bequests etc. Each month these funds, already deposited in our banking system, are transferred to one account for security and investment. Each year in March the International General Secretaries are notified of the funds Australia has available for distribution to projects. In May each year the General Assembly of the National Directors from around the world allocate the funds to projects. In July Catholic Mission Australia, is then notified of the countries and the projects to which our funds are to be sent. Funding is sent directly from Australia to the projects.

In Australia 1/3 of the funds raised for Catholic Mission's work of the Propagation of the Faith: Partnering local churches and communities is allocated to Projects in Australia via the Home Mission Fund. This fund was established in 1926 to support the various works of mission in remote Australia. The Australian Catholic Bishops Coinference sets the criteria for the distribution of this fund. This takes place each year in April.

What are Catholic Mission's Administration Costs?
Catholic Mission's administration costs currently stand at 21%. The costs involved in the running of a national organisation including personnel, office space etc are necessary and fixed. This enables all the remaining funds, after costs, to be used in project work for communities.

There are no middle agents, bureaucracy or hidden costs incurred at the project end. The Church network is very effective which means no additional costs are incurred for project implementation. Also, larger donations ensure that an even higher proportion goes to help directly. We endeavor to keep our costs as low as possible while meeting the needs of our donors. For example, donors need and request feedback and this involves the cost of producing newsletters and reports.

CHILDREN'S MISSION PARTNERS

What does Catholic Mission see as its role in doing this?
Children’s Mission is the Catholic Church’s official mission aid agency for children, working actively in response to requests for assistance from local communities. The Partners program is directed at helping children and their communities who are in need of assistance.

How do you become a Partner?
It’s really easy! Call your local Diocesan Director or Freecall 1800 257 296 and a brochure can be mailed to you. Simply fill in the details required on the brochure, including your financial commitment. Payment options are available via cheque, money order, credit card, direct debit.

How many children are assisted through the program?
It is impossible to give an exact number of children who benefit from the Partners program. It is estimated that over 2500 projects and 515,000 children were assisted by funds collected in 2001. Because of the nature of many of the projects, for example, building a school, the benefit for children is ongoing.

What form does the assistance take?
Financial assistance is the main source of support and funding varies depending on the local need. Projects include; providing food, clothes, medical care to children in schools, orphanages, on the street, building and providing resources for schools, day care centres and dispensaries, providing access to clean and safe drinking water. Rarely are resources and supplies sent to the projects. Globalisation and development has meant that it is more efficient and cost effective to purchase in the local setting than to supply goods directly from Australia.

Which countries are assisted?
Catholic Mission is an international organisation and through its work assists projects in 160 countries around the world.

Does it mean a regular donation of money or does it involve more than that?
The program operates on a minimum commitment of $15 a month. However there is flexibility in the giving – a donor may choose to give monthly, quarterly, half yearly etc. At any time, the donor can increase or decrease their gift. Gifts can be made by cheque, money order, credit card or direct debit. Cash is only encouraged for those who wish to come into a Catholic Mission office to make payments. Partners are also encouraged to keep in mind the children and their communities. Partners receive a photo and story quarterly of one of the projects and the children that their money is helping to support.

What does Children’s Mission Partners entail?
Children’s Mission Partners is different from child sponsorship programs because one child is not singled out for help, rather a whole community of children benefit from the financial assistance. The program is based on partnership – partnership of donors, communities and Catholic Mission.

Why do the children need help?
Children in developing countries suffer from hunger, disease and poverty. The projects supported through Children’s Mission Partners vary to meet both immediate and more long term needs. All projects encourage communities to be active participants not passive recipients of projects and their funding. How are projects for children determined? Local communities request the funds for their particular needs. In these requests, details such as local contributions (financial, labour, volunteer and the like), costs, children’s needs in the community and number of children benefiting are listed.

How did Children’s Mission Partners begin?
The Bishop was convinced that even though young and needing care and help, the child is capable of playing his or her part in the Church’s Mission. He strongly believed in the dignity of children and founded Children’s Mission with the objective of ‘children helping children’. The response to the Bishop’s appeal was extraordinary. In only a few years his work of helping children overseas spread, not only in France, but all over Europe, North America, Asia and Africa. Over the years, thousands of projects and millions of children have been part of Children’s Mission.

How long has Catholic Mission been involved in caring for children?
Children's Mission was founded in 1842 by Monsignor de Forbin Janson, Bishop of Nancy, France, who was deeply affected by the distress of Chinese children abandoned in the streets.

DONOR INFORMATION

When will my Direct Debit for my regular donation be deducted?
Direct Debits are deducted monthly from your nominated bank account. You may nominate a specific date for your regular monthly, quarterly, twice yearly or annual deduction. You will receive an annual receipt after the end of the tax year which includes all of your regular deductions as well as any other one off donations made during the financial year.

Please click HERE for a Direct Debit Authorisation Form or telephone our Donor Service Team on 1800 257 296 (toll free). Fill out the form and return it by mail to Catholic Mission, PO Box 1668, North Sydney, NSW 2059 or fax it to 02 8904 0246.

Be sure to indicate on the form which area of Catholic Mission’s work you wish to support. Be it our work with children, communities or church leaders.

If you have any further questions please contact the Donor Service Team on 1800 257 296 (toll free).