Funding to help support the work of the Diocese of Charleston is provided through an assessment that is paid by each parish and mission including those ministries and services not fully funded through the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
Parish assessments specifically help support these works, which include:
- Formation of priests, deacons and pastoral ministers
- Vocations and continuing education for clergy, religious and lay ministers
- Care and services for clergy and religious, including senior and infirmed priests
- Administration of and resources for Catholic schools, including the ongoing development and training related to the religious education curriculum
- Catechetical services for religious education and adult faith formation
- Campus ministry at the universities located throughout the Diocese
- Ethnic ministries, special apostolates and evangelization
- Ministries for the disadvantaged, the poor, immigrants and the incarcerated
- Operation of the Diocesan Tribunal
- Safe Environment
- Worship
- Stewardship
- Consultation on the maintenance of Parish and Diocesan facilities
- Fundraising and development for these and many other ministries
- Administrative services provided to Parishes and Schools
- Maintenance of the Diocesan archives
The Code of Canon Law, Canon 1263, provides that “after the Diocesan Bishop has heard the Finance Council and the Presbyteral Council, he has the right to impose a moderate tax for the needs of the Diocese.”
This canon further states that the tax is to be proportionate to income. The current assessment rate in the Diocese of Charleston is 10% of revenue not otherwise exempt from assessment, primarily offertory and other offerings. This amount is reduced to 7% for parishes and missions with assessable revenue less than $100,000 and 5% for parishes and missions with assessable revenue less than $80,000.
Each parish and mission is expected to remit their assessment to the diocese in a timely fashion over the course of the fiscal year.