CEMETERY SUPPORT: St. John Paul II Parish is responsible for two cemeteries: St Mary’s Cemetery (behind the church) and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cemetery (on the O’Neil Highway). We have an obligation to all who are buried in these cemeteries to properly care for their resting place. Every parishioner receives a monthly envelope marked specifically for the cemeteries. Please be generous in using that envelope! We will no longer take up a second collection every Sunday, so we ask that you generously give monthly to our cemeteries.
As you know, the church exists to do the work of the Lord. We believe that all we are and all we have is a gift from God. These gifts are to be used to build up the Kingdom of God. The concept of Christian stewardship calls us to share what we have been given (our time, talents and treasure) with the church as together we do the work of God.
Sharing of Your Treasure
The parish exists and functions because of the generous free will offerings of its members. It is important that every member support the parish financially as best they can. Not only does your contribution help pay for our buildings and grounds, staffing, education and outreach, it also helps plan for the future.
Also, as part of the Diocese of Scranton, we help to support the mission of the Catholic Church in our area and throughout the world. Please be as generous as possible in your financial contributions.
Parish Envelope System
The parish envelope system is the easiest way to contribute to the church. After registering, each member is given a parishioner number and envelopes with that number are sent by mail. They are marked every week to let you know what we are collecting for on that particular Sunday. Your contribution is then recorded in our parish computer system.
All registered families will receive envelopes unless they request otherwise and use ACH or PayPal.
How Does Online Giving Benefit Me and My Church?
Donor Benefits:
Convenient anytime, anywhere access through the internet.
Secure and confidential. Adheres to banking security standards.
Flexible. Start, stop and change your contributions at any time.
Simple. No need to contact your bank or the church office.
Contribute using direct withdrawal (ACH) or credit cards.
Church Benefits:
Stabilize Contributions. Regularly scheduled gifts occur automatically. Allows church to effectively manage monthly expenses.
Secure and Confidential. No need to store member account information.
Efficient. Participation saves time and expense in bookkeeping.
Current. A tool for people who prefer to use electronic services.
Text-to-Give — Online Giving from Our Sunday Visitor:
If you would like to give electronically, but dislike the hassle of remembering usernames and passwords, Text-to-Give simplifies the donation process. Get started today! To learn more about Text-to-Give, call 800.348.2886, Ext. 2127 or visit online at OSV.com/DigitalProducts.
ATTENTION, YOUNG ADULTS!
All young adults who have finished college or trade school or have entered the job market should no longer be receiving children’s envelopes. Once a young adult has turned 21, he or she should call the office and register as an adult parishioner. Even if you continue to live in your parents’ home, you should still be registered as an adult parishioner on your own.
MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Many obituaries note that the family requests in lieu of flowers that memorial contributions be made to an organization or a charity that was helpful to the person or was part of the deceased person’s life. More and more we also see requests to leave memorial donations to the person’s parish, a charitable organization that is as much in need of memorial contributions as any other charity. It is also the place where the person celebrated not only the significant moments of their life, but the place where the person sought to give praise and thanks to God. Please consider listing the parish as one of the places where you would like charitable contributions sent, and consider listing the parish in your will.