Oxford Oratory Of St Philip Neri, The Oxford Oratory Restoration Campaign
We rely on your generous support to keep our church running. But giving is about more than just keeping a building open.
For Catholics, our charitable giving is an act of worship. It is a response to God’s own generosity, and an acknowledgment that all that is good comes to us ultimately from him. When we give to the Church, we are paying God back from what is already his.
How much we give is a matter for our own personal prayer and reflection. But the scriptures and the Church’s teaching give us an idea of what this should look like.
“Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” (1 Chron. 29:14)
Approaching giving in this way means that the Church has a duty to use the gifts of the faithful responsibly. About 23% of the Oratory’s income goes towards the running of the house. That’s about £180 a week from the weekly collection. Most of the donations we receive are used to fund our liturgical and pastoral work. Other major expenses include things like heating, lighting and insurance. And of course, historic buildings such as our church also need constant maintenance. We rely only on what we are given and what we raise through our own fundraising efforts — we don’t receive any support from higher up in the Church.
Registered Number 1018455
