THE P RTAL
March 2017 Page 22
Chair . It is a Sub-Committee of the Governing Council . Other members are The Ordinary , Mgr Andrew Burnham , The Revd Dr Stephen Morgan , Cyril Wood ( The Finance Officer ), Brian Cox , Barry Barnes , and Don Ross .” positive now . One problem we have is that most of the Ordinariate money is in the Groups , yet most of the expenditure is at the centre , especially the Seminarians . Another is where the line of demarcation is drawn between the Parish and the Ordinariate .
We moved on to the delightful town of Olney in Buckinghamshire where we had arranged to meet with Cyril Wood over lunch . He was born in Willesden . His brother died two years ago . Cyril has two children , a boy and a girl , grown up now , and two grandchildren . A Chartered Accountant , he has worked for Ernst and Young , and been self-employed .
He was in Forward in Faith from the very beginning and became a Catholic in 1994 , when he worked for the Diocese of Westminster for a time . He has been Finance Officer for the Ordinariate since April 2011 when he received a telephone call from the Ordinary who asked if he would come and help us . Cyril began by explaining the structure of the Ordinariate Finances .
“ The fundamental is that we are one charity and every parish or Group is part of the one organisation , the one Ordinariate . This means that we each support each other . In the CofE this is not the case . In the Catholic Church it works , yet most Ordinariate Groups would not exist as a Catholic Parish because they could not support themselves . This needs to be understood .
“ In the CofE , if a parish wants to do something that costs money , they have to pay for it themselves . In the Catholic Church we each support each other . It is quite different . In the Ordinariate there are Groups that are in overdraft , and are supported by all the others . “ Our clergy fall into various categories . About half of them are retired and live on their pensions . The other half need a stipend .
“ All bar half a dozen receive cash from outside the Ordinariate because they are Parish Priests , Chaplains or whatever . This is two- edged sword - it is very difficult to have two masters ! Take an Ordinariate priest who is in charge of a diocesan parish of five hundred , and has an Ordinariate Group of thirty . It is obvious that the lion ’ s share of his time will be spent with the five hundred . This is a different experience from the CofE .
“ Of the Ordinariate members , less than half of them give to the Ordinariate under the Gift Aid scheme . “ Another complication is that each RC Diocese has its own rules and every Group will have to follow them for their area . Really , I need to produce a Finance Manual to help local Treasurers . It is on my “ to do ” list .
“ However , in many ways the Ordinariate is more
Cyril Wood
“ A recent initiative is our Family Fund to support , well yes , clergy families . This may assist children attending university , or other things that can cause hardship . Money for this fund may be sent to me , clearly marked Family Fund . It is a Restricted Fund , and may only be used to help Clergy families .
We are grateful to Mgr John Broadhurst and Cyril Wood for their time and patience in granting us these interviews . If any of our readers have questions about the Ordinariate finances do not hesitate to write to us at the usual address .
Forms of words for Making a Bequest in favour of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in your Will
I GIVE to the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham , 24 Golden Square , London W1F 9JR , the sum of ______ pounds (£ ) and I DIRECT that the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham shall be good and sufficient discharge to my Executor . or
I GIVE the residue of my estate to the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham , 24 Golden Square , London W1F 9JR , and I DIRECT that the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham shall be good and sufficient discharge to my Executor .