Sharing Sunday Guidelines

PURPOSE:

To properly and fairly designate the distribution of “Sharing Sunday” offerings of the St. Roman parish.

MEMBERSHIP:

The Sharing Sunday committee is a sub-committee of the Human Concerns groups, and as such, is open to all interested members of the St. Roman parish. Contact the parish office if you are interested in becoming part of the group.

SELECTION:

All groups receiving Sharing Sunday funds are selected by the process established by the Human Concerns Committee. Any group selected must be recognized as a tax-exempt organization and must present documents to substantiate that status.

STRUCTURE:

The Committee is responsible for establishing its own chairperson and selecting the members of the committee that determine which groups receive Sharing Sunday funds. Records are maintained documenting what requests were reviewed and their disposition, as well as follow‑up assignments. As appropriate, groups selected are brought to the attention of the Pastor for approval. The Pastor may modify, suspend, or reject any recommended group presented by the Human Concerns Committee.

REPORTS:

The Committee has a direct reporting relationship to the Pastor. The Human Concerns Committee keeps a record of all groups that apply directly to the Human Concerns Committee for funds. It also keeps a record of groups that are recommended by parishioners as worthy of receiving funds. As appropriate, groups are informed of the Committee’s decision regarding eligibility for receiving funds. Records are stored in the Parish Office.

DUTIES:

The Human Concerns Committee meets as appropriate to select groups that will receive Sharing Sunday funds. Groups that request funds and groups that are recommended by parishioners are considered. All members are expected to participate in meetings and follow‑up on contact assignments. The selection process is used for all groups, except those that are a part of St. Roman parish. The Pastor has sole authority for selecting the parish groups. The committee has the responsibility of assigning the Sharing Sunday month for the parish groups.

DECISION MAKING:

The Committee strives for consensus. Criteria required are listed on the information letters. If there are more eligible groups than available Sharing Sundays, the Pastor will pick names “out of the hat.”

BUDGET:

Distributed funds are those that are collected at each Sharing Sunday (and Saturday) Mass. The parish office staff handles the distribution of funds per their cash distribution process. The Sharing Sunday committee does not handle any collected funds. The Chair is responsible for sending a written (US mail or email) request to the parish accountant for release of collected funds to the organization for that month. If necessary, the Chair provides any needed mailing information the accountant needs.

DISTRIBUTION / SELECTION GUIDELINES:

Groups devoting significant resources to political influence and/or lobbying are not eligible. Groups should have broad‑based appeal and influence (e.g. individual churches, individual religions, individual Boy/Girl Scout Troops, etc. are not eligible). Preference is given to local groups and where significant resources are directed to the group's ‘cause’, as opposed to administrative costs. The group's distributions must target the ‘human circumstance’ (as opposed to environmental issues, animal rights, etc.). In order of preference, groups are chosen: 1) local area; 2) Metropolitan Milwaukee area; 3) Southeast Wisconsin; 4) state; 5) national, and last; 6) international. If there are sufficient local area groups eligible, the other groups are not considered. The Pastor and/or the parish office staff determine the number of Sharing Sundays available to organizations not affiliated with St. Roman. Groups not directly affiliated with St. Roman may receive Sharing Sunday offerings once every three years, unless there are not a sufficient number of eligible groups to fill the Sharing Sunday’s that are available. St. Roman groups are those listed on the St. Roman website (www.stromans.com).