A. In keeping with the principles of sound financial stewardship and recordkeeping, the Ordinariate and its ministries shall adhere to the following norms for funding and financial accountability:
B. The Ordinariate shall charge no membership fees or dues.
C. The Ordinariate shall make known to its individual members and to any associated ministries when there are jurisdiction-wide financial needs, and shall develop and communicate a plan to meet those needs.
D. Ministries within the Ordinariate shall be funded by its clergy and members directly.
E. Individuals serving ministries of the Ordinariate may set aside funds to support their local ministry and to subsidize jurisdictional needs by any appropriate and convenient means, such as a personal savings account. It must be understood, however, that this money is not considered tax exempt under the Internal Revenue Code, and that no documentation will be provided to assist in tax purposes.
F. Individuals receiving free-will offerings for their services may handle them in one of three ways:
1. Notify the individual that you cannot personally accept the funds and identify for them who can accept them and put them to use for ministry needs – usually a department, fund, or foundation that serves a hospital, care facility, prison, or shelter.
2. Immediately upon receipt transfer the funds to a representative of the location where ministry is provided and request that ministry provisions used in their facility be purchased by them.
3. Record the funds as a free-will offering and report them in accordance with IRS rules on your personal taxes. They will count as personal income, no matter how the funds are used.
G. The general exception to this principle is that, when requested to provide ministry that will require an expenditure in the form of transportation, lodging, food, and supplies, an appropriate reimbursement may be requested so as not to financially encumber the minister. For more information on the legal bounds of this concept, a tax professional should be consulted.
H. Another exception to this principle is that, when planning a group activity, one member who is serving as organizer may receive monies needed to sponsor the activity from others, provided that financial transparency is maintained. An example would be a group gathering in which a negotiated rate for room and board had been established to be paid singly by the organizer, instead of by individual attendees.
I. At no time shall any fee be charged or proposed for the provision of worship or the sacraments by any cleric of the Society. To do so constitutes the ecclesiastical crime of simony, which carries with it a penalty of suspension or, upon a second finding of guilt, dismissal from the clerical state.
J. This norm does not prohibit a member of the Ordinariate from serving in a paid ministry capacity, such as a pastor or chaplain, it simply means that proscribed fees cannot be associated with the provision of worship, sacraments, or other purely ecclesiastical services.