Parish Verifications/Active Parishioner Status for Catholic Schools
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The Archdiocese of Atlanta requires that all families submit a Parish Verification form to their Catholic School to verify that the family is registered and active in the parish.
The Archdiocese defines “active parishioners” as:
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Those who have been registered in this or another parish for at least six (6) months,
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Attend Mass on Sundays and on Holy Days of Obligation,
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Contribute financially (in a trackable way) to support the parish and the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal,
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And contribute time and talent by participating in at least one ministry in the parish.
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At OLA we will apply these requirements in the following manner:
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Consistent Mass Attendance: Our participation in holy Mass is the central expression of our Catholic faith. Therefore, regular Mass attendance is expected of households requesting active parishioner status. Regularly placing offertory envelopes in the collection basket, even if empty, is the easiest way to demonstrate your attendance.
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Financial Support: Canon Law states that “Christ’s faithful have the obligation to provide for the needs of the Church, so that the Church has available to it those things which are necessary for divine worship, for apostolic and charitable work and for the worthy support of its ministers.” Households requesting active parishioner status should be donating a minimum of $1500 to the parish offertory in the calendar year, an amount commensurate with the tuition discount being sought. This amount does not include donations to second collections, OLA School, St. Vincent de Paul, or other charities - although we are grateful for this support.
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Time and Talent: Adults in the household must be actively participating in at least one parish ministry with at least 20 hours of service per year. Check with your Ministry Leader to determine how your participation meets Parish Verification requirements. While we encourage our youth to be involved in the parish, their involvement does not count toward active parishioner status, nor do donations to various drives throughout the year or attending events or meetings.