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2023-08-31-accounts

Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth Annual Report 22/23 IN Q()MI)E IE%U

Prayer of St Edmund of Abingdon Patron of the Diocese

Lord, into your hands and into the hands of your holy angels, I entrust this day my life, my relatives, my benefactors, my friends and my enemies, and all your people.

Enlighten my heart with the grace of your Holy Spirit; grant that I may ever be obedient to your commandments, never let me be separated from you, who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

Amen

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[2]

Contents

Contents
About the Diocese 4
From the Bishop 6
Our Year in Numbers 10
Case Studies
Helping People Hear God’s Call 12
Insight into Accompaniment 14
Safeguarding - A responsibility that rests with us all 16
Spiritual Development and lifelong learning in our schools 18
A Pilgrim’s Progress 22
Hope Away From Home 24
Faith in Action 26
Cofee in the Crypt 30
A Lasting Impact in our Diocese for generations to come 32
Improving Financial Literacy and Accountability 36
From the Chief Operating Ofcer 38
Our Finances at a Glance 42
How we spent our Money 44
When our Income came from 45
Financial Review 46
Structure, Governance and Management 51
From the Auditors 57
Statement of Financial Activities 60
Balance Sheet 61
Statement of Cash Flows 62
Statement of Accounting Policies 63
Notes to the Accounts 67
Thank you and Acknowledgements 80

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[3]

About the Diocese of Portsmouth

Our Diocese is spread across five counties on England’s South Coast, and the Channel Islands. We are the local Church for the whole of Hampshire, Berkshire, the Isle of Wight, Jersey, and the Bailiwick of Guernsey as well as the Southern Part of Oxfordshire and the Eastern part of Dorset.

Charity Name Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth
Charity Number 1199568 (England) 457 (Jersey) CH263 (Guernsey)
Sole Member Bishop of Portsmouth Rt Rev Philip Anthony Egan
Charity Trustees* Bishop of Portsmouth Rt Rev Philip Anthony Egan
Rev Mr Gerard Dailly
Mr Bernard Davis
Mr Michael Elks
Rev Christopher Heaps (appointed 08 December 2022)
Rev Mark Hogan (resigned 31 March 2024)
Mr Paul Kilduf
Dr Catherine Knowles
Rev Canon James McAuley (appointed 15 September 2022)
Mrs Sue Masser (resigned 08 December 2022)
Rev Canon Paul James Smith
Rev Benjamin Theobald
Rev Canon Simon Thomson
Mr Chris Trickey
Rev Gaston Forbah Afah (appointed 02 May 2024)
Senior Ofcers Mr Hereward Drummond, Secretary to Trustees (resigned 07 December 2023)
Rev Mr Anthony Darlison, Secretary to Trustees (appointed 15 February 2024)
Mrs Heather Hauschild, Chief Operating Ofcer
Mr Clive Field, Director of Finance
Registered Ofce St Edmund House, Bishop Crispian Way, Portsmouth, PO1 3QA
Professional Advisors
Auditors Haysmacintyre LLP 10 Queen Street Place, London, EC4R 1AG
Bankers Lloyds Bank PLC 2-4 Palmerston Road, Southsea, PO5 3QH
Solicitors Stone King LLP Upper Borough Court, Upper Borough Walls, Bath, BA1 1RG
Investment Advisors Charles Stanley & Co LTD 25 Luke Street, London, EC2A 4AR
Principal Insurers Catholic Insurance Services Suite 5, Oxford House, Oxford Road, Thame, OX9 2AH
Financial Year 06 July 2022 – 31 August 2023

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[4]

Artwork by Chelsea Anusionwu from St. Anne’s Secondary School, Southampton

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Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023 [5]
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From the Bishop

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The Year 2023 began with the poignant news of the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI (1927-2022). An inspirational shepherd, his death was a great loss both for the Catholic community and for humanity as a whole. I marked it for the Diocese with a special Requiem Mass in the Cathedral and by issuing a Pastoral Letter. During his long and intense life of service as a spiritual leader and statesman, Pope Benedict demonstrated a unique and inspiring moral authority to the world.

In my Foreword to last year’s Annual Report, I referenced the extensive consultation that had been taking place over many months with clergy, laity, parishes and individuals to produce the draft version of our Ten-Year Mission Plan You Will Be My Witnesses. During the year 2022-23 covered by this Report, I am pleased to say that the fruits of that consultation were realised in the final publication

and adoption of the plan. You Will be My Witnesses is an inspiring mission strategy which is already being put it into practice, with many responding to its threefold call for deeper faith, for works of mission and service, and for wise stewardship. It will guide the pastoral life of our Diocese for the next ten years. I believe that no other Diocese in England and Wales has a comprehensive vision like this and many brother bishops have commented favourably on what has been achieved.

As part of the plan, in July I grouped the 140 churches of our 87 parishes into 24 new or amended Pastoral Areas with the expectation that over the next ten years these Pastoral Areas will themselves become unified parishes. This process is intentionally organic and it will take some time to achieve, but in time it will bring new opportunities as communities work more closely together in service of the Church’s mission. The process will also take much courage and sacrifice.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[6]

In order to prepare well for this next decade and the challenges of implementing our ambitious plan, I designated 2023 as a Year of Prayer to the Holy Spirit. The Year of the Holy Spirit was instituted as a personal call to all of us in the Diocese to help our conversion, to deepen our faith, to support our spiritual renewal and to guide us through this time of transition. Throughout the year, through Pastoral letters and E-News, I encouraged all clergy, religious and laity to make deep personal changes to themselves and in their communities.

At the heart of this renewal, I invited people to commit to Six Holy Habits:

To keep Sunday special, a family day, by attending Mass;

To spend 5 minutes a day in prayer using the Scriptures;

To do penance on Fridays, and to serve the poor and needy;

Every fortnight to make a Holy Half Hour before the Blessed Sacrament;

To go to Confession once a month or so; and

To join a small group for formation, prayer and fellowship.

In last year’s Report I referenced the huge amount of work that was involved in enabling the Diocese to become a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). It is pleasing to report that on 22 Dec 22, the transfer of the assets of PRCDTR to the new CIO was successfully completed. This structure replaces the former Diocesan Trust and has simplified our governance arrangements. It has also enabled us to meet the requirements for all the jurisdictions in which we operate, including the Bailiwick of Jersey, the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the United Kingdom.

One of the highlights of the year was a special Jubilarians Mass at the Cathedral in December 2022. In it, we prayed for and honoured a cohort of Priests

who were celebrating significant anniversaries that year. These are men who have made a personal commitment and sacrifice in accepting a life of priestly vocation both in the UK and overseas. At the Mass, we gave God thanks for 350 collective years of service of the Lord and His Church, not least for Canon Peter Wilkie, who was celebrating the 70th anniversary of his ordination. Canon Peter, who was our longest living priest, died on Easter Monday this year at the age of 94.

There were two ordinations to the priesthood during the year: Fr Edward Hauschild in March and Fr David Bateman in July. In the summer, Rev Anthony Darlison, recently appointed as Secretary to the Board of Trustees, was ordained as a permanent Deacon. There were other ordinations to the diaconate too of those in formation for the priesthood : Rev. Ambrose Chou (at Oscott), Rev. Tom Hiney (at the Beda College in Rome) and Br. Francisco Hintikka Cong. Orat. Let us pray that these men will be filled with a missionary zeal that will endure long into the future.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[7]

In the previous year, there were still restrictions on overseas travel because of the pandemic, but by 20222023, these had been lifted. We were thus able to resume the annual Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. In turn in September, it was a joy to welcome to the mother-church of our Diocese, the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist in Portsmouth, the blessed relics of Saint Bernadette of Lourdes as part of an unprecedented tour of England, Scotland and Wales. There was a full programme for the visit covering the 24 hours when the relics were displayed. This included a Mass for the anointing of the sick, sung Vespers, a torchlight procession, the Rosary, private veneration and an all-night Vigil. Many thousands of people, including those who might otherwise not have been able to travel on pilgrimage, took advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity. The all-night Vigil took on an added significance and poignancy as it was the day that the death of Queen Elizabeth II was announced, thus giving people a place of calm to gather, pray and reflect on her life of faith, service and duty which touched us all.

In August, I took a group of 50 to World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal. It was a moving and memorable pilgrimage, one that I know touched the hearts and minds of the young. While there, we visited the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima in Lisbon, where on display for veneration were relics of St John Paul II, of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, and Sts. Jacinta and Francisco Marto. I was one of three Bishops presiding over Holy Hours at the event, which attracted an estimated 20,000 pilgrims who came through the doors of the church – or who at least tried to; at times the parish reached capacity and forced pilgrims to wait in long lines outside. At one point, as queues grew outside, the organisers made the decision to bring the relics out to the crowds, so that they could pray, even as sessions continued within the Church.

Closer to home, the Annual Schools Mass saw a full Cathedral of young people from over 40 of our schools celebrating together. Uplifting music was provided by St. Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, Wokingham. The event was rounded off with a picnic in Victoria Park.

I continued with many of the usual matters that fill a bishop’s diary, including the regular visitations of our parishes, and private visits to active and retired priests in their parishes and homes in order to offer support and foster fraternity. I encouraged the work of CAFOD and Caritas in their care of the poor and needy. In late Spring, I enjoyed a pub-lunch with Bishop Crispian near his home in Somerset. In Holy Week, I said Mass in the prison on the Isle of Wight. Throughout the weekends of Eastertide and beyond, many hundreds of youngsters came to the Cathedral to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Then in the summer, at the invitation of the Commodore, I was given a special tour of the Naval base. During the year, I managed also to visit all the seminaries to see our students in formation and to learn first-hand of their progress.

The Closer to Christ Campaign continued to be widely and generously supported by parishioners during 2022/23. It drew to a close in April 2024. The campaign began with active fundraising in 2021 and millions of pounds have been made in pledges by over 3,000 families, religious orders and other organisations across the Diocese. The campaign has provided critical financial support to parishes. It also provides funds for the training of future priests as well as ongoing formation and support to priests in active ministry and the care of our retired priests who have served the diocese over many decades. I am humbled by the generosity of so many and grateful for the time and dedication of our priests who have led the initiative in their parishes.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[8]

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to extend most sincere gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the life of the Diocese over the course of this past year. Our Diocese of Portsmouth has huge potential. This is thanks to the many wonderful clergy, laity and religious who form our Diocese.

Let us pray that we will continue to release the charisms and gifts of all so as to draw many more people closer to Christ through His Church. Thankful to God for our mission-plan, I pray the Lord will prosper and reward the good work done in His Name.

In Corde Iesu

Rt Rev Philip A, Egan BA, STL, PhD Bishop of Portsmouth

May He fill us with joy, and through the intercession of our patrons Mary Immaculate and St Edmund of Abingdon and the patron of our youth, Bl Pier Giorgio Frassati, may the Lord bring us all one day to the happiness of heaven.

(cf. Eph 2: 8).

Bishop Philip’s Pastoral Letter Year of the Holy Spirit 2023 Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_9sUvxHcak

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[9]

Our Year In Numbers

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389
35
Masses celebrated
Religious Orders
every Sunday
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Pastoral statistics are for the 2023 calendar year

26,392

People attended Mass on an average Sunday (82% of prePandemic levels)

115 Priests & 40 Deacons in Parish Ministry

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87 24
Parishes Pastoral Areas
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667 Received Couples began[270] Confirmation life together through the Sacrament of 1476 Marriage Joined the Roman Catholic Church through 973 Baptism Funerals

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135 128
Churches in Safeguarding
active use Ministers
of parishes
met or
75%
surpassed
their fundraising target in the
Closer to Christ campaign
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Candidates for the
Diocesan Priesthood
12
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Together, we received £4.7M in offertory income, averaging £5.15 per parishioner per week (including Gift Aid)

£12.44M income*

*£12.44m income figure excludes £81.12 million donation from predecessor entity and £6.18 million from PRF

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[10]

St Bernadette Relics Come to Portsmouth

Watch here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HY8iT2GioM

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Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023 [11]
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Ongoing formation for all:

Helping People Hear God’s Call

Clare Ryan, Vocations Promotions Assistant, talks about the vital role played by the Diocese’s Vocations Promotion Team in seeking candidates for the priesthood and religious life and embedding an authentic culture of vocations across all parish communities.

“The main goal that we find foundational to our work is to help all the lay faithful rediscover to their baptismal call to a life of heroic virtue and holiness. To me, there is no more incredible arena in which to be working than helping people walk the journey of exploring the call of Christ for their lives.

We try hard to connect the next generation of Diocesan priests to the worshipping community by profiling seminarians in regular Vocations newsletters in which we follow their respective passages through formation. Not only do these newsletters draw a spotlight on those called to priesthood, but they also focus on the need for prayer for vocations. Every issue of the newsletter includes targeted prayer resources for use (personally or in a parish), as appropriate for the stage of the liturgical year.

The Vocations Promotions team try to instil the need for all within the Diocesan worshipping community to be co-responsible for educating and inspiring people about religious and consecrated life: We produce regular resources for parish ‘cutand-paste’ use. “These include a suggested weekly Parish Newsletter Vocations insert and a weekly intercession, helping ‘Vocations’ to become part of the natural weekly vocabulary across all parishes. Scripture tells us to ‘Ask the Lord of the harvest… ’(Mt 9:38) and it is our job is to ensure people are actually asking. Much of the rest is up to the Holy Spirit!”

We organise face-to-face visits to different parishes in the first weekend of the month to raise the profile of vocations via a ‘Vocations Roadshow’– especially focusing on vocation to the priesthood. We make ourselves available for conversations with the parishioners before and after each Mass. Parishioners are invited to consider inviting people to consider specific vocations and most of all to pray for vocations. It is only when this work is based firmly on prayer that vocations will flourish. As a direct result of these visits, we have personally signed up 332 new members on our mailing list for the monthly Vocations newsletter. At one particular Vocations Roadshow last year, a young man had the courage to contact the Vocations Director and Bishop and has applied to become a trainee Priest for our Diocese. We are aware of two others who were equally stirred by a Roadshow visit but, as students studying away from home, have decided to apply in their hometown Dioceses.

We host a monthly Seeker Evening on the First Friday of the month for those who are trying to discern the Lord’s call in their lives. Just our willingness to accompany a young - or not so young - person in the initial stages of their discernment is so important. We have been able to refer some Seekers to Spiritual Directors through these meetings and we have had two Seekers who have progressed to conversations with the Vocation Director and our Bishop looking at the Diocesan Priesthood.”

12

Men in Seminary (training in four seminaries – Oscott College, Sutton Coldfield; Allen Hall, Chelsea; Venerable English College, Rome and Beda College, Rome)

£30,000

Annual cost of training a man in Seminary

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[12]

Another Seeker has been pursuing religious life and is now discerning with a religious community. This group joins the Seminarians and Bishop Philip for an annual BBQ and Night prayer during the summer as a way of connecting and having those informal conversation about discernment.

It's not just parishes where we are active of course: we visited five schools and four University Chaplaincies over the course of the year and produced supporting resources about formation to the Priesthood for teachers and careers advisors. For Good Shepherd Sunday, the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, we send a pack to every Parish and school in the Diocese with some suggested topics for discussion and prayers for that weekend, along with a series of posters for display and an open offer to help with promotion through the year. We also arrange for available seminarians to visit Diocesan parishes over the same weekend to offer first-hand testimony and reflection on their vocation journeys and use this as an occasion to thank parishioners for the munificence towards to the development and training of seminarians as part of the Closer to Christ campaign.”

How Do I Discern What my Vocation is?

Personal Prayer - especially silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, when we invite God to speak to us.

Celebrating the Eucharist - regularly going to Mass.

Celebrating Reconciliation (Confession) - it is necessary to understand and to deal with the things that keep us from giving ourselves completely to God.

Discovering the lives of the Saints - seeking inspiration in how to live generously; how to trust in God's infinite goodness and in His will for us.

Accompaniment- talking and being with those who already live the Vocation you are discerning.

The Vocations team are here to support you.

vocations@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

Deacon Tom Hiney gives a personal testimonial of his life in priestly formation at the Venerable English College in Rome

Watch here:

https://youtu.be/46Mfu2ohy0g

“Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.”

Psalm 119:66

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[13]

Locally-led Evangelisation:

Insight Into Accompaniment

Liza Nahajski, who heads up the Diocese’s Pre-Discipleship Schemes, shares a highly personal account of the privilege and responsibility of being a Spiritual Accompanier in a conversation with Caroline, who she supported last year through her own spiritual journey.

“To convert somebody, go and take them by the hand and guide them.”

St. Thomas Aquinas

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Liza Nahajski Caroline
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“In the late summer of 2022 Father Mark contacted me. A woman was considering becoming a Catholic but didn’t know anyone in her local Church community who was at Mass. Could I meet up with her?

Caroline and I messaged each other and arranged to meet for coffee. We had to describe our appearance so we could spot each other! We enjoyed meeting and it was good to chat and share details of our lives. I listened to Caroline’s story and discovered more of what had led to her interest in exploring becoming a Catholic. The Holy Spirit engages with us in different ways throughout our lives and her experience on a pilgrimage to Taizé as a young woman was significant. She also counted several Christians in her circle of friends including a couple from our parish and their son who was at University with Caroline. These people had all accompanied Caroline over forty years of friendship without pushing their faith but never hiding it. Accompaniment is often a long journey involving many people.

I cannot remember if it was on this occasion or the next time we met that I asked Caroline the question we ask in Ananias Training. “What is your relationship with God at this point in your life?” Caroline liked this question as it was not about belief. She is a spiritual person and her search for truth had brought a great interest in other spiritualities. At its core, accompaniment is all about listening. It was important to give Caroline the opportunity to talk through her journey at her own pace.”

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[14]

I’ve been surrounded by atheists for the majority of my life and so therefore didn’t have many people with whom I could explore and discuss spiritual issues. By the time I met Liza I was fairly sure I wanted to ‘step on the path’ following almost a year of reading. I was taking a risk by opening up to her - an ‘act of faith’ if you like - but I decided to trust in God and see what happened. I have a problem with the word ‘belief’ and prefer ‘trust’. I’d tried other paths because I wanted to recreate what I had experienced in Taizé, but ultimately there was always something missing. Finally, I decided there was only Christianity left to explore and had long wondered if this is what I’d been searching for all along. Why did I not listen to the feelings I had in Taizé? I appreciate that this is difficult for people brought up as Christians to understand. I always knew that there was something in Christianity worth exploring further, but the fear of ridicule from those around me was strong. It wasn’t until I was much older and secure in my thinking, that I was prepared to go ‘public’. My change in mindset was greatly helped by practicing meditation, which calmed me, made me more aware of what was happening in my mind, and helped me come to the realisation that there was something bigger. From here I discovered contemplative prayer, a key milestone on my journey towards faith.”

Sometimes in the Church we can be unaware of how uncomfortable and strange Mass can seem. Caroline was interested to celebrate Mass but a little anxious about ‘getting it wrong’. I joined her at the quieter Saturday evening Mass and suggested that we sat at the back so she didn’t feel uncomfortable and explained that people are not really as focused on what others do as she might have thought. I invited her to come up for a blessing, a part of Mass which she later said she came to really value. We went together to Mass a couple of times after this. Caroline then decided to join the Journey in Faith programme. It was a diverse group of people and a positive experience of exploration. Over the following months we would meet and discuss the course, including aspects which she struggled with. Sometimes they were the very same things I can sometimes struggle with – we both found it helpful to be open about things we found difficult.

In the Spring of 2023 Caroline was invited to take the journey into the Catholic Church. The move to make this commitment can be quite an anxious time, so I was on-hand to support her. Over Easter I was delighted to sponsor Caroline at the Easter Vigil and to stand in for her Godparents who were sadly not well enough attend Church, but watched proceedings on livestream.”

“I feel that my baptism was just the beginning and my faith is deepening in a slow, but profound way as I take part in the Mass and other church activities, through both the Word and other’s interpretation of it. I love listening to new insights expressed by others, and I’m also happy and comfortable to express my own.”

“I’m so glad to have found this friendship with Caroline. The Journey in Faith group is blessed to have her with them again this year as she can accompany others on a journey she has recently taken herself. She also accompanies me in my faith. She reads a great deal and we continue to have discussions in which we explore together our growing relationships with God.”

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[15]

Leadership focused on Mission and Service:

Safeguarding - A Responsibility that rests with us all

As a Diocese, we are committed to safeguarding as an integral part of the life and ministry of the church. With Christ at the centre of our ministries, we seek to embed a culture where all those within our parishes and church communities are safe from harm and abuse. Safeguarding is identified as a leadership priority by Bishop Philip and a responsibility that rests with us all.

We ensure that all concerns of a safeguarding nature are responded to promptly. Our approach is one of zero tolerance; where an allegation of abuse is made against those working in the name of the Church, regardless of whether the allegation relates to their behaviour in their role within the Church or another setting, we will report this to the statutory authorities. This includes allegations where the identified perpetrator is deceased.

Our Head of Safeguarding and the central Safeguarding Team have been focused on delivering the priorities as identified within our Safeguarding Implementation Plan (SIP). The SIP drives the strategic work of the team with oversight from the Safeguarding Committee and Trustee Board.

In June 2023 we became a Registered Affiliate of the CSSA, which means our safeguarding practices align with the eight national Safeguarding Standards, and we work in accordance with the national policies and associated best practice guidance for the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

Our affiliation with the CSSA is one way in which we demonstrate our commitment to safeguarding and, as part of this arrangement, our safeguarding functions and services will be subject to an external audit regime with a view to identifying our areas of strength and our areas for development.

We welcome the audit process as another way in which we can demonstrate our transparency and openness to develop and evolve to those within our Diocese and to the wider public. The output of our baseline audit in March 2024 will dictate the priorities for the 12 months ahead.

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”

Psalm 91:1

978 2100 128 27 DBS Volunteers working Safeguarding New Parish checks with vulnerable Ministers Safeguarding processed adults or children providing support Ministers (approximately) to parishes welcomed

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[16]

Mary Barnard, Parish Safeguarding : Minister at St Joseph’s Newbury

“ I was approached to take on the PSM role by our previous PSM. I was very aware that the Catholic Church’s response to dealing with abuse allegations had historically been unacceptable; I was motivated to play my part locally to make things better. I am often heard to remark that I do my best to ensure that nothing goes wrong on my watch!

A regular weekly job is collecting the attendance registers for the choir, altar servers, children’s liturgy and First Communion sessions and ensuring they are securely stored in the parish office.

Rarely a week passes when I am not working on the safe recruitment process, obtaining references and doing the DBS ID checks for a new parish volunteer.

I feel that an important part of my role is keeping a watchful eye on parish activities, checking the weekly newsletter for events for which I may need to have a gentle chat with the organiser.

I recently organised a safeguarding training day for all those in roles requiring a DBS check. I was delighted that others asked to attend – maybe the promise of homemade cake was their motivation?

There is no doubt that being a PSM is quite a lot of work; but it is rewarding and it really matters to me to get it right. ”

Artwork by Caitlin Dugdale from St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School, Southampton

27 face-to-face safeguarding

training courses delivered across the Diocese to over 200 members of the clergy and 318 volunteers.

572 9 People Online training completed online sessions for safeguarding Parish Safeguarding training Ministers

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[17]

Our Young Church:

Spiritual development and lifelong learning in our schools

Across the Diocese in all of our schools, we keep Christ at the centre not just of everything we do, but of everything we learn. We turn to him as a friend and as a teacher. The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth strives to hand down the wealth of the Church’s Wisdom and Tradition through the education, formation, and personal spiritual growth of the pupils, their families, and the staff in our schools.

A quarter of the maintained schools are now academies and constitute a major component of the education system in England and Wales. Some of our schools operate in the most deprived areas and improve the outcomes for many young people.

First and foremost, our Catholic Schools are places of academic excellence providing all-round education. Schools had hoped for a less disrupted year of education over the period of this Report, but continued Covid cases and a series of teachers strikes added to the challenges faced by school leaders. Fortunately, the systems established during pandemic enabled online lessons to take place where needed.

The A-Level and GCSE results were testament to the relentless focus that our schools have on ensuring that the young people attending our Catholic schools are enabled to achieve their potential.

Our Catholic schools recorded record results and are among some of the highest achieving schools in the South of England, particularly in areas of high deprivation. Our Ofsted outcomes also demonstrate the high expectations within our schools with 95% of the schools being judged to be good or better against the national picture of 89%.

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70 2313 386
Schools Teachers Volunteers
Governors &
31,244 1869
Directors
Pupils attending Support
Catholic Schools Staff
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Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[18]

The introduction of the Catholic Schools Inspectorate in September 2022 saw our schools being inspected against a national framework for Catholic Life and Mission, Religious Education and Collective Worship for the first time. Across the Diocese 90% of the schools were graded as good or better in this first year.

To support the introduction of the Inspectorate framework, training was provided by the Catholic Academies and Schools Office for school leaders and a four-session formation course was run across the year attended by 35 of our recently appointed Foundation Governors.

Catholic Social Teaching (CST) was a key focus in our schools this year. Many embed CST into the heart of their curriculum driving all aspects of school life. This has enabled the pupils and staff to understand more fully the purpose of their charitable works as well as providing the impetus to challenge national and local initiatives that appear contrary to Gospel values. Many of our schools this year have found themselves not only providing food for local food banks but establishing food banks in school for families and staff in need. The food banks have been supplemented by produce grown in schools through a focus on the environment stimulated by a talk from Bishop John Arnold and our partnership working with Caritas. The plight of those impacted by the continued war in the Ukraine has also touched all our schools. They feel privileged to have been able to welcome several Ukrainian pupils into their school communities.

Pupils and staff from across the Diocese welcome opportunities to meet together and to share learning, best practice and celebration. This happens through training courses, briefings and conferences arranged by the Catholic Academies and Schools Office, along with opportunities to come together in prayer. This year pupils and staff gathered at the Cathedral for two special celebrations. The first early in the academic year brought schools together to welcome the relics of St. Bernadette as they toured cathedrals and churches throughout England and Wales. The Annual Schools’ Mass with the Bishop at the Cathedral when over 350 staff, governors and pupils celebrated Mass, focused in the light of the Ukrainian conflict on the theme of peace. The opportunity to gather afterwards in the park with Bishop Philip for a picnic did much to foster the sense of a diocesan family coming together to celebrate.

6990 101 164,000 Pupils received free school Pupils in care Minutes of Prayer meals (more than double supported 48% 5460 in the previous year) of pupils are Hours of Religious non-White British

Hours of Religious Education

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[19]

Snapshot of a School:

St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Havant

Every year, a quarter of all Christmas jumpers are thrown away after a single wear, or never worn again. So, to do their bit to combat the effects of the costof-living crisis and reduce waste, St Thomas More’s Catholic Primary School held a ‘Christmas Jumper Swap’. By swapping jumpers, the schools have raised awareness of the need to source clothing responsibly and to reuse and recycle whenever possible. Pupils also crafted blankets for rough sleepers from cleaned empty crisp packets and even made warm coats for their four-legged companions! These items have been supplemented with donated rucksacks containing essential items for the homeless to help them contend with life on the streets.

Throughout the past year, the school has been asking for donations to support its partnership with One Church's ‘Love Your Neighbour Foundation’, which provides food and support to families in the local community. Once enough items have been collected, children from the school go to the main food distribution centre to help sort and pack the items, ready for delivery to those who need it most. Even the youngest pupils are committed to supporting their local community. Pre-school classes have been developing a link with a local Care Home which involves regular visits during which they distribute hand-made gifts and pictures to residents and put smiles on their faces through performances and singing.

“Be who you were created to be, and you will set the world on fire.”

St. Catherine of Siena

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[20]

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Our Young Church:

A Pilgrim’s Progress

Dr Emily Budzynski-Seymour has just finished her PhD researching children’s physical development at Southampton Solent University. Here she shares the lasting impact that joining the Diocese’s annual Pilgrimage to Lourdes in the footholds of the French Pyrenees in Summer 2023 has had on her. This was Emily’s first pilgrimage and she volunteered to help elderly and less mobile pilgrims get the most from their experience. Emily writes:

“ Although both my brother and sister have visited Lourdes, I had never been presented with the opportunity. So, I decided to sign up as a youth helper thinking that it would be a good experience for me, though I was not sure of quite what to expect.

When I arrived at the airport I met Bishop Philip, some of the Diocese’s Seminarians and, of course, my fellow pilgrims and the other youth helpers. Once we landed in France all the youth helpers mobilised into action and started to assist with wheelchairs and luggage, helping to create a smooth and speedy transfer to the coach and on to our final destination.

Throughout the first few days we volunteered our help to anyone who needed it, which mainly consisted of ensuring pilgrims were safely transported to various activities across Lourdes with its notoriously challenging terrain for wheelchair users or those with restricted mobility . It did not take long for friendships between the youth helpers and the pilgrims to grow. I was tremendously privileged to look after a lovely couple who would wait for me in Reception before each activity, The other youth helpers developed a similar rapport with their charges and we all tended to be assigned to the same pilgrims throughout our stay.

“With all the strength of my soul I urge you young people to approach the Communion table as often as you can. Feed on this bread of angels whence you will draw all the energy you need to fight inner battles”

Bl Pier Giorgio Frassati (Patron of Youth)

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[22]

Throughout the trip, we did have some time to ourselves and it was an opportunity to build up friendships. Together with one of the other youth workers I’d grown most close to, I decided to witness the nightly Torchlight or Marian Procession for a second time, as it had been such a powerful and moving moment of communion and contemplation for us both.

We also took the time to buy, bless and say a rosary together. This was particularly impactful for me as I had not done it since my school days. Since returning from Lourdes, I have prayed the rosary many times, evidence of the enduring and profound impact of this trip has had on me and my faith.

The Pilgrimage also provided the opportunity to spend time with Priests and Seminarians from the Diocese, and gain insight and inspiration from the details they recounted of their own personal journeys to explore the call of Christ.

Overall, the abiding and pervading feelings I experienced during the pilgrimage of my trip were a shared sense of being part of a community and a deep sense of welcome. It felt like something had been triggered within me and my faith had been activated. Since returning I have tried to keep that same feeling alive by more active participation in my own church community, and prioritising personal prayer to manifest and intensify my life of union with God. ”

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[23]

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”

Matthew 25:35

Missionary Communities:

Hope Away From Home

In last year’s Annual Report, we featured news of the creation of a Refugee Sanctuary Hub at St Peter’s Church, Winchester . The Hub was born out of parishioner response to the War in Ukraine and a determination to show the best of humanity to those who have experienced war, persecution, violence and terror and who have been forced to flee their home countries.

With the War in Ukraine now raging for over two years, demand for the service sees no signs of abating. Recent hostilities in the Middle East, together an influx of refugees from Eritrea, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iran and many other countries continue to make the

Hub a vital lifeline for asylum-seekers and refugees in transition and a supportive stepping stone onto the next stage of their lives.

Whilst it is easy to think that when refugees arrive in the UK their journey to safety is over, most still must contend with discrimination, isolation and destitution. More than 40 parishioners have volunteered their time over the course of the past year to welcome and support displaced refugees, which in 2023 included 50 men being temporarily accommodated in a nearby hotel while their asylum cases were being assessed.

80 Refugees Supported

18 Different nations under one roof at the Sanctuary Hub

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[24]

Each volunteer receives a bespoke programme of training which covers areas including working in a trauma-informed way, communicating sensitively, active listening and befriending.

Among the services provided in the past year by the Hub have been equine therapy sessions (in conjunction with Winchester City of Sanctuary), a befriending service (in conjunction with the St Vincent De Paul Society), Ukraine Independence Day and Christmas celebrations, football matches and regular fortnightly briefings for refuges and their host families. Tetiana Volkohon, a Ukrainian refugee who has been using the Hub since it first opened in May 2022, started volunteering last year to help welcome and support others who have found themselves in a similar situation to her own. Tetiana writes:

“ I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all at St. Peter’s Sanctuary Refugee Hub. The team has done tremendous work in integrating the Ukrainian community and continues to provide ongoing support. It is a safe space where you can make friends, find a listening ear and resolve settling-in issues. I have found purpose in volunteering myself - helping others has ultimately had a profoundly positive effect on me. The support offered, from arranging medical appointments to horse therapy, painting sessions, poetry days, and conversation classes, has been invaluable. However, above all, it’s the warmth and welcome of the British people that stands out the most. A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved! ”

40 Volunteers offering time and talent

Parish Priest of St Peter’s Winchester, Father Mark Hogan, is especially proud of this volunteer-led service. “In the words of Pope Francis”, he says,

“

Having doubts and fears is not a sin… the sin is to allow these fears to determine our responses, to limit our choices, to compromise respect and generosity, to feed hostility and rejection. The sin is to refuse to encounter the other, the different, the neighbour, when it is in fact a privileged opportunity to encounter the Lord, to overcome our fears so as to encounter the other, to welcome, and to know him or her. The Sanctuary Hub has been a place of great blessing, not just for those whom we’ve welcomed into our “parish home” but for those of us who’ve encountered Christ standing at the door and knocking. ”

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[25]

Church Beyond Walls:

Faith in Action

Caritas Portsmouth lies at the heart of the Diocese’s mission working with people of all faiths and those who have none. Inspired by Scripture, Catholic Social Teaching and by the experiences and hopes of those most disadvantaged in society and living in poverty, Caritas supports parishes and partners through project initiation and development to enable the gifts and charisms of those in the Diocese to care for people most in need within our communities.

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

(Matthew 25:40)

With pockets of extreme deprivation in both urban and rural areas of our Diocese, exacerbated by the continued cost of living crisis, supporting people struggling with financial insecurity remains a priority. Among the initiatives we have implemented are the creation of a ‘ Warm Space’ at Immaculate Conception Church, Southampton and the provision of hot meals for those in need as part of the InSight Project at St John’s Cathedral and in collaboration with FoodCycle at St Joseph’s, Havant. Between them, these last two initiatives have provided more than 2,500 hot meals over the course of the year. Caritas also established itself as an official referral agency for people needing the temporary or permanent support of a Trussell Trust Foodbank.

Many initiatives also support people who are hidden, lost or lonely, whether that is due to financial instability, mental health or change in circumstance, such as relationship breakdown. Social isolation can be a particular issue for children during the school holidays when they lose their routine social interaction, and for some access to free school meals. Caritas Holiday Clubs give children the opportunity

to come together, enjoy a home-cooked meal and participate in a wide range of activities including arts and crafts, cooking, sport and recreation. As well as hosting three Holiday Clubs in the Diocese, Caritas has also created a ‘Holiday Club Pack’ containing everything a parish needs to get new Clubs off the ground.

We have been able to support two families from Syria and Afghanistan through Community Sponsorship Refugee Resettlement Programme. The Caritas volunteers involved in welcoming and integrating these families found the experience very rewarding and joined our webinar ‘Welcome the Stranger’ in Refugee Week with speakers from RESET and St John of God, to share their experience and highlight the continuing need for supporting people from areas such as Syria and Afghanistan as well as those needing to find safety from the Ukraine. Supporting people newly arrived from Hong Kong has been an ongoing project for Caritas in Southampton. Established members of the local Hong Kong community have gone on to become Caritas volunteers, supporting Holiday and Gardening clubs.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[26]

The Community Hub at Immaculate Conception Southampton has greatly benefited from the support of the Albert Gubay Foundation, enabling an updated fire alarm system, installation of disabled toilets and refurbishment of the kitchen facilities.

Schools have been particularly active in environmental projects and Caritas worked directly with 12 schools throughout the year in a variety of outdoor projects increasing the biodiversity of school grounds. Working with our schools, we have

planted 170 trees, created a number of bee and butterfly gardens and supported the development of forest schools. Ongoing eco-school and gardening clubs have seen home grown vegetables being used in school kitchens as well as being donated to local foodbanks. Caritas also hosted its first Schools EcoConference in June, enabling pupils from across the Diocese to gather together share their experiences and ideas and agree collective actions to play their part in combating the effects of climate change.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[27]

InSight Project: Sue Cregan, Project Manager of the InSight Project at St John’s Cathedral, reflects on a busy year.

“InSight began seven years ago. It is a weekly community support group for those who feel marginalised in society. We provide a safe and nonjudgmental place to come and feel valued in a setting underpinned by an ethos of respect and tolerance where lasting friendships are formed.

Guests and volunteers interact over jigsaws, table tennis, colouring and craft. We also have the benefit of a dedicated support worker, employed by the charity Circle of Support, who offers help with council tax and housing queries as well as signposting and counselling to improve mental health and wellbeing.

We then serve and share a home cooked twocourse meal using food kindly donated by Tesco and Waitrose. Thanks to these donations, our guests are able to take home fresh fruit and vegetables, along with baked goods. For those in crisis, we can offer a food parcel providing meals for several days as well as clothes and toiletries.

The combination of the friendly, informal atmosphere we work hard to cultivate and the hearty food available makes the group a much anticipated and beloved weekly highlight for those who otherwise have little else to look forward to. Over the course of the past 12 months, we have served 2,938 hot meals, provided 162 emergency parcels to those in crisis and clocked up 2,579 hours of volunteer time – all this at a total cost of £1,422, less than 50 pence per meal.

Our wonderful volunteers feel they are truly living their faith during the time they give on a Tuesday. One volunteer explained to me how she felt compelled to serve at InSight following the death of a close friend who had taken her own life, which just goes to show that the service we provide is a lifeline for so many, and not just our guests.”

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[28]

Insight Iv

Church Beyond Walls: Coffee in the Crypt

Bournemouth Oratory Sacred Heart Church in the heart of the town centre serves a demographically diverse community with specific issues around poverty, homelessness and social isolation, which presents several distinct social and economic challenges. Bournemouth is a vibrant, culturally diverse university town, but also suffers from levels of substance misuse and drug mortality which are higher than the national average.

The parish has a long-standing commitment of delivering important outreach services; both Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meet weekly supporting up to 150 people struggling with addiction; and the St Vincent de Paul Society organises a monthly lunch club, attended by 50 elderly and vulnerable people. The Parish Halls also serve the Portuguese, Spanish, and Filipino communities in the town who gather to celebrate Mass and socialise, sharing their culture and language in a safe, central space.

However, the Parish’s community vision has always been to go much further – there was a genuine desire to make full use of the Grade II listed Halls (Undercroft) not only to provide for the spiritual needs of local people but to increase partnerships with local agencies to develop it as a Community Hub for numerous outreach services, specifically targeted towards those most marginalised in society, and designed to strengthen social networks, protect dignity and promote independence.

Feedback from extensive local consultation in 2021 revealed that loneliness and social isolation characterised far too many lives, particularly among the older generation. With this in mind, the Parish embarked on the most ambitious capital development project since construction of the Oratory in 1875 to transform the cavernous, under-used Undercroft beneath the Church into an accessible, flexible, multipurpose and welcoming space able to deliver regular and structured group activities. The generosity of

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parishioners and assiduous fundraising by Father Peter Edwards and members of the Parish Project Team resulted in raising a staggering £500,000 in donations and grants to enable the transformation of the space to get underway.

The first phase of works involved sensitive reconfiguration of the nineteenth century entrance to the Undercroft to make it fully accessible to those with limited mobility and wheelchair users. Forming the basement to the Church above, sound transmission both ways severely limited usage times of the Halls due to noise transfer. Therefore, effective soundproofing was necessary to disconnect sound transmission from the hall to the Church, and vice versa. A separate, private space was created to accommodate a partnership with Dorset-based charity Faithworks, enabling them to host and provide counselling to families in crisis.

The second phase of the project has been the creation of a community café, ingeniously named Café Neri after the Christian Missionary Saint and founder of the Congregation of the Oratory. Building on a relationship cultivated with Autism Unlimited and the Council’s Community Outreach and Support Team, the Parish is gearing up to provide the opportunity for young people with learning difficulties to gain work experience in the hospitality sector, equipping them with the skills to land permanent paid employment.

Graham Whithead of Autism Unlimited writes: “We are delighted to be associated with the development of the Oratory’s Halls. The new café will offer a safe and supportive environment for those aged 18 – 25 with special educational needs and disabilities. People like 18-year-old Sean, who is autistic and has specific learning difficulties. Sean desperately wants to be independent, but employment prospects and opportunities to integrate into the local community are scarce. We have worked with him to create an individualised plan, tailored to his specific needs, which has seen him start a work placement in a local café, receive training in healthy eating and personal

wellbeing and, I am pleased to say, Sean is about to live independently for the first time.

In partnership with the Oratory, we will be able realise the potential of many more young people like Sean, providing pathways to employability, engaging them in real-world community integration and positively impacting their life chances.”

Pope Francis

Café Neri will open its doors to the community in Summer 2024.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[31]

Prudent Stewardship:

A Lasting Impact in our Diocese for generations to come

The Closer to Christ campaign, launched in 2021, continues to raise the necessary funding towards two central aims: to support Diocesan Priests through all stages of their ministry and to revitalise our local parish communities. These aims include funding Seminarians through their formation for the Priesthood, supporting the wellbeing of Priests in active ministry, providing support for our retired Priests in recognition of their life of service to the Church: as well as rejuvenating our parishes’ resources after the impact of the Covid pandemic, ensuring that they have the necessary resources for parish life and mission.

We are thankful for the Priests and parishes right across the Diocese who have entered into this campaign with generosity reflecting their love for the Church and their hope for the future. Nearly 2,500 pledges have been received, with households giving an average pledge of £3,811. Three out of every four parishes that have taken part to date have not only achieved their goal but surpassed it, some by significant amounts.

54 Parishes have launched the campaign

£9,239,428 Total Pledge Value

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[32]

“ It has been a pleasure for us to donate a principal gift in memory of Barry Burns to encourage the priests of our Diocese, whether in the seminary, actively serving or in retirement, who have dedicated their lives to bringing people closer to Christ. Knowing pledged funds of £10 million will be used to ensure that our Diocesan priests receive the support they need for the different stages of their vocation is heart-warming. ”

Bishop Philip introduces the Closer to Christ fundraising campaign Watch here: https://vimeo.com/684214906

Angela Nunn

£3,774 2448 It’s not too late to play your Average Donation Campaign part in the Value Donors campaign!

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[33]

Closer to Christ campaign – The Priest’s Perspective

Fr Michael Fava

“I conducted the Closer to Christ Campaign at St Joseph’s, Newbury in spring 2023 as part of the cohort of parishes in Group five.

Given my relatively recent appointment at that time, I was still getting to grips with parish life, and the thought of embarking on this initiative certainly filled me with a sense of dread. However, given that I and the other Priests that serve our Diocese are the main beneficiaries of this fund, I recognised that it was important that I played my part.

I was also encouraged by the fact that our parish would be guaranteed to receive a share of the funds if we reached our target of £85,000, as I knew this would help convince the worshipping community of the value of engaging with the Campaign, and help us as a parish to conduct any projects we wished to carry out.

I was absolutely delighted with the final outcome as we have been able to raise over £200,000 which far exceeded what I thought we would reach when we set out on this journey. I’m grateful for the support provided by the Campaign Team and for everyone in the Parish who has contributed to the success, whether this be through prayer or through making a pledge.”

Fr Matthew King

The congregations of St. Mary and St. Columba, Gosport, began their campaign in July 2023. Led by Fr. Matthew King, they set out to raise £65,000 in pledges. Father Matthew, keen to realise the Parish’s share of money raised, championed the cause from the front and due to his dedication and the generosity of individuals and families throughout the worshipping community, over £70,000 was pledged.

This funding has been earmarked by the Parish Finance Committee to be used for various works across the two churches and to augment their outreach to the community at large.

Father Matthew remarked: “I am amazed at the immense generosity of parishioners in Gosport raising up these mighty pledges in response to this appeal for the future of the Diocese and the ongoing mission of the Church. I look forward to working with the Gosport Finance Committee and parishioners in exploring how best to put these funds to work for the mission of the parish and bringing people closer to Christ.”

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace”

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[34]

Prudent Stewardship:

Improving Financial Literacy and Accountability

Following a Finance Roadshow in 2023 to over 200 representatives from Parish Finance Committees in which the financial plan to ensure long-term sustainability together with the financial challenges facing the Diocese were shared, we set about delivering on our pledged commitment, published in last year’s Annual Report, to bolster our financial recovery with the procurement of a diocesan-wide financial system.

In recognising that the majority of those charged with recording and reporting financial performance at parish level are not financial professionals and many are volunteers, we wanted an intuitive and user-friendly system which would assist parishes with their oversight and planning and which would enable more effective support by the central Finance team.

In a little over three months, we deployed a new Financial IT system called XERO, a commercial and widely-adopted accounting package, supported by face-to-face training in every parish which has had an immediate impact on productivity. Parishes can now understand and manage their finances better, in less time, and make more timely and informed financial decisions using accurate data. Implementation of the new system will also mean we can meet the strengthened IT requirements of the Financial

Reporting Council’s revisions to the International Standard on Auditing.

Before the rollout of the Xero accounting package, at least a third of parishes in the Diocese were using traditional spreadsheets and, of the remaining parishes, a number of different systems had been set up over many years, with little or no interoperability with the central Diocesan Finance accounting system. Together these various solutions were responsible for recording more than 75% of the total turnover of the Diocese however a more efficient system was needed to record and report on finances both for the central administration and for parishes.

Over 100 members of clergy, staff, and volunteers have received comprehensive face-to-face training in their parishes in the new cloud-based accounting system, redressing previous reluctance and underuse of accounting software and tools by dispelling real and perceived views about technical complexity, building confidence, resilience and financial transparency across the organisation. Operating on a single system allows parishes to support one another and to raise queries and request additional training from the central Finance team, building on the close working relationships fostered through the system rollout.

100

People trained in new paperless accounting software

87

Parishes now have automated all financial processing ability

Cost reduction achieved through moving to a single system, saving £1400

12%

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[36]

Not only has the wholesale move to a single system proved to more efficient, improved the financial literacy of parish staff and volunteers, and provided leadership with an immediate financial measurement tool, it has also proved to be more economic. An overall saving of 12% has been calculated against previous operating systems, in addition to the cost savings achieved through reductions in staff time.

“ This system will make tasks which have been quite manual much simpler. I love it and makes things much easier and brings us up to the standard of a ” modern, efficient accounts office.

Parish feedback

Charles Blishen - Head of Finance

“As recipients of God’s grace, we are called to use our gifts to serve one another.”

Peter 4:10

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From The Chief Operating Officer

In the last year the Diocese has completed some significant work as part of a long-term programme of renewal in our spiritual life and also as part of our responsibilities as a Charity. The ambitions set out as part of our annual plan for the year have largely been achieved with grateful thanks for the commitment, energy and passion of our clergy employees, volunteers and trustees. Our mission to Bring People Closer to Jesus Christ Through his Church underpins all we do, and we thank you for your prayers and support in the many challenges and joys that this last year has brought.

Heather Hauschild

The publication of our Ten-Year Mission Plan You Will Be My Witnesses was an important milestone, marking the end of a journey of discernment, consultation and discussion and setting out a collective ambition to renew our Diocese. Of course, publication of the document is also the beginning of another journey to realise the fruits of the plan that can only be achieved by God’s Grace and courageous collaboration. Accessible formats, including online and print and summary leaflets were produced to provide the widest possible reach and audience.

Consultation on the final configuration of the 24 pastoral areas took place in the early part of 2023 following the publication of the draft plan in 2022. Pastoral area leads were appointed and have met regularly for extended day meetings to share concerns and examples of how the implementation of the plan may be approached. The Bishop’s Office for Clergy Support have taken the lead in planning and co-ordinating these events.

Pastoral area reviews were published to assist with local planning.

The transfer to the Charitable Incorporated Organisation took place in December 2022, just nine months after the project was formally commenced, which meant we could comply with the new legislation enacted in Guernsey at the beginning of the 2023 calendar year. Incorporation has simplified our charitable structure, which had become overly complex and enabled us to meet the requirements for all the jurisdictions in which we operate.

The Priest Retirement Fund was designated a Special Trust under the new arrangements. A formal subcommittee of the Trustees, with particular responsibilities set out by the Charity Commission, was established to oversee the new arrangements and the ongoing care of retired priests.

Our ambitious IT Blueprint continued apace, with a further 41 parishes enrolling onto our central IT procurement and support service. (64 of our 87 parishes are now included) Enrolled parishes not only benefit from cost savings, a helpdesk service and improved connectivity, but greater security against ever increasing and more sophisticated cyber-threats.

The implementation of this project as a whole in 2022 – 2023 - most especially in terms of the IT training delivered to clergy, parish staff and volunteers - was recognised with the ‘Special Recognition in Tech Leadership’ accolade at the South Coast Tech Awards, the first time a charity has ever been considered in this long-established annual Tech Industry awards programme.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[38]

The rollout of the cloud-based Xero accounting software and associated training within a three-month period demonstrated our determination to drive best practice in financial administration. It has enabled the sharing of skills, automated some key processes and all financial reporting and was widely welcomed by parishes.

We delivered on our promise to create an intranet resource (an internal internet) for those closely involved in the Diocese’s operation. This has helped support engagement between parishes and the central Curia team and is supplemented by regular Admin News bulletins to parish employees and volunteers who have signed up to receive it.

We attained the incredible milestone of £10 million in pledges for our Closer to Christ campaign by October 2023. Thanks to the the leadership of our priests and the incredible generosity of some committed individuals and families. In excess of a further £1 million has been pledged at the time of writing.

We filled some long-standing vacancies, reshaped our Estates team and appointed a new Head of Communications and Fundraising to refocus our work particularly in fundraising outside of our major campaign. Our health and safety programme has been a significant focus with the first priority to understand our baselines for compliance and secondly to address some of the gaps that have been identified.

An insurance revaluation exercise was undertaken, funded by our insurers to ensure that our churches are insured at the correct value. Phase 2 will be the completion of the same exercise for our presbyteries, hall and investment properties.

Work has been undertaken to engage with the States of Guernsey Department for Education on plans for local schools. This followed a couple of attempts to introduce policy which would have had an adverse impact on local catholic education. The work thus far has been productive in establishing mutual understanding and a collaborative approach to future proposals for change.

The new inspection framework for schools was rolled out and a schools 10-Year Mission Plan was developed to complement and expand on the schools element of You will be my Witnesses . A re-evaluation of the academisation strategy was one of the key features of this work.

Unfortunately, the National Schools Singing programme which we identified as a priority was not delivered and remains an ambition for the coming year.

Notwithstanding significant gaps in our Estates team last year, we enabled the delivery of 30 major capital projects to voluntary-aided schools across the Diocese totaling £3 million, and produced 67 Business Cases, including 37% of all those lodged with the Southern Historic Church Commission, to support the conservation and development of buildings in our care.

We were challenged by the temporary closure of two churches due to roof failure and concerns about safety. This highlighted the need to ensure routine maintenance is addressed and brought into focus some of the funding challenges that parishes will increasingly face.

The identification of RAAC (Reinforced Aerated Autoclaved Concrete) in one of our schools triggered significant engagement with the Department for Education (DFE) and condition surveys were commissioned for all other schools, supported by DFE funding.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[39]

Looking ahead, in the coming year, we will continue to support the implementation phase of our TenYear Mission Plan You Will Be My Witnesses . The most important aspect of this is the discernment and development of Local Plans reflecting the three principal themes that we develop Christ centred missionary communities underpinned by prudent stewardship of our resources so that our diocese is renewed for generations to come. As part of this Plan, we will:

Support the Bishop’s visits to 24 Pastoral Areas planned for 2024/25 with the provision of information, and responses to local plans. As part of this we will provide support for the implementation of Local Plans, for example, with parish consultations for change.

Work with our clergy to progress a core part of the mission plan which is about meeting the challenges of our secular age by investing in clergy support and ongoing formation for leadership and mission.

Work with our Schools to implement full Academisation by 2027.

Implement our Communication Plan to support the Ten-Year Mission Plan, this includes improving our website and undertaking a review of all our channels of communication.

Develop better fundraising support for parishes, promulgating details of existing, new, and emerging sources of voluntary income and offering a bid-writing service for grant applications. This will enable parishes to develop local mission and outreach projects as well as ensuring longer terms sustainability.

Focus on the safety of people who come to our churches by implementing new arrangements for Health and Safety planning, monitoring and reporting across our 386 sites.

Further develop our approach to safeguarding taking account of the feedback from the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) Audit that took place in March 2024. Our response to wider aspects of safeguarding will be developed to highlight the challenges for families and children associated with domestic violence, neglect and substance misuse, modern day slavery and exploitation.

Continue to improve our governance by updating our policy framework and developing associated resources to assist parishes with day-to-day responsibilities. This also enables assurance to be provided to regulators that the diocese as a charity is compliant with legislation.

Roll out our online training platform, Astute Learning, giving access to online training in areas from Data Protection to Personal Safety at Work. Currently we have 76 parish employees and volunteers enrolled on online training courses.

Strive to use the benefits of digital technology to improve efficiency through procurement of an up-to-date system for human resources, a client relationship management system to underpin our fundraising efforts and a health and safety estate-based system.

A replacement parish administration system (PAMIS) is also overdue, but we are aware that the pace of implementation of all these systems will need to be carefully considered taking into account the ease of implementation and the capacity to train support and embed new systems.

Continue, through the leadership of Caritas, to implement our environmental strategy in response to Pope Francis exhortation to consider the connection between the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor as part of our approach to net Zero. In the next year this means a focus on Live Simply, working with schools to address energy usage through solutions such as solar panels and LED lighting and incorporating a more intentional approach to environment when capital projects are evaluated.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[40]

You Will Be My Witnesses – Our Ten-Year Mission Plan

Much prayer, courage, love and generosity will be needed as we seek new ways of working together to revitalise the life and Mission of the Church. The priorities set out in the Mission Plan Action Plan will underpin all that we do in the coming years.

To be a Christ-centred Church; putting Christ at the centre of our hearts and our lives.

BRINGING PEOPLE CLOSER TO JESUS CHRIST THROUGH HIS CHURCH To be prudent To be missionary stewards of Christ’s communities; going Church; making out on Christ’s wise choices to service and mission. leave a sustainable legacy for future generations.

Download our Ten-Year Mission Plan, You Will Be My Witnesses

-will-be- -witnesses/ www.portsmouthdiocese.org.uk/you my

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[41]

Our Finances at a Glance

£5.15 £101K £655K Offertory per Average income Gift Aid reclaimed parishioner per week* per parish

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increase applied to Parish
of our income
Levy, but calculation
came from the reconfigured resulting in
46.3% 10%
46 parishes paying less
Offertory
than in previous years
£21.4K £31.6K 14%
Average cost Increase in Income
Average cost per Priest
per Employee (adjusted for inflation)
£396K £2.1M £2.2M
Online and Contactless Regular parishioner giving Cash giving from
giving by bank transfer envelopes and loose plate
10%
£93K £81.13
reduction in Per parishioner was spent on repairs
and maintenance of churches and
central Average cost of
running a church other property
expenditure
£92.424M £6.596M £85.828M
Assets Liabilities Net Assets
----- End of picture text -----**

Including Gift Aid *Offertory excluding GA as a percentage of total parish income

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Sources of Income

----- Start of picture text -----
Rents Offertory
£1,358,319 (11%) £4,714,299 (38%)
Investments
£174,136 (1%)
Insurance Claims
£117,790 (1%)
Legacies
£866,484 (7%)
Total Income:
£12,444,064
Grants & Income for
Commissions & Services
£1,727,748 (14%)
Donations & Fundraising
£3,485,288 (28%)
----- End of picture text -----

Excludes donation from predecessor and donation of PRF.

Comparisons

Any comparisons of these figures to previous financial years must recognise that the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth was only operating for 8 months following the transfer of assets from the predecessor entity on 22 December 2022 (the remaining 4 months of the year are reported within the Annual Accounts for Portsmouth Roman Catholic Diocesan Trust – Registered).

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How we spent our Money

Our Clergy £1,315,411 (14%)

Parish Running Costs £2,708,108 (28%)

Supporting Catholic Education £177,306 (2%) General Admin £178,926 (2%) IT & Telecomms £92,176 (1%)

CBCEW* £84,939 (1%) Safeguarding the Vulnerable £118,735 (1%) Human Resources £92,999 (1%) Property Management £165,051 (2%) Total Spend: Comms, News & Media £79,682 (1%) £9,729,354 Finance & Parish Support £308,221 (3%) Supporting our Seminarians £623,461 (6%)

Episcopal Departments £158,437 (2%)

Our Staff £1,270,828 (13%)

Department for Clergy £74,382 (1%) Other Curial Departments £242,549 (2%)

Insuring Our Churches £286,136 (3%)

Repairing & Maintaining Our Churches £1,752,005 (18%)

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Financial Review

Overview

The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth’s (CDP) income for the year to 31 August 2023 (during which period CDP was operating for 8 out of 12 months) was £18.63m. It should be noted that this includes £6.18m relating to the donation of assets from the Priest’s Retirement Fund (PRF) which formally became part of CDP from 16th March 2023. Expenditure meanwhile increased to £12.71m, leading to an operating surplus of £5.92m (Operating Deficit = £262k if the donation of PRF assets is excluded).

Key Comparators: Mass attendance, inflation

Average weekly Mass attendance in the Diocese in 2019 was 32,294, falling to 17,306 in 2021 and then recovering, beyond expectations, to 25,321 in 2022. In 2023 attendance recovered further to 26,392, now standing at 82% of pre-pandemic levels. In terms of another key indicator, inflation, the Office of National Statistics retail price index shows that prices have increased by 29% since September 2019 with an increase of 9% in the 12 months to August 2023.

Analysis in real terms

Comparing overall Diocesan annualised income for the eight months to August 2023 with that of the 2022 adjusted-for-inflation figures, we see a real increase in income of 14.3%; meanwhile a similar comparison of expenditure reveals a 14.4% increase. Caution is required due to the annualised nature of the eight-month figures for the newly incorporated entity, but this does suggest that alongside increased income from the Closer to Christ Campaign and Legacies, there has been an increase in activity and thus both income and expenditure have increased following an end to the Pandemic.

Income

Fundraising: Closer to Christ Campaign

The Closer to Christ fundraising campaign raised £1.5M of cash and £4.6M of pledges between January and August 2023. By August 2023, 54 parishes across the Diocese had launched their campaigns.

Parish offertory income

Offertory income includes income received via planned giving (standing orders, direct debits and envelopes), in addition to loose plate donations, contactless and online donations. In the eight months to 31 August 2023, annualised offertory income amounted to £7.1M. This included £3.43M in standing orders, £0.36M in Envelopes, £1.9M from loose plate donations, £210K from contactless donations and £162K from online giving. Offertory income declined from £7M in 2019 to £6.8M in 2022. Whilst the 2023 figure is higher in absolute terms than 2022, it represents a decline in real terms. Offertory income excluding gift aid represents 46% of total parish income.

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Offertory per person per week

The average weekly Mass count of 26,392 in 2023 has generated an Offertory gift per person per week of £5.15 (including Gift Aid on eligible offerings), but remains almost unchanged from the previous year, and lower in real terms.

Expenditure

Parish Priests

The cost of supporting a parish priest includes their stipend, as well as Stole Fees, Christmas and Easter Offerings, travel expenses, housekeeping expenses, and the cost of supply priests. For the eight months from incorporation, these costs, annualised, have increased from £1.8M in 2022 to £2.14M in 2023, although this is in the context of 9% inflation and reflects the fact that generous Christmas 2022 offering expenditure (shown in January 2023 on a cash basis) would receive an undue weighting when converting the 8 months accounts to an annual basis.

Repairs and Maintenance

The Annualised cost of Parish Utilities (£2.2M) and repairs & Maintenance (£2.6M) of our buildings is a significant strain on our resources. Average offertory giving per parishioner per year (excluding Gift Aid) is £231; £81 of this goes towards the heating, lighting, repair and maintenance of our estate.

Schools Funding

The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth received Schools Funding from DFC of £343,248 and from VASCA of £2,701,014 between 1 Jan and 31 Aug 23; this 90% funding was topped up with 10% contributions from the Diocese. £1,034.364 was spent on Roofing Projects, £600,000 on new classroom pods, £100k on RAAC and the balance on School Condition surveys, internal works, Health & Safety related works and outdoor projects.

Levy

The calculation of the Annual Levy – money paid by the parishes to help fund the costs incurred by the Diocese to meet the legal requirements of compliance re-Safeguarding, Finance, Estates, HR and IT - was reviewed for the first time in a decade and changed to a more progressive calculation (ie the financial larger parishes paid a larger % of their income). During this period, it has been set at £1.9m every year despite a significant increase in annual costs resulting in the Curia reporting deficits in 9 out of the last 10 years. The levy was increased by 10% to £2.1m. However the recalculation also resulted in 46 parishes paying less than in previous years.

Central Costs

After many years of increases in annual expenditure, new controls have been implemented to reduce costs wherever possible and minimize any unavoidable increases. As such, during the year central expenditure has been reduced by 10% (£420k); in addition, a road map for improved financial governance across the Diocese has been approved including the review and updating of all Financial Policies and Procedures as well as the introduction of a new Finance IT system for parishes that is more effective and efficient than the previous system and which facilitates regular reporting to enhance financial control.

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Cash

The cash position of the Diocese has improved by £3.9 million to £15.9 million mainly due to cash held for capital projects within the Diocese’s Voluntary Aided schools but also due to the cash donated to the Closer to Christ campaign during the year rising to £1.45m.

During the year, the Diocese repaid the £4.47m Lloyds bank loan before the significant increase in the bank lending rates. In addition, nearly £1.95m was spent on the repair and maintenance of the Diocese’s 400 assets (churches, presbyteries, church halls and parish centres).

Parish Surplus/Deficit

For the eight months from incorporation to 31 August 2023, 43 parishes recorded an operational deficit and therefore are using up their reserves. Of the 43 parishes that recorded a deficit, three recorded a deficit of greater than £50K, one of which had undertaken urgent capital works, whilst the other two were parishes with significant reserves that had incurred exceptional expenditure. The proportion of parishes that incurred deficits underlines the need for a financial governance framework, whereby parishes will be supported in drawing up and reporting against budgets and five-year capital expenditure plans.

Parish Bank Overdrafts

Across the 87 parishes, there are 217 parish bank accounts. Of these, 25 bank accounts were overdrawn with a total overdrawn balance of £1.64M, whilst 17 Parishes were overdrawn when considering their combined bank balances.

Assets

Despite the market driven fall in the value of quoted investments and investment properties held by the Diocese, overall net assets increased from £80.8M at 31 August 2022 to £85.8M at August 2023, this was due to a £294K operating surplus combining the final PRCDTR and opening CDP CIO accounts and the transfer of the PRF assets to the Trusteeship of Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth.

The Diocese owns £ 92.5 million of assets at historic cost: £48M of churches and other buildings used for our charitable activities, £22M of investment properties, £6M of investment in securities, £16M of cash and £1M of debtors (owed to the Diocese). Net assets are lower than the total assets owned by the Diocese because of the £6.6M worth of liabilities (owed by the Diocese). However, were these buildings to be valued at rebuild cost, the value would be around £643M.

Investments

In December 2022 the Board of Trustees approved the sale of approximately 50% of the investment portfolio to repay the £4.47 million Lloyds bank loan before the significant increase in the bank lending rates.

As a result, at 31 August 2023 the Diocese held £ 5.9 million in quoted investments, which had fallen in value by 1% since the transfer of assets from the Charitable Trust on 22nd December 2022, owing to the ongoing global energy price inflation, and war in Ukraine.

In July 2022, the Diocese established an investment committee to encourage our parishes to participate in investment decisions, to act as a forum for communication with our Investment Managers and to assist the Board of Trustees in their decision-making, The Committee has met quarterly since its inception.

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The Trustee Board has agreed on an Investment Policy for the portfolio, which can be summarised as follows:

The purpose of the Investment Policy is to maintain the purchasing power of the capital and income generated over the medium to long term (more than five years). The Investment Committee will provide any appointed external or in-house investment manager(s) with a mandate based upon the principles of Investment Targets and Risk Tolerance.

The Trustee Board has agreed on an Ethical Policy for the portfolio. The following is an extract from the Investment Policy:

“Where the issuer of a security (share, stock or bond) or deposit taker (bank) is directly and substantially (more than 5% of the activity of that entity) involved in activities which constitute grave moral evil such investments are to be entirely excluded because holding such securities would constitute formal co-operation in that evil. These would include but not be limited to, murder, procured abortion, contraception, sexual activity outside marriage and acts which undermine the dignity and sanctity of human beings (for example the exploitation of workers, migrants, the weak and the elderly) from conception to natural death, corrupting the young, heresy and sacrilege.” The Bishop and Board of Trustees also require that our investment managers keep under review the environmental stewardship of entities in which the Diocese holds investments or deposits and instructs them to refer any activities which might constitute a breach of the duty of the stewardship of creation to them.”

Reserves

Our Reserves Policy is designed to ensure the stability of the ongoing operations, support for the clergy and employment of staff by the organisation and to provide a source of internal funds for organisational priorities such as maintaining the Diocesan Estate and listed buildings and to provide financial support where required to facilitate the delivery of the mission of the Diocese.

The Reserves Policy has four components:

A Curial Operating Reserve – intended to provide an internal source of funds for the Curia in situations such as a sudden increase in expenses, one-time unbudgeted expenses, unanticipated loss in funding, or uninsured losses, to be equal to three months of net recurrent annual costs excluding parish levy (thus if net operating cost excluding levy is £2,350K, the Curial Operating Reserve will be £600K).

At Year End 2023 unrestricted Curial Reserves stood at a negative £3.95 million. Steps being taken to address this deficit and bring reserves in line with those envisaged by the Reserves Policy include revenues generated by the disposal of surplus assets in the Ten-Year Plan You Will Be My Witnesses and the budgetary discipline and cost reduction being implemented in the Curia which has seen the in-year deficit reduced by over £ 1 million from 2021-22 to 2022-23.

A Parish Operating Reserve – all parishes should seek to have at least 3 months of net recurrent annual costs held as reserves. At 31 January 2024, 18 out of 87 parishes did not have sufficient reserves to cover 3 months’ recurrent expenditure. This situation will be addressed by improved reporting of parish’s financial positions, rollout and associated training of budgeting for all parishes, and the implementation of the Ten-Year Mission Plan.

A Diocesan Development Fund - intended to provide temporary financial support for the repair or maintenance of the Diocesan estate and listed buildings to parishes or other bodies with insufficient funds at their disposal. It is the intention of the Diocese for the DDF to be used and replenished within a medium-term period (3 to 5 years). The target amount of the DDF should be £2million.

A Strategic Financial Reserve - intended to provide funds for the strategic development of the Diocese in general

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and parishes in particular. These funds would be used to facilitate the delivery of agreed Strategic Objectives that require start-up funding. The target amount of the SFR should be £2 million.

The Diocesan Development Fund and Strategic Financial Reserve will be built up once progress has been made in addressing the Curial and Parish Operating Reserves.

Risks

A Risk Register is provided for Trustees to review at every meeting. Key risks are:

• The financial position of many parishes; reductions in weekly attendance and participation in the life of the church have been reflected in falling offertory income. Attempts are being made to address this through a focus on evangelisation, the Ten-Year Mission Plan, You Will be My Witnesses and providing donation options, such as our Free Wills service and contactless donations, which are easy and intuitive to use.

• The growing backlog of estate maintenance, together with the deterioration of older, listed buildings (most notably the Cathedral) is a long-term liability. Our Ten-Year Mission Plan, You Will Be My Witnesses , sets out to increase participation in parish life and enable us to discern where to invest and what we can no longer maintain.

• The Diocese comprises 87 individual parish units which operate autonomously to a significant extent. The organisation is highly dispersed and also largely reliant on volunteers for much of the day-to-day activity. This all presents a significant risk of non-compliance with key policies required by regulators and legislation. This risk is being addressed through the roll-out of key policies, the implementation of systems which give greater visibility of parish finances, and the consolidation of parishes from 87 to 24 Pastoral Areas which will reduce the challenges faced by a dispersed and fragmented parish structure.

• Cyber-security is a recognised global risk. Much effort has been made to mitigate the risk through training and monitoring. Key performance indicators have been developed based on the 12-point plan provided by the Diocese’s insurer; progress is regularly measured against the KPIs.

• Although we have been blessed with vocations, the number of vocations to the priesthood is not keeping pace with expected clergy retirement in the medium term. Our Ten-Year Mission Plan, You Will Be My Witnesses , is intended to enable ways of working which mitigate these anticipated challenges to some extent.

• The governance of the complex charity structure has become increasingly complicated. The incorporation of the charity in 2022 provided an opportunity to streamline the arrangements as part of our risk management strategy.

• Recruitment to key roles in central administration and in parishes is proving a significant challenge. Vacancies can, on occasion, be open for several months. Attracting and retaining candidates with the appropriate experience and expertise will require a re-evaluation of our structure and pay and reward strategy in the coming year.

Future Plans

Organisational priorities for the year ahead are detailed in the Chief Operating Officer’s Report on page 38.

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Structure, Governance and Management

Constitution

The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO), registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 6 July 2022 under charity number 1199568.

It is governed under a constitution, which was last amended on 20 March 2023. As an association CIO the Diocese has a sole member, the Bishop of Portsmouth, whose responsibilities include the appointment of Trustees.

Trustees

The Trustee Board met four times during the year.

Linked Charities

The Diocese of Portsmouth incorporated to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 31 December 2022. All activities, assets and liabilities of the Portsmouth Roman Catholic Diocesan Trust transferred to the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth on 22 December 2022.

The Portsmouth Roman Catholic Diocesan Properties Limited, charity number 1168798, was a charitable company limited by guarantee which held the Diocese’s property in Jersey. This arrangement has been wound up as part of the Diocese’s incorporation with the Diocese’s property in Jersey transferred to the Catholic Diocese in Portsmouth on 20 January 2023.

The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth has over 90 special trusts, mostly relating to property. There are 7 funds:

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These special trusts are linked to the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth for the purposes of registration and reporting. The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth is the sole trustee of these special trusts.

Appointment of Trustees

Trustees are appointed by written resolution of the charity’s sole member: the Bishop of Portsmouth.

Trustee vacancies are advertised through appropriate communication channels, and potential candidates are also approached directly. All candidates applying to become a Trustee will be interviewed by the Bishop and Secretary to Trustees. Any successful applicants are co-opted as advisory members of the Board at the next full meeting for a period of six months. Following completion of this six-month period, they are appointed as Trustees by the Bishop.

Senior clergy are appointed as ex officio Trustees; their appointment lasts as long as they are in office. Other Trustees are generally appointed on a five-year term basis, which may be repeated or extended.

Trustee Induction and Training

The Secretary to the Trustees is responsible for ensuring that an appropriate induction training programme is arranged for new Trustees, within 3 months of their appointment.

The induction is expected to include clarification of legal responsibilities, Charity Commission requirements of charity Trustees, strategic and governance issues, familiarity with the Trust Deed and structure of the Charity, as well as other relevant induction material to allow Trustees to understand the Charity’s purpose, activities, financial position and current risks.

Trustees are encouraged undertake regular training throughout their appointment which they feel is relevant to their role, and to keep up to date with current legislation.

Trustee Expenses

A number of Trustees are clergy of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth. They are housed and remunerated by the Diocese and are reimbursed reasonable expenses for carrying out their ministry in the same way as other priests in the Diocese.

However, no Trustee received any renumeration from the Charity, nor had any beneficial interest in any contract with the Charity. Trustees may claim expenses, such as mileage, incurred in connection with the discharge of their duties as Trustees.

Management Team

The Trustees are responsible for the overall management, oversight and strategic direction of the Diocese. To achieve this, they have appointed a Chief Operating Officer (COO) who has delegated responsibility for the day to day running of the Diocese. The COO is supported by a Senior Leadership Team who have delegated areas of responsibility such as Finance, Estates, Safeguarding, IT, HR, Communications, Governance, Fundraising, Charity Outreach and Clergy Support.

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Setting Pay

Remunerated roles in the Curia and central administration have been benchmarked against several charity sector benchmarks, including other dioceses. The Diocese is a lower quartile employer, although the Trustee Board may choose to apply a recruitment or retention premium to a particular post in certain circumstances.

Organisation

The Trustee Board is supported in decision-making by detailed scrutiny and recommendations provided by Sub-Committees which meet regularly throughout the year: Finance, Audit and Risk; HR and Remuneration; Education Vicariate; Vocations Vicariate; and Evangelisation Vicariate.

The Diocesan Curia is organised into a Framework for Collaboration, with three Vicariates each responsible for delivering one aspect of the Bishop’s threefold ministry: Vocations, Education and Evangelisation.

Each is headed up by an Episcopal Vicar who, together with the Vicars General, are the sole members of the Bishop’s Council, all of whom have been appointed Trustees. Each Vicariate Committee is chaired by the Episcopal Vicar for that particular Vicariate.

The Portsmouth Bamenda Committee sits within the Vicariate for Evangelisation and is responsible for furthering the Diocese’s ecclesiastical partnership with the Archdiocese of Bamenda and overseeing grant funding for projects in the Archdiocese.

The Caritas Committee also sits within the Vicariate for Evangelisation and is responsible for overseeing the Diocese’s charity and outreach through Caritas.

The purpose of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee is to provide strategic oversight to the administration of the temporal goods of the Diocese and its parishes: its land and buildings, money, investments and the discharge of its legal and contractual obligations. The FAR Committee is chaired by the Vicar General, Moderator of the Curia.

The HR and Remuneration Committee considers remuneration across the Diocese and makes recommendations to the Board. It is chaired by the Vicar General, Moderator of the Curia.

The Investment Committee is responsible for overseeing the performance of Diocese’s investment managers and ensuring that investment decisions are in sympathy with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

The Art, Architecture and Patrimony Committee reviews proposed alternations to churches to ensure the patrimony of the Diocese is managed responsibly.

The Priest Retirement Fund Committee is responsible for ensuring the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth – Priests Retirement Fund is managed responsibly and in accordance with the fund’s charitable purposes and governing documents.

The Safeguarding Committee is responsible for matters which relate to safeguarding and is chaired by a nonclergy trustee.

The Chancery and Tribunal continue to operate independently of the Curia, the Judicial Vicar has been appointed as a Trustee.

The structure of the Diocese presents a harmonious balance between the charity’s legal responsibility and the Diocese’s responsibility to Canon Law. The Council of Priests meets regularly to consult on matters of Canon Law and advises Trustees.

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Relationship with Other Organisations

Other Regulators

In addition to the Charity Commission for England and Wales the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth is overseen by the Jersey Charity Commissioner and the Guernsey Registry.

The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth is registered with the Fundraising Regulator and adheres to the Code of Fundraising Practice.

Safeguarding in the Diocese is overseen by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency; the CSSA national safeguarding policies are in operation across the Diocese.

Other Organisations within the Diocese

The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth has a close relationship with the Portsmouth Diocesan Trust and Portsmouth Roman Catholic Diocesan Trust; which remain separate charities pending the final transfer of the Diocese’s schools.

Caritas Jersey LTD, charity number 150, is a charitable company limited by guarantee and is the hub of Catholic Social Action in Jersey. The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth is in the process of becoming one of the company members.

The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth works closely with Catholic schools across the Diocese, mostly through the Vicariate for Education.

Other Organisations outside the Diocese

In carrying out its work and mission, The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth works in collaboration with many and varied organisations such as the Catholic Trust for England and Wales (CATEW), the Bishop’s Conference for England and Wales (CBCEW), CAFOD, other Catholic dioceses, hospitals, prisons, universities, foodbanks, and a variety of other charities and organisations.

Public Benefit Statement

The Trustee Board has due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in exercising its powers and duties.

The Trustee Board ensures the Charity benefits the public be bringing meaning to people’s lives, providing opportunities to strengthen relationships with God, providing a moral and ethical framework for life; through community and social cohesion in its pastoral work; and through its work supporting the poor and the marginalised.

Charitable Purposes

The purposes of the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth, as set out in its constitution, are the advancement of the Roman Catholic religion in the Diocese in such ways being charitable as the Bishop shall from time to time direct and for the service and support whether in the Diocese or outside the Diocese in such ways as aforesaid of any lawful charitable purposes whether educational or otherwise promoted or supported by the Roman Catholic Church.

The Charity therefore fulfils its purpose by offering religious and pastoral services, educational programmes,

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and charitable support and assistance to all those living within its borders: approximately 235,000 self-identifying Catholics, of whom 25,000 are regular Mass-attending Catholics and roughly 3.2 million other residents. The principal vehicles for these ministries are parishes, chaplaincies and schools, as well as outreach activities coordinated by Caritas Portsmouth.

Fundraising Activity

The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth follows the Institute of Fundraising ‘s Codes of Fundraising Practice and is registered with the Fundraising Regulator.

No complaints about fundraising activity required escalation to the Fundraising Regulator. The Diocese has its own procedures in place for dealing with complaints. Within this process, we publish a clear procedure for escalation and timescales when a person lodging a complaint can expect us to respond.

The fundraising activity of the Diocese takes various forms; including fundraising through campiagns, planned regular giving, via digital means and cash, securing grants from institutional, corporate or non-proit orgnaisations and community fundriaisng.

Anyone who is kind enough to consider donating to the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth can be assured that:

• We never sell personal data to other organisations or charities. We do sometimes ask third party organisations to help process our data but they will act under our instruction. We never allow these organisations to use parishioner and supporter data for their own purposes and the data remains our legal responsibility. At all times we ensure that it is treated with the same level of care as if we were handling it directly.

We display the Fundraising Regulator badge on our website and fundraising collateral to demonstrate our commitment to best practice.

The Diocese ensures that vulnerable people are protected by adhering to the Codes of Fundraising Practice, ensuring that policies and procedures are in place for fundraising activities, and regularly working with the safeguarding and governance teams to ensure that good practice is followed in accordance with the law.

Building Partnerships

Relying on a range of income streams means that our work is more sustainable. The Diocese is especially grateful to receive funding from a variety of grant-givers, including Trusts and Foundations. Many of these grants recognise the substantial positive impact that parish and Diocesan projects have on the lives they are designed to support and to the wider community. The Trustee aim to build long-term partnerships and are grateful to all funders who have supported the Charity in the course of the past year.

Legacies

The Diocese attempts to make it as easy as possible for supporters to leave gifts in their Wills, producing information to highlight the wonderful benefit of giving a legacy, of any size, to a particular parish or where the need is greatest. In 2024 we launched an online and face-to-face will-writing service enabling making provision for the Church in supporter Wills even easier.

Although legal advice is not offered to supporters, information is provided to help them make the right decision for them, whether in writing, over the telephone or on the website.

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The Trustees also take great care in administering the legacy gifts received, ensuring executors and family members are treated professionally with compassion, dignity and care.

Data Handling Statement

The Diocese of Portsmouth is committed to handling data in a fair and transparent manner and complying with data protection laws. The Diocese is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion

Our existing charity values reflect the need for diversity, equality and inclusion (DE&I). We also recognise that there will always be further improvements or enhancements that we can make to maximise DE&I within the Charity.

We are committed to ensuring that obstacles to participation are reduced and believe that diversity enriches our work, strengthens our mission, and enables us to better serve our community. By working together, we can build a more inclusive and compassionate Church.

Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities

The purpose of this statement is to distinguish the Trustees’ responsibilities for the accounts from those of the Auditors as stated in their Report. The Charities Act 2011 requires the Trustees to prepare for each financial period, financial statements which give a true and fair view of the Charity’s financial activities during the period and of its financial position at the period end. In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

The Trustees are responsible for ensuring proper accounting records are kept which disclose, with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the Diocese and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Trust Deeds and the disclosure regulations. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Diocese and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of an error, fraud, and other irregularities.

This Annual Report was approved by the Trustee Board at a meeting held on 2nd May 2024.

Signed on 05 June 2024 by:

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CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

From The Auditors

Independent auditor’s report to the Trustees of The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth for the year ending 31 August 2023 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Cash Flows and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard is applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (the United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion, the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We have been appointed as auditors under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder. We conducted our audit by International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group following the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the group's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue. Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees for going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The Trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Report of the Trustees. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to

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CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements, or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters about which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of Trustees for the financial statements

Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the group’s and the parent charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the group or the parent charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted under ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken based on these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

Based on our understanding of the group and the environment in which it operates, we identified the principal risks of non-compliance with laws and regulations related to Canon Law, employment law, safeguarding regulations and Charity Law, and we considered the extent to which non-compliance might have a material effect on the financial statements. We also considered those laws and regulations that have a direct impact on the preparation of financial statements such as the Charities Act 2011 and Charities SORP.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[58]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

We evaluated management’s incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements (including the risk of override of controls). Audit procedures performed by the engagement team included:

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulations. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission, or misrepresentation.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and regulations made under section 154 of that Act. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity's trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an Auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity’s Trustees as a body for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Haysmacintyre LLP 10 Queen Street Place Statutory Auditors London EC4R 1AG

Date: 05 June 2024

Haysmacintyre LLP is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[59]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth

Statement Of Financial Activities

For the 14 month period ended 31 August 2023

Notes
Donations and legacies
Donations and Offertories
Legacies
Other
Other trading activities:
Rent – miscellaneous lettings
Income of trading subsidiaries
14
Investment income
Investment income and interest receivable
1
Rent – investment properties
Other incoming resources:
Insurance Claims
Gain on disposal of tangible fixed assets
Other Income - transfer from predecessor entity
16
Total income
Expenditure on Raising funds
Finance costs
Charitable activities
Activities in furtherance of the Roman Catholic Faith
Total expenditure
2
Net (Outgoing)/Incoming Resources before transfers
Realised and Unrealised Gains on investments
Net income/(expenditure)
Transfers between Funds		 UNRESTRICTED UNRESTRICTED RESTRICTED -
TOTAL
£
8,253,429
172,321
396,431
-
-
CURIA -
TOTAL
£
53,842
433,563
444,116
37,865
TOTAL - AUG
2023
£
14,380,499
866,484
1,727,748
-
906,331
- - - -
3,278
29,967
-		 133,603
422,022
117,790		 37,255
-
-
-		 174,136
451,989
-
117,790
- - - -
1,088,769
2,091,399
(7,887)
(2,413,354)
(2,421,241)
(329,842)
(232)
(330,074)
682,693		 74,233,542
82,996,452
-
(8,060,017)
(8,060,017)
74,936,435
(884,629)
74,051,806
-		 5,802,286
14,661,722
(950,634)
(1,588,068)
(2,538,702)
12,123,021
(16,479)
12,106,541
(682,693)		 81,124,597
99,749,573
(958,521)
(12,061,438)
(13,019,959)
86,729,614
(901,340)
85,828,274
-
Transfers - Schools Building Fund Levy - - - -
Transfers - Diocesan Levy
Net movement on funds
Reconciliation of funds
Fund balances brought forward
Fund balances carried forward		 1,470,370
1,822,990
1,822,990		 (1,470,370)
72,581,436
72,581,436		 -
11,423,848
11,423,848		 -
85,828,274
-
85,828,274

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses in the period. All operations are continuing and there are no discontinued operations.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[60]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth

Balance Sheet

As at 31 August 2023

Fixed Assets
Notes
Tangible assets
4
Investments
5
Debtors: due after more than one year
6
Current Assets
Debtors and prepayments
6
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: due within one year
7
Net Current Assets
Creditors: due after more than one
year
7
Parish Loan Accounts
Due from parishes
Net Off Intra-curial
Due to parishes
NET ASSETS
Unrestricted Funds
General Funds
Designated Funds
10
Restricted Funds
9
Permanent Endowment Funds
8
RESERVES		 CURIAL FUNDS

£
8,734,874
3,723,635
12,458,508
-
436,737
5,871,394
6,308,131
(6,098,503)
209,629
-
2,438,406
(159,415)
-
(4,180,618)
(1,901,626)
10,766,511
(3,952,727)
5,775,717
1,822,990
8,778,740
164,782
10,766,511		 PARISH FUNDS
£
38,567,677
24,189,734
62,757,410
-
863,396
10,037,033
10,900,428
(497,702)
10,402,726
-
(2,438,406)
159,415
-
4,180,618
1,901,626
75,061,763
-
72,581,436
72,581,436
1,659,584
820,742
75,061,763		 31-Aug-23
£
47,302,550
27,913,368
75,215,919
-
1,300,133
15,908,427
17,208,560
(6,596,205)
10,612,355
-
-
-
-
-
-
85,828,274
(3,952,727)
78,357,153
74,404,426
10,438,324
985,524
85,828,274

Approved by the Trustee Board on 2nd May 2024 and signed on their behalf on 05 June 2024 by:

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[61]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth

Statement of Cash Flows

For the 14 month period ended 31 August 2023

Reconciliation of Net Incoming Resources to Cash Inflow from
Operating Activities
Changes in resources before revaluations
Returns on investment
Depreciation
Loss/(gain) on disposal of Tangible Fixed Assets
Transfer from predecessor entity
(Increase)/decrease in debtors
(Decrease)/increase in creditors
Net cash inflow from operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities
Returns on investment
Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets
Receipts from sales of tangible fixed assets
Payments to acquire investments
Receipts from sales of investments
Cash flows from financing activities
Movement on School Loans
Bank loan repayments
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year
Transfer from Predecessor
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year
Reconciliation of cash flow to movement in net funds/(debt)
Decrease in cash in the year
Net cash inflow from movements in bank loans
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year
Net funds at the beginning of the year
Net funds at the year end
Analysis of net funds/(debt)
Cash and bank balances
Loans due within one year
Loans due after one year		 YE AUG 23
£
86,729,614
(174,136)
507,263
-
(81,124,597)
180,134
(437,682)
5,228,607
5,228,607
174,136
(5,981,847)
-
(383,768)
1,897,316
(3,842,174)
964,389
(3,341,224)
(2,376,834)
(990,401)
16,898,828
15,908,427
(990,401)
2,376,834
1,386,434
-
1,386,434
TRF FROM
PREDECESSOR
Cash flows
Other
31-Aug-23
£
£
£
£
16,898,828
(990,401)
-
15,908,427
(7,953,390)
2,376,834
-
(5,576,556)
-
-
-
8,945,438
1,386,434
-
10,331,872

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[62]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth

Statement of Accounting Policies

For the 14 month period ended 31 August 2023

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with statutory requirements and with the Statement of Recommended Practice for Charities (SORP 2015) (Second Edition, effective 1 January 2019 and with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable to the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (Effective 1 January 2015). The particular accounting policies adopted are described below. The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention, as modified to include certain tangible fixed assets at a valuation and fixed asset investments at market value. The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102.

a) Basis of preparation

The financial statements represent the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth and its subsidiaries listed in note 14. The subsidiaries are not consolidated due to immateriality. The accounting period is 14 months due to the incorporation of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 6th July 2022.

b) Preparation of accounts on a going concern basis

Having considered future budgets and cash flows, the trustees confirm that they have no material uncertainties about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. In coming to this conclusion trustees have considered the resources available to the diocese, the move towards balanced curial budgets and the impact of the 10- year plan, “ You will be My Witnesses ”.

c) Legacies, Donations and Grants

Legacies and donations are recognised the Diocese becomes legally entitled to them, receipt is probable and they can reasonably be measured in financial terms. Receipts of property, investments or other gifts in kind are included at market value. Grants are recognised when receivable.

d) Investment Income

Investment income is accounted for as it accrues.

e) Taxation

As a registered charity, the Diocese is exempt from income tax, corporation tax and capital gains tax derived from its charitable activities. Gift aid is credited to the category of income to which it relates.

f) Expenditure

Costs of raising funds comprise those costs associated with attracting voluntary income and grants and the management of the Charity’s investments. Costs of charitable activities consist of all expenditure directly relating

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[63]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

to the objects of the Charity. Support costs which cannot be directly allocated are apportioned between activities.

Employment benefits, including holiday pay, are recognised in the period in which they are earned. Termination benefits are recognised in the period in which the decision is made and communicated to the relevant employee(s). Governance costs include expenditure on management and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements together with an allocation of support costs. Irrecoverable VAT is included with the category of expenses to which it relates.

g) Schools Building Programme

Any grants obtained on behalf of school governors are netted off against total costs and only the residual cost to the Diocese is included in the financial statements.

h) Tangible Fixed Assets

Prior to 1 January 1997 the cost of fixed assets was written off in the year of acquisition and no comprehensive cost records were maintained. In order to arrive at a reasonable valuation of parish property, taking into account age, type, condition and life expectancy, the Trustees considered that the then insured values should be discounted by 90% and in subsequent years be depreciated at 2% per annum, on the building value only. Properties acquired after 31 August 1996 were capitalised at their actual cost of acquisition. When transferred from the predecessor entity property net book value (cost less depreciation) was treated as opening cost within the CIO.

The Diocese owns a number of properties that are occupied and run by independent charities in the form of Voluntary Aided Schools and Catholic Academies. The school properties (land and buildings) are vested in the name of the Trustees. The Trustees cannot take a unilateral decision to dispose of these properties. Disposal can only occur if the school governors and the Secretary of State for Education decide that all or part of a school site is no longer required for education. In most circumstances, where a disposal occurs, the Secretary of State or the local authority may be entitled to recoup any grant. Although no rights of ownership vest in the school governing body, most other rights and obligations, such as for the maintenance and repair of the school and its facilities, are passed to the governors. The Trustees therefore consider that there is no capital value to the Diocese in the stock of school buildings.

Thus school properties have not been capitalised. There is a potential value, or contingent asset, in the event of a closure of a school (either connected to a re-organisation or not). Such an asset is recognised only upon the occurrence of a closure/re-organisation and the site’s development value becoming certain, such as upon the granting of planning permission. The recognition of this value is accounted for as an incoming resource in the year in which this value becomes measurable and certain. The inclusion of any value of school properties normally arises from a scheme under s554 Education Act and until then there is legally a duty to repay or recycle the proceeds from the sale of former school sites.

Prior to 4 September 1934, the date of the original Trust Deed of the Charity, most parish properties were acquired on trusts related to individual parish missions and were formally brought under the legal control of the Trustees by virtue of Charity Commission schemes dated 4th and 7th February 1936. These assets are included in Parochial Funds.

There are a few properties held on trusts created after 1934 which are different from those in the 1934 and 2002 trust deeds. These assets are also included in Parochial Funds.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[64]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

The estimated cost of furniture, equipment and motor vehicles held at 31 August 1996 has been capitalised in the financial statements. Subsequent additions exceeding £5,000 are capitalised at cost. Individual works of art, historical treasures and plate are not capitalised.

Depreciation is calculated by the straight-line method to write off the cost/value less anticipated residual value, over the expected useful lives of assets as follows: -

i) Significant judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

In preparing these financial statements the Trustees have had to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts recognised in these financial statements. Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Key areas subject to judgement and estimation are as follows: useful lives applied to fixed assets and investment property valuations.

j) Pensions

All eligible staff may join a personal pension scheme of their choice to which the Diocese makes a matching contribution of up to five per cent of salary. As a defined contribution scheme, no liability falls upon the Diocese, as employer, to make good a shortfall of funding other than contributions due.

k) Financial instruments

The Diocese only enters into basic financial instruments transactions that result in the recognition of financial assets and liabilities like trade and other accounts receivable and payable and investments in stocks and shares. The measurement basis used for these financial instruments is detailed below.

Investments

Investments are valued at fair value on the balance sheet date. Investment properties are stated at market value or a Trustees’ valuation, as advised by a qualified Chartered Surveyor. Gains/losses on investments are calculated as the difference between opening market value and closing market value after adjusting for additions and disposals during the period. No distinction is made between realised and unrealised gains in the financial statements.

Debtors

Short term debtors are measured at transaction price, less any impairment. Loans receivable are measured initially at fair value, net of transaction costs, and are measured subsequently at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less any impairment.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash is represented by cash in hand and deposits with financial institutions repayable without notice of not more than 24 hours. Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments that mature in no more than three months from the date of acquisition and that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash with insignificant risk of change in value.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[65]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Creditors

Short term creditors are measured at the transaction price. Other financial liabilities, including bank loans, are measured initially at fair value, net of transaction costs, and are measured subsequently at amortised cost using the effective interest method. The charity only enters into basic financial instruments transactions that result in the recognition of financial assets and liabilities like trade and other accounts receivable and payable and investments in stocks and shares. The measurement basis used for these financial instruments is detailed below.

l) Parochial Funds

Each Parish is considered by Canon Law to be a juridical person with corresponding rights and obligations, including the holding and use of funds. The use of these parochial funds is the responsibility of the Parish Priest, Diocesan Finance Council and the Trustees in varying ways depending on the amount and significance of the funds. However, for the purposes of civil law parishes are not distinct legal entities and, unless there are distinct and express special trusts clearly evidenced in law, parochial funds are therefore shown as unrestricted but designated funds.

m) Permanent Endowment Funds

The capital of Permanent Endowment Funds must be maintained intact with any income arising being available for restricted or general charitable purposes of the Diocese, according to the terms of the original gift.

n) Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds comprise accumulated surpluses and deficits on general funds. They are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general charitable objectives. Designated funds are funds set aside by the Trustees for specific purposes (see note 10). Restricted funds are used for specific purposes as stated by the grantor. Expenditure which meets these criteria is charged to the fund (see note 9).

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[66]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth

Notes to the Accounts

For the 14 month period ended 31 August 2023

31 August 2023 1. Investment Income And Interest Receivable £ Arising on quoted investments 174,136 Rent on investment property 451,989 Bank interest

1. Investment Income And Interest Receivable

-----------------£626,125 =========

2. Charitable Expenditure And Support Costs

2 Charitable Expenditure
Direct Costs
The Office of the Bishop
Chancery & Cathedral
Tribunal
Hospital Chaplaincies
Maintenance of Catholic Schools
Caritas/ERF
Parish Costs
Clergy
Staff
Church Running Costs
Office and Presbetry Running Costs
Investments in DOPIF
General: books, events, donations, fees etc
Insurance
Repairs and Maintenance
Depreciation
Designated Funds
Endowment Funds
Restricted Funds		 Support of Parish Life
Locally
Incurred
Costs
Centrally
Incurred
Costs
- -
-
140,251
-
1,784
-
16,402
-
27,265
-
63,252
1,315,411
-
1,270,828
-
1,628,268
-
776,628
-
10,100
-
293,113
-
286,136
-
1,752,005
-
388,031
-
53,605
1,066
1,977,206
7,720,520
2,280,830		 Vocation
Education
Evangalisation
Training
New
Clergy,
Vocations
Clergy
in
ministry
Retired
Clergy
Catholic
Education
Youth and
University
Chaplaincies
Supporting
the Poor &
Marginalised
New
Evang'n
Fund-
raising
Total
61,965
47,118
689,339
177,306
94,992
31,877
14,970
16,661
1,134,229
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
140,251
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,784
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
16,402
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
27,265
-
-
-
181,358
-
-
-
-
181,358
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
63,252
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,315,411
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,270,828
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,628,268
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
776,628
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
10,100
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
293,113
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
286,136
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,752,005
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
388,031
-
53,605
1,066
561,496
2,538,702
47,118
623,461
47,118
689,339
358,664
94,992
31,877
14,970
16,661
11,878,434

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[67]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

3 Support Costs
Communications
Estates
People
IT
Finance
Governance
Curia Property and overheads
Safeguarding
Bishops Confrence Levy
Total		 Localy
Incurred
Costs
Centrally
Incurred
Costs
19,921
19,921
82,525
-
85,811
-
69,042
-
215,441
56,069
125,066
32,549
542,924
149,344
103,381
-
-
84,939
8,964,630
2,623,652		 Training
New
Clergy,
Vocations
Clergy
in
ministry
Retired
Clergy
Catholic
Education
Youth and
University
Chaplaincies
Supporting
the Poor &
Marginalised
New
Evang'n
Fund-
raising
3,984.12
3,984.12
-
3,984.12
3,984.12
3,984.12
3,984.12
15,936.48
79,682
-
-
41,263
41,263
-
-
-
-
165,051
899
899
449
1,797
899
1,348
449
449
92,999
2,892
2,892
1,446
5,784
2,892
4,338
1,446
1,446
92,176
1,729
1,315
19,236
10,008
2,651
890
418
465
308,221
1,004
763
11,167
5,810
1,539
516
243
270
178,926
8,926
9,210
56,952
53,928
14,807
10,156
6,645
14,368
20,796
1,024
2,047
-
1,024
7,165
2,047
2,047
-
118,735
84,939
643,918
68,228
819,852
482,261
128,928
55,156
30,202
49,595
13,019,959

Governance costs include Auditors remuneration – Audit (including VAT)

£ £51,000 =======

3. Staff

The average number of total employees (not full-time equivalents) of the Diocese during the period and their aggregate emoluments are shown below

The average number of total employees (not full-time equivalents) of
aggregate emoluments are shown below		 the Diocese during the period and their
31 August
2023
Staf Costs: £
Wages and salaries 2,040,316
Social security 145,009
Pension costs 73,580
Redundancy costs
---------------------
£2,258,904
==========
Monthly Average Number of Employees: No
Departments 54
Parishes 163
---------
217
====

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[68]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Employees with emoluments greater than £60,000:

2023
£60,001 - £70,000
2
£70,001 - £80,000 0
£80,001 - £90,000
0
£90,001 - £100,000
0

Key management personnel received salary, benefits and pension contributions of £368,324 during the period. Defined contribution pension payments of £19,441 were made to 5 key management personnel.

4. Tangible Fixed Assets

TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
COST OR VALUATION
At 7 July 2022
Transfers from Predecessor Entity
Additions
Disposals
Transfers from Investments
Transfers to Investments

At 31 August 2023
DEPRECIATION
At 7 July 2022
Charge for the period
On disposals
Transfers to Investments
At 31 August 2023
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31 August 2023
At 7 July 2022		 Freehold
Buildings
£

39,572,214
3,971,339

-
1,220,000

(2,495)		 Leasehold
Buildings
£
624,844
2,010,508

-
-
-		 Furniture &
Equipment
£
413,404
-

-

-

-		 Total
£
40,610,461

5,981,847

-

1,220,000

(2,495)
44,761,058 2,635,352 413,404 47,809,813

458,345
-
-		 35,138

-

-		 13,780

-

-		 507,263

-

-
458,345 35,138 13,780 507,263
44,302,713 2,600,213 399,624 47,302,550
-
-
-
-

The Diocese also owns a number of properties, which are occupied and run by independent charities in the form of Voluntary Aided Schools and Catholic Academies. The Trustees consider that these properties have no capital value to the Charity – see Accounting Policy (f). The total re-instatement cost of these schools is approximately £300m. A list of the schools in the Diocese is set out on the Diocesan website (www.portsmouthdiocese.org.uk).

All fixed assets are used in direct furtherance of the Charity’s objects.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[69]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

5. Investments

INVESTMENTS
Market value at 7 July 2022
Transfer from Predecessor Entity
Additions
Disposals
Transfer from Tangible Fixed Assets
Transfer to Tangible Fixed Assets
Revaluation Losses
Market value at 31 August 2023		 Investment
Quoted
Properties
Investments
Total
£
£
£
-
-
-
25,602,517
5,943,191
31,545,708
-
383,768
383,768
(1,500,000)
(397,264)
(1,897,264)
2,495
-
2,495
(1,220,000)
-
(1,220,000)
(826,088)
(75,252)
(901,340)
22,058,924
5,854,444
27,913,368

All quoted investments (other than cash) are quoted on a recognised UK Stock Exchange or are valued by reference to investments listed on a recognised Stock Exchange. No figure for the cost of the investment properties owned at 1 January 1997 is available; the value at which they were first recognised in the predecessor entity accounts was £1,014,500. £11.9M of investment properties were valued in Dec 23 by Savills, Simmons & Sons, Leaders, Ross Nicholas, Kelway Law, Hose Rhodes Dickson, Robin Austen, Zoopla and Charters; the remainder have been valued using indicators based on overall market movements since the last valuation.

31 August
6. Debtors 2023
£
Due within one year
School and other loans £275,955
Legacies Receivable * -
Other debtors and prepayments £1,024,178
---------------------
£1,300,133
==========

6. Debtors

*We estimate the Charity was entitled to Legacies of £192,000, where probate had been received by the year end, but which are not accrued due to lack of a reliable estimate.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[70]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

7. Creditors 31 August
2023
£
Due within one year
School and other loans £5,576,611
PAYE £56,027
Other creditors and accruals £963,567
--------------------
£6,596,205
==========

A Lloyds CBILS five year loan of £4,000,000 was taken out by the predecessor entity in February 2021, with interest and capital repayments beginning in March 2022. This loan was repaid in full on 3 January 2023.

8. Permanent Endowment Funds

Parochial Funds
Properties
Other
Tanguy Masses
St Mary’s Mission
Christchurch
Parish
Priest
Curial Funds
Curtin Masses
Dunne Masses
St
Joseph
Education
Fund		 Balance at
06 Jul
2022
£
-
-
-
-
-		 Transfer from
Predecessor Entity
£
361,618
188,093
1,787
225,753
39,669		 Net Incoming /
(Outgoing) Resources
£
-
3,658
-
1,196
-		 Transfers
£		 Movement On
Investments
£
-
(896)
(11)
(123)
-		 Balance at 31
Aug 2023
£
361,618
190,854
1,776
226,826
39,669
- 816,920 4,853 - (1,030) 820,743
-
-
-		 43,437
2,671
116,529		 1,103
-
1,739		 (270)
-
(426)		 44,270
2,671
117,842
- 162,636 2,843 - (697) 164,782
- 979,556 7,696 - (1,727) 985,525

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[71]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

9. Restricted Funds

RESTRICTED FUNDS
CURIAL
Social Welfare
Clergy Training
Bamenda Fund
Clergy Assistance
Lourdes Fund
Youth Funds
Vicariate Triple Trust
Edmund Rice Fund
School Building Fund
Bernard Medd Fund
Refugee Support
Education Fund
Diocesan Caritas
Closer to Christ
Closer to Christ - Parish
PRIEST'S RETIREMENT FUND
Priest's Retirement Fund
PAROCHIAL
Parish Fund Raising
Barron Trust
Pangbourne Assistance Fund
Foundation Masses
Caritas Jersey Ltd
PRIESTS’ RETIREMENT FUND
Priests’ Returement Fund		 Balance
at 06 Jul
2022
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Transfer from
Predecessor
Entity
£
185,383
922,245
119,517
161,759
191,205
783
63,329
298,039
0
10,644
1,066
149,904
31,937
1,237,783
-		 Incoming
Resources
£
4,206
30
32,604
-
5,603
-
1,612
7,568
278,383
202
-
3,913
45,000
1,231,922
320,020		 Resources
Expended
£
-
(32,545)
(1)
-
(3,984)
-
-
-
(181,358)
-
-
-
(31,794)
(950,634)
(320,020)		 Transfers
£
(97,027)
(885,667)		 Movement
On
Investments
-
-
-
(9,980)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
(1,002)
-
-		 Balance at 31
Aug 2023
£
189,590
889,731
152,120
151,780
192,825
783
64,941
305,606
(2)
10,846
1,066
152,815
45,143
633,403
-
- 3,373,595 1,931,062 (1,520,335) (982,694) (10,982) 2,790,647
6,352,132 (664,040) 300,000 - 5,988,092
- - 6,352,132 (664,040) 300,000 - 5,988,092
-
-
-
-
-		 586,383
428,995
192,571
159,862
81,324		 583,591
-
4,682
68
-		 (367,622)
-
(6,500)
-
-		 -
(2,623)
(1,147)
-
-		 -
802,352
426,373
189,605
159,930
81,324
- 1,449,135 588,341 (374,122) - (3,770) 1,659,584
- 4,822,729 8,871,535 (2,558,496) (682,694) (14,752) 10,438,322

[Curial]

Social Welfare Fund

This is a fund dating from 1952 for the promotion of Social Welfare generally.

Clergy Training Fund

A fund for the training of students to the priesthood, which is the recipient of a specific annual Diocesan collection for this purpose.

Bamenda Fund

A fund to provide assistance to the Diocese of Bamenda in Cameroon, Africa that is the recipient of a specific annual Diocesan collection. There is a Trustees’ committee charged with monitoring and making the appropriate grants.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[72]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Clergy Assistance

This fund provides financial support for clergy in need and is the recipient of a specific annual Diocesan collection.

Lourdes Fund

A fund to support the annual Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes.

Youth Funds

Funds collected specifically for youth purposes including Lourdes Pilgrimages and Summer Schools.

Vicariate Triple Trust

The purpose of the Trust is primarily to assist parishes in providing church furnishings.

Edmund Rice Fund

This donation was received in 2005, primarily for education purposes in Reading and surrounding areas, and the local pastoral area is developing support for appropriate chaplaincies in the area.

School Building Fund

This Fund was established in 2001, to provide a central fund to meet the governors’ liabilities on expenditures in Voluntary Aided schools. The equalisation fund is targeted as half from all parishes on the mainland, whether feeder parishes or not, and the balance being raised by the schools from parental contributions. A transfer from Unrestricted Funds of £203,091 has been made to make up for a shortfall in funds raised.

Bernard Medd Fund

This Fund aims to provide Catechesis and summer schools for Youth.

Refugee Support

This Fund is to support and assist Refugees. Diocesan collections are made annually.

Diocesan Caritas

Caritas Diocese of Portsmouth supports and promotes the love of neighbour in the parishes and schools of the Diocese.

Closer to Christ

This is a Fundraising Campaign being run in each of our 87 parishes aiming to raising £13.5M over five years with a third of the proceeds returning to the parishes and the remainder being split between funding seminarians (23%), current clergy (23%) and our retired priests (20%).

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[73]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Priests’ Retirement Fund (PRF)

For the relief of retired diocesan priests.

Parochial

Parish Fundraising

These are funds that parishes raise for separate funds and charities, and account for as a restricted fund.

Investment Funds: Barron Trust, Pangbourne Assistance Fund

These are mainly legacies left specifically for expenditure within individual parishes or churches.

Foundation Masses

Legacies left for mass intentions of the deceased, are held as separate funds within the parishes.

Caritas Jersey Ltd

Caritas Diocese of Portsmouth supports and promotes the love of neighbour in the parish of Jersey.

10. Designated Funds

CURIAL
Education Fund
Diocesan Caritas
Insurance Risk Fund
Pastoral Development Fund
Living Our Faith Fund
Diocesan Buildings Fund
PAROCHIAL
Living Our Faith Fund
Living Our Faith Jersey
Diocesan Buildings Fund
Other Parochial Funds		 Balance at
06 Jul
2022
£
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Transfer
from
Predecessor
Entity
£
-
30,379
-
1,125,868
1,790,819
2,872,259		 Incoming
Resources
£
-
58,699
-
-
1,680		 Resources
Expended
-
(47,651)
-
-
(3,301)
(52,868)		 Transfers
£		 Movement
On
Investments
-
-
-
-
(167)		 Balance at
31 Aug 2023
£
-
41,427
-
1,125,868
1,789,031
2,819,391
- 5,819,325 60,379 (103,820) - (167) 5,775,717
-
-
-
-		 955,545
9,577
37,738,202
36,182,201		 79
-
7,041,545		 (13,036)
-
(388,030)
(8,059,785)		 -
-
(884,861)		 942,587
9,577
37,350,172
34,279,100
- 74,885,525 7,041,624 (8,460,851) - (884,861) 72,581,436
- 80,704,850 7,102,003 (8,564,671) - (885,028) 78,357,153

Diocesan Caritas

Caritas Diocese of Portsmouth supports and promotes the love of neighbour in the parishes and schools of the Diocese. Some of its funding is restricted.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[74]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Pastoral Development Fund

This fund has been set up from the proceeds of the sale of a surplus property and will be supplemented from further disposals where there are surplus funds generated, in order to aid parishes with their own developments.

Living Our Faith Fund

A programme was initiated in 2008 to raise funds (i) to provide the Diocese with sufficient funds to support independently the training of students for the priesthood and the continuing care of its ordained clergy in their ministry, to fund adult formation programmes and resources and various capital projects, and (ii) to provide parish funds to meet local needs.

Value of Diocesan Buildings

Fund Funds invested in buildings used by the diocese in furtherance of their charitable objects are not available to spend. The value of these operational fixed assets have been transferred into a designated fund to indicate that they are not expendable financial assets.

11. Allocation of Net Assests

ALLOCATION OF NET
ASSETS		 Fixed Assets
Investments
Cash &
Debtors
Current &
Long Term
Liabilities
Parish Loan
Accounts
Total - 31 Aug
23
£
£
£
£
£
£
-
106,143
54,897
-
3,742
164,782
508,271
191,525
68,229
-
52,719
820,743
-
5,902,089
152,926
1,543,761
(515,783)
1,695,746
8,778,739
-
734,244
904,414
-
20,926
1,659,584
-
2,832,785
3,464,565
4,709,473
(5,582,719)
(3,601,114)
1,822,989
38,059,406
23,263,965
9,927,786
(497,702)
1,827,981
72,581,436

12. Transactions with Trustees

Certain of the Trustees are also Priests within the Diocese. As Priests they receive income from their office together with living accommodation, living expenses and reimbursement of costs incurred on behalf of their parish on the same basis as other priests within the Diocese. No Trustees receive any remuneration or benefits from their trusteeships. No Trustees were paid for providing professional services to the Diocese. Total donations received from Trustees were £7,933.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[75]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

13. Connected Charity

The property of the following connected charity was transferred into and placed under the Trusteeship of the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth following the Charity Commission’s Order of 16 March 2023:

Charity Charity Number Address
Priests’ Retirement Fund 1061194 St Edmund House
Bishop Crispian Way
Portsmouth PO1 3QA

14. Trading Subsidiaries

During the period the Diocese had wholly owned active subsidiary companies incorporated in England and Wales. They were as follows: -

The Portsmouth Diocesan Trading Co Limited

General commercial trading on behalf of the Diocese. (Company Number: 2746549)

Catholic Resource Centre Limited

Sale of religious material. (Company Number: 3141601)

Our Lady of Peace Catholic Club Limited

Management of licensed premises on behalf of Our Lady of Peace, Earley. (Company Number: 3340552)

The subsidiaries are not consolidated within the financial statement due to immateriality.

Portsmouth Roman Catholic Diocesan Trust Company Limited (Company Number: 9003096) acts as Member of Caritas Jersey Limited, a Jersey registered charitable company, whose results and assets and liabilities are reported within the financial statements. This subsidiary was dormant through the period.

Portsmouth Roman Catholic Diocesan Properties Limited (Company Number: 9611450) was incorporated on 28th May 2015 and ownership of the Diocese’s freehold properties in Jersey was transferred to it from The Portsmouth Diocesan Trust during the year in order better to comply with Jersey property law. On 20th January 2023, the assets of this trading subsidiary passed to the successor entity, Catholic Diocese Portsmouth and Portsmouth Roman Catholic Diocesan Properties Limited has subsequently been dissolved.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[76]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

14. Trading Subsidiaries (continued)

Consolidated Proft and Loss Account 31 August
For the Year Ended 31 August 2023 2023
£
TURNOVER 151,244
Cost of sales (54,327)
-------------------
GROSS PROFIT 96,917
Administrative expenses (0)
--------------------
96,917
Amount gifted to the Charity (34,489)
Transfer of Fixed Assets
Tax on proft on ordinary activities -
-------------------
(LOSS)/PROFIT AFTER TAXATION 62,428
Reserves brought forward (56,806)
-------------------
RESERVES CARRIED FORWARD 5,622

Included within turnover are sales to the Diocese amounting to £34,489

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[77]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Consolidated Balance Sheet 31 August
As at 31 August 2023 2023
£
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible assets 50,583
----------------
CURRENT ASSETS
Stocks 9,137
Debtors 70,320
Cash at bank and in hand 45,759
------------------
125,215
CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year (26,676)
------------------
NET CURRENT ASSETS 98,539
CREDITORS: Amounts falling due after one year -
-----------------
NET ASSETS 149,122
========
Share capital 143,500
Reserves 5,622
------------------
SHAREHOLDERS’ FUNDS 149,122
========

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[78]

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PORTSMOUTH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

15. Related Party Transactions

There were no related party transactions during the period.

16. Donation from Predessor Entity

Fixed Assets
Notes
Tangible assets
4
Investments
5
Debtors: due after more than one year
6
Current Assets
Debtors and prepayments
6
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: due within one year
7
Net Current Assets
Creditors: due after more than one year
7
Parish Loan Accounts
Due from parishes
Due to parishes
NET ASSETS
Unrestricted Funds
General Funds
Designated Funds
10
Restricted Funds
9
Permanent Endowment Funds
8
RESERVES		 CURIAL
FUNDS
2,872,259
3,905,773
6,778,032
-
1,554,414
7,436,936
8,991,349
(9,157,867)
(166,517)
-
5,326,850
(7,154,019)
(1,986,516)
4,625,000
(4,730,556)
5,819,325
1,088,769
3,373,596
162,636
4,625,001		 PARISH
FUNDS
37,738,202
27,639,935
65,378,137
-
(74,146)
9,461,893
9,387,747
(252,802)
9,134,944
-
(5,326,850)
7,154,019
1,986,516
76,499,598
-
74,233,542
74,233,542
1,449,135
816,919
76,499,596		 22-Dec-22
40,610,461
31,545,708
72,156,169
-
1,480,267
16,898,828
18,379,096
(9,410,669)
8,968,427
-
-
-
-
81,124,597
(4,730,556)
80,052,867
75,322,311
4,822,731
979,555
81,124,597		 31-Aug-22
41,058,848
37,912,134
78,970,983
28,809
1,256,217
10,787,078
12,043,295
(6,652,044)
5,391,251
(3,546,311)
-
-
-
80,844,732
(4,892,151)
80,243,523
75,351,372
4,503,159
990,200
80,844,732

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[79]

Thank you & Acknowledgements

Many of the stories of supporting the wider community and furthering our mission contained within this Report would not have been possible without the kindness and generosity of our volunteers, parishioners, individual donors, Trusts and other supporters.

Sadly, we can’t thank everyone individually here, but we are indebted to each and every one of those who played their part.

Leave a Gift in your Will

Every time someone leaves a gift in their Will to the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth, they are entrusting us to ensure that it makes a positive difference to our clergy, church communities and to our overarching mission to bring people closer to Christ through his Church. Every gift, no matter what size, has a lasting impact. We are truly indebted to all those who choose to support us in this way.

If you would like to support the Church with a gift in your Will, it won’t cost you a penny in your lifetime, but will have an enduring impact for generations to come. Once you have considered your loved ones, you may choose to leave a legacy to a specific cause, Pastoral Area or parish in the Diocese; or, as good stewards, we will apply any gift given for the Diocese’s general charitable purposes where there is the greatest need. Making provision for the Diocese isn’t costly or complicated.

To start a conversation, please get in touch with at fundraising@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

Keep in Touch

Bishop Philip invites you to sign up for his free weekly e-newsletter for all the latest news and forthcoming events www.portsmouthdiocese.org.uk/enews

Website: www.portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

@PortsmouthRC @catholicportsmouth Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth

Many of the images in this publication are used with the kind permission of Ana Dobeson. Icons used throughout this publication are from Flaticon.com

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[80]

LEAVE YOUR MARK

Do something amazing today by supporting your family, friends & faith with a Gift in your Will. Scan the QR code with your Smart Phone to get started on making your FREE Will or call 0800 773 4014 quoting CDPFREE

*This service is regulated by the Financial Services Authority. All options are conducted and completed by regulated Will-writers and STEP-certified lawyers.

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[81] © Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth 2024 | Registration number: England Registered Charity No. 1199568 �ersey Registered Charity No. 457 and �uernsey Registered Charity No.CH263

Catholic Diocese of PortsmouthAnnual Report 2023[82]