## **Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth ANNUAL REPORT 2024 - 2025 Financial Year** _Bringing people closer to Jesus Christ through His Church_ ## **Prayer of St Edmund of Abingdon** Patron Saint 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 lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. ## **Amen** 2 ## **Contents** |**About our Diocese of Portsmouth**
**4**
Our Diocese on the Map
5
From the Bishop
6
From the Chief Operating Ofcer
11
**A Christ Centred Church**
**15**
A Year of Hope
16
Our New Pope
18
The Whole World Came to Rome
20
Evangelisation Update
23
Supporting our Retired Priests
25
Our Cathedral 150 Project
26
An Exciting Future for Christ the King,
Windsor and Ascot
28
**Missionary Communities**
**29**
Linking Faith to Action
30
Vocations Update
32
Life as a Seminarian
34
A Unique Opportunity for Encountering
Christ
35
Catholic Education in Numbers
37
Safeguarding: A Responsibility for Us All
38
Working with Fellow Christians
41|**Prudent Stewardship**
**43**| |---|---| ||Update from the Closer to Christ Campaign
44
Supporting our Plans for the Future
45
The Road to Full Academisation
46
Keeping our Schools Safe and Welcoming
47
Update on Religious Life Arrangements
49
Our Finances at a Glance
50
**2024 - 2025 in the Channel Islands**
56| ||**Trustee Report & Annual Accounts**
**for the 2024 -2025 Financial Year**
**68**| ||Structure, Governance and Management
69
Risk Statement
73
Investments
74
Reserves
75
Independent Auditors’ Report
76
Statement of Financial Activities
79
Balance Sheet
80
Statement of Cash Flows
81
Statement of Accounting Policies
83
Notes to the Accounts
86| ## **About our Diocese of Portsmouth** _Our Diocese is spread across five counties on England’s South Coast, and the Channel Islands. We are the local Catholic church for the whole of Hampshire, Berkshire, the Isle of Wight, Jersey, 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| ||Bishop of Portsmouth, Rt Rev Philip Anthony Egan| ||Rev Gaston Forbah Afah| ||Mrs Anne-Marie Eden| ||Mr Michael Elks| ||Rev Christopher Heaps
Mr Paul Kilduf| |**Charity Trustees**|Dr Catherine Knowles| ||Rev Canon James McAuley| ||Rev Canon Paul James Smith| ||Mr Richard Taylor_(appointed 04 October 2024)_| ||Rev Benjamin Theobald| ||Rev Canon Simon Thomson_(term ended 11 December 2025)_| ||Mr Chris Trickey| ||Mrs Heather Hauschild, Chief Operating Ofcer| |**Senior Ofcers**|Mr Clive Field, Director of Finance_(employment ended 29 August 2025)_
Mrs Melanie Tourres, Director of Finance_(appointed 18 December 2025)_| ||Rev Dr Anthony Darlison, Secretary to Trustees| |**Registered Ofce**|St Edmund House, Bishop Crispian Way, Portsmouth, PO1 3QA| |**Auditors**|HaysMac 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 Managers**|Evelyn Partners, 45 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7BG| |**Principal Insurers**|Catholic Insurance Services Suite 5, Oxford House, Oxford Road,
Thame, OX9 2AH| |**Financial Year**|01 September 2024 – 31 August 2025| 4 Our Diocese on the Map OXFORDSHI THÈ HOIY FAMILY mA1[￿NHEAD & TWYFORD NEWBURY SOUT BERKSHIRE NORTHIASI 14AMP5HIRE BASINGSTOKE NDOV£R 5T PETER & THE WNCHESTER MARTYRS SOUTH D()WNS ST SWTHUNWELQ. UUÈ? LADY STAV 01 THE SEA 5QXIIAMPlnN RINCE OF P Ikl EA HIMPSHI NEW FC*ESI SOLENI EMWIH HOLY SPIRITISLE 0FW￿HT GUERNSEY JE ## **From the Bishop** ## “ _**Always [be] prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect** ”_ 1 Pet 3:15 **2025 has been a year of Jubilee! In the Old Testament, the Jubilee Year was a time of renewal, freedom and celebration. Jesus makes it clear that his mission is to bring the justice and freedom of the Jubilee, and we are called to share in His mission (cf. Lk 4: 16-22)!** Jubilee Years only occur every 25 years and the theme for Jubilee Year 2025 was ‘Pilgrims of Hope’; a year of hope for a world suffering the impacts of war, the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a climate crisis. Launching this remarkable ‘Year of Hope’, Pope Francis saw the Jubilee Year as an opportunity to restore hope and a time of renewal and rebirth. Hope, renewal and rebirth are of course central to the main objectives of our 10-Year Mission Plan _You Will be My Witnesses_ : to be a Christcentred Church that reaches out to all those around us in mission and service. As missionary communities, we welcome all, support others wherever they are on their pilgrim journey, laying the foundations of a vibrant Diocese for future generations. _You Will be My Witnesses_ is a plan for the renewal of every aspect of our Christian lives and an invitation to join in a renewed missionary effort to bring the Gospel to everyone around us, especially the poor and needy. This is why, over this past year, I have continued to ask everyone to adopt The Six Holy Habits: prayer every day, Mass on Sundays, monthly Confession, fortnightly visits to the Blessed Sacrament, Friday as a day of charity and penance, and joining a small group. While there have been many things to celebrate during this Jubilee Year, it is natural that there have been sad occasions too. In the death of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Church and the world lost a man who worked so hard to ‘humanise’ the papacy, calling us all back to what is truly important in life: the love of God, the service of people, especially the poor and needy, and the care of creation. Throughout his pontificate, as much as any Pope before him, if not more, Francis spoke out against the injustices of our time, calling for an end to the war in Ukraine and for the rehabilitation of migrants and refugees. We gave thanks to God for this great man and for his contribution to the Church and to society. At the same time, we celebrated the election of Pope Leo XIV as a worthy successor and as our new Holy Father. Young people are the key to the future and 2025 has seen a great focus on youth in our Diocese. It is a particular joy for me to visit our schools and this year I have had the pleasure of visiting 12 of them across the Diocese, from Berkshire to the Isle of Wight, as part of my annual school visits programme. It is so inspiring to see the prayerful engagement of these young people, supported of course by their teachers and families. This commitment to education reflects the Church’s 6 recognition of the vital role schools play in forming young people in the faith, preparing them for both life and eternity. The vision for Catholic education in the Diocese is driven by the mission of ‘ _**bringing people closer to Jesus Christ through His Church.**_ ’ This is why, this year, our Diocesan Trustees reiterated their intention for all Catholic maintained schools within the Diocese to become academies, in a rolling programme to be completed by 2029/30. In the summer, I was delighted to join our Diocesan Jubilee of Youth pilgrimage to Rome, leading 35 ‘ _**pilgrims of hope**_ ’ to meet the Pope. During a wonderful stay, we visited the four major basilicas in Rome, as well as the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. We also covered some of the sights of Rome, beginning with a pilgrimage to Santa Maria sopra Minerva to pray at the casket of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, whose body had been brought to Rome for the veneration of the youth. Thousands of young people from all over the world milled around and there were special talks in the church throughout the day on Frassati, his life and example. Our young people – and all of us - had an inspiring time. Later in the year I returned to Rome for an amazing weekend when, on Sunday 7 September at Mass in St. Peter’s Square, the Holy Father, Pope Leo, canonised two new saints for the Church: St. Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Carlo Acutis. A huge crowd was present, with 300 cardinals and bishops, 2,000 priests and an estimated 80,000 people. It was a moment of real joy, enhanced by the warm Roman sunshine. Our annual pilgrimage to Lourdes in this Jubilee summer provided many happy highlights, one of which was on Day Two, when I was invited to vest and walk behind the image of Our Lady in an unforgettable Torchlight Procession. On Day Three I lit the Pilgrimage Candle and presented prayers to Our Lady at the Grotto on behalf of the Diocese. All 50 of our pilgrims of hope had a wonderful and inspiring visit. Jesus prayed for the unity of all Christians ‘ut unum sint .. that they may be one’ (Jn 17: 21) During the summer I joined Bishop Jonathan Frost, the Church of England Bishop of Portsmouth, in leading an ecumenical youth pilgrimage to Taizé in Burgundy. Around 40 young people joined the trip, mostly from **7** Christ the King College on the Isle of Wight. The Taizé Community is an ecumenical monastic community and it has become an international centre of Christian youth pilgrimage, with over 100,000 young people a year visiting. The days were centred on prayer in common (using the famous Taizé chants), Bible study, communal work and shared reflection. Closer to home, July saw our 11 seminarians at Bishop’s House for their annual summer gathering, Mass and lunch. In the evening we welcomed some young ‘seekers’ - men who are discerning a vocation to the sacred priesthood - for a BBQ. We must keep all our seminarians and those charged with their formation in our prayers, for they are the future shepherds of our faith. In July in St John’s Cathedral, we celebrated the ordination of Fr. Ryan Browne to the priesthood, and Emmanuel Chituh and Richard Martin to the diaconate for service in the Diocese of Portsmouth. What a great privilege it is to know that God has called them and that they have heard and responded to His call. The Diocese of Portsmouth covers 2,500 square miles, so there are always challenges for the Bishop to connect and engage with the clergy, religious and faithful throughout the mainland and the islands. I was therefore delighted to make several parish visitations during the year, from Bournemouth in the west to Oxfordshire and west Berkshire in the north and south to Jersey and the Isle of Wight as well as Portsmouth, Reading, Basingstoke and Southampton. These provided an excellent opportunity to see the progress we are making towards our 10-year Mission Plan. This vital ongoing work is producing changes, such as the merger of the Ascot and Windsor parishes and the Maidenhead and Twyford parishes, while after comments and recommendations from the clergy and parishes concerned, I amalgamated the three pastoral areas of Bournemouth East, Bournemouth South and Bournemouth West into a new combined area called the Bournemouth-Christchurch Pastoral Area. We also amalgamated the two pastoral areas of Southampton into one. I am sure these changes will assist the mission across their areas. I am also delighted to report that my weekly e-News, the digital round-up of stories, teachings and events from across the Diocese, reached its 500th edition! Many thanks to all who contribute to it, and especially to Deacon Craig Aburn, Bishop’s Executive Assistant, who assiduously puts each edition together. During the year I was delighted to appoint Fr Michael Fava, the parish priest of St. Joseph’s Newbury, as the new Episcopal Vicar for Religious. The Episcopal Vicar for Religious acts on behalf of the Bishop in matters relating to the institutes, members and persons of religious and consecrated life in the Diocese. I also wish to pay thanks to Canon Mark Hogan, Parish of St Peter and the Winchester Martyrs, for his sterling contribution as a member of the Board of Trustees, and we welcome Fr Gaston Afah, Parish Priest of English Martyrs in Reading, to the Board in his stead. This summer, as the Roman Catholic and Church of England Bishops of Portsmouth, Bishop Jonathan Frost and I emphasised the role of church leaders in supporting and speaking out for the less fortunate after events in our city that involved the intimidation, blaming and scapegoating of asylum seekers and refugees. Immigration is a complex matter and we understand the real concerns and fears about immigration. Yet every refugee or asylum seeker is a person with a name 8 and a story to tell and we must remember they have often fled from truly desperate situations. We remember Jesus’s words _**‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me’**_ (Mt 25: 35) and how He identified Himself with the poor and needy such that in caring for them, we are really caring for Him. The light of faith prompts Christians to support asylum seekers and refugees, as well as the homeless, the poorest and the oldest in our communities. That compassionate approach is rooted in a regard for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. This principle is the bedrock of our shared faith. During the year, the House of Commons voted in favour of two matters that fundamentally change our society’s long held values and relationships on matters of life and death. One vote supports making it legal for a mother to abort her baby up to the moment of birth. The other seeks to legalises suicide and to offer assistance with suicide to those who are terminally ill. These are truly bad moves. Assisted suicide will put pressure on the elderly and the dying, making them feel they are a burden. Assisted suicide will also undermine palliative care and the role of care homes, as well as the trust that should exist between patients and doctors. More, the range of eligibility is bound to expand over time so that death by suicide will become entirely normal. Even if not unexpected, these votes pose a grave danger. Britain is crossing a line from which there will be no return. Yet even so, all those of good will must continue the fight and the argument. As the bill in Parliament goes through its lengthy committee stages, we now need to pray earnestly, and to work tirelessly, to contain its range and its reach, to ensure that people of conscience are not forced into participation. On a happier note, I was pleased to welcome Archbishop Andrew Nkea from our sister Diocese of Bamenda, Cameroon. It was a delight to see him and he told me about a number of projects in Bamenda, including the renovation of the cathedral, which is now almost complete, and the opening of a new Catholic university in Bamenda, next door to the cathedral. The Archdiocese of Bamenda celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024 and we also had the opportunity to welcome the British High Commissioner to the Republic of Cameroon, Mr Matt Woods, to the Diocese to recognise the link between the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth and the Archdiocese of Bamenda. Caritas Portsmouth is the social action and environmental action team within the Diocese, helping people in parishes and schools use their gifts and charisms to support their local communities through project initiation and development, sharing the love and mercy of God with the wider world. During the year, Caritas put together a new resource for parishes initiating new social action projects. The guide contains information on health and safety, fundraising, governance, volunteer recruitment, marketing, communications and measuring impact - everything they need to get a project off the ground. I was pleased to bestow the Diocesan Medal on Jo Lewry in recognition of her many years’ 9 service to CAFOD in the Diocese, before her well-earned retirement. Jo has been Community Participation Coordinator for CAFOD (the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) for Portsmouth Diocese for ten years and the model recognised her wonderful work in the Diocese in raising the funds needed to support communities overseas who are suffering because of droughts, floods and wars. ## _**“ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever. And the bread that I will give for**_ **”** _**the life of the world is my flesh**_ (Jn 6: 51) In conclusion, as we reflect upon this wonderful Jubilee year, let us thank God for the blessings He has given us. Let us ask Him for the strength to overcome our challenges. Through the intercession of mary Immaculate, St. Edmund of Abingdon and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, let us pray for the courage and determination to embrace the present and eagerly to anticipate the future. In corde Iesu, Rt. Rev. Philip A Egan BA, STL, PhD ## **Bishop of Portsmouth** 10 ## **From the Chief Operating Officer** **This year has been one of steady progress across the Diocese as we continued to implement the Ten-Year Mission Plan. Many of the highlights are described elsewhere in this report.** Fifteen Pastoral Area meetings were held, with the Bishop, local clergy and lay leaders, each providing time for honest discussion, sharing what has gone well and some of the challenges. Several merger proposals have now progressed to decision-making stages. Support has been given for consultations about a small number of church closures which have been conducted in line with Canon Law and civil requirements. We also supported the role of Pastoral Area Co-ordinators with ongoing formation for their challenging leadership positions. Our charitable partnerships have continued to bear fruit. Caritas has developed some guides to help parishes respond to local need more confidently. Some joint work has taken place to explore how we might work more effectively with other Catholic charities including St Vincent de Paul, the Medaille Trust, the Apostleship of the Sea, and others. The Bamenda Partnership continues to flourish with grants awarded to fund a number of projects that support the Archdiocese’s plans to develop infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals, and employment. Regular reports describe the very real impact of our fundraising and partnership working. The academisation of our schools is progressing, with significant progress being made particularly in the north of the Diocese with the Mother Teresa Academy Trust. A survey of our schools to find out their views on the support and interaction with the Diocese’s Catholic Schools and Academies Office (CASO) was conducted in the summer and showed much appreciation for the support provided. It also revealed that there was more to do on the journey towards full academisation of schools. We said goodbye to Clive Field, our Director of Finance, who retired in August, and we welcomed Melanie Tourres as the new postholder at the end of the calendar year. Within administration, our people, structure and culture have been central themes this year. HR policy development has modernised key areas of practice; the IT function has been stabilised through outsourcing to PSD. The WorkNest Health and Safety arrangements to support parishes in keeping people safe are fully in place and supported by our Estates Compliance Officer. Parish support visits were restarted this year with a focus on GDPR, volunteer arrangements, HR and safeguarding, ensuring that clergy and parish teams receive practical guidance through discussion and sharing of best practice. A major review of Religious Life groups operating in the Diocese has progressed, clarifying civil and canonical responsibilities in several communities. Extensive policy development and updating has been completed for Estates, Finance, Clergy, HR, Data Protection, and Volunteering, giving staff and parishes a far more reliable framework to operate within. 11 The Estates Team has been restructured to increase capacity, particularly around quinquennial work, rental income management (£1.3m per annum), and property sales (current receipts of £2.7m). This is already improving oversight, opportunity for reinvestment and long-term planning. Financial stability remains a challenge, especially where parish resources are stretched, but the Closer to Christ campaign has made a meaningful difference. The Finance Team has supported more robust budgeting processes and secured better returns through interest-bearing accounts. A change in our investment management company for our investment portfolio has yielded a much-improved return for our longterm investments. Contactless giving and our parish Stewardship Programme enable parishes to maintain income and, in some cases, improve it, to meet ongoing needs. Safeguarding work has been strengthened through strong progress on the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) audit. Seventy percent of the recommendations are now complete, and an internal audit of casework has been undertaken by the Safeguarding Committee as part of our commitment to continuous improvement. The new DBS processing system is now operational and functioning well, ably supported by our dedicated administrators who have ensured an efficient streamlined approach. In communications, the Diocesan website has been refreshed to improve access to information and resources, and plans are in progress to improve our internal intranet, which is crucial to providing information in a timely and accessible way to parishes. This year we have set foundations for the implementation of new systems to help us manage the operational work of the Diocese more effectively. We have procured ChurchSuite as a replacement of the parish administration system (PAMIS). ChurchSuite will enable us to manage Gift Aid as well as general parish records and communications. We have also procured an HR system to manage the records, recruitment and ongoing relationship and management of our 200+ employees, whose dedication to the Diocese and parish life enables so much of our Catholic life and Mission. These achievements sit alongside ongoing challenges: financial pressures in parishes, the complexity of estate decisions, and the need to sustain momentum with our Mission Plan. **Even so, the Diocese ends the year more stable, better organised, and more confident in its mission.** 12 ## **Objectives for 2025/2026** **The coming year will focus on consolidating the progress already made and completing the major systems, governance, and pastoral projects that will strengthen the Diocese for the long term.** The Mission Plan will continue to guide all our work. Further Pastoral Area engagement, parish restructuring where necessary, and support for local leadership will be sustained so that the Plan remains rooted in reality and capable of being delivered. We will continue to work with the Vicar for Clergy to deliver our part in the formation programme for clergy. Training planned for this year includes HR responsibilities and management of property, Data Protection and Health and Safety. A major area of work will be the implementation of new systems scheduled to go live in 2026. The replacement of PAMIS and GACS with ChurchSuite will modernise our Gift Aid and parish administration processes, reduce manual work, and help secure this vital income stream. Alongside this, the new HR system will bring overdue coherence to employee data, recruitment, performance management, and reporting. The Intranet replacement will finally move us away from the limited SharePoint environment, providing a more intuitive, reliable platform for communication, resources, and policy management across the Diocese. Our technology objectives also include the full rollout of Windows 11 across parishes and Diocesan offices, and full sign up to the diocesan supported systems. This is essential for cybersecurity, which is after all about keeping our information and operational capability safe and compliant with legislation and best practice. It will also allow us to standardise equipment and improve remote support. Strengthening parish life remains central. The Parish Stewardship Programme will continue to be expanded, supporting parishes to reflect honestly on their mission, resources, and sustainability. Training and development, both for clergy and lay staff, will be increased to ensure that people 13 As Saint Paul reminds us: have the skills needed to operate confidently within new systems and ensure compliance with current legislation. Estate management will remain a priority with the procurement of the next cycle of Quinquennial Inspections (322 buildings) and the potential establishment of a minor works framework to give parishes quicker access to reliable contractors to help address an expected circa £30m of repair work. Health and Safety inspections and the over 6,000 resulting actions require us to focus on fire safety, Asbestos management and water hygiene inspections particularly this coming year. Turning to Finance, the internal audit plan will be refreshed and expanded, ensuring we continue to support parishes and strengthen financial controls. This will complement the current parish support visits. We will also act on the findings of the Employee Survey undertaken in November 2025, with a particular focus on improving communication, consistency, and organisational culture. The survey highlighted that some members of staff experience difficult interactions with volunteers and parishioners. While disagreement and challenge are sometimes unavoidable, all who serve the Church, whether as employees, clergy, volunteers, or parishioners, are expected to treat one another with courtesy, patience, and respect. Kindness and cooperation within the Diocesan family are not optional; they are an expression of our shared Christian witness. ## “ _Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave_ ## _you_ (Ephesians 4:32)” We will continue to support our staff in their roles and to promote a culture in which concerns can be raised constructively, differences addressed respectfully, and everyone is able to carry out their work in an environment marked by dignity and mutual respect. Taken together, these objectives represent a disciplined, forward-looking programme of work. They continue the modernisation of the Diocese already begun while keeping the mission of the Church at the heart of every decision. I am deeply grateful for the dedication and hard work of our teams, both in the central offices and in our parishes. Day in and day out, they serve faithfully, meeting the many commitments that allow the Diocese to function well, keep people safe, and steward our resources responsibly, all in service of the Church’s mission. **Please keep us in your prayers as we each play our part in God’s plan for our Diocese.** 14 r_) A Christ Centred Church ## **A Year of Hope** **Jubilee Years only occur every 25 years and the theme for Jubilee Year 2025 was ‘Pilgrims of Hope’: a year of hope for a world suffering the impacts of war, the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a climate crisis. Launching this remarkable ‘Year of Hope’, Pope Francis saw the Jubilee Year as an opportunity to restore hope and a time of renewal and rebirth.** Young people are the key to the future and 2025 has seen a great focus on youth in our Diocese ## **Diocesan Youth pilgrimage to Rome** Bishop Philip joined our Diocese’s World Youth Day pilgrimage to Rome, leading 35 ‘pilgrims of hope’ to celebrate the Youth Jubilee. They visited the four major basilicas in Rome, as well as the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. They also covered some of the sights of Rome, beginning with a pilgrimage to Santa Maria sopra Minerva to pray at the casket of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, whose body had been brought to Rome for the veneration of the youth. ## **Flame 2025** Bishop Philip joined about 300 youngsters from our Diocese at Flame 2025 in Wembley Arena. The theme for 2025 was ‘Unstoppable: Fan the flame of hope.’ It was a sell-out event with nearly 11,000 young people from every part of England and Wales, as well as a group from Gibraltar and the Ukrainian national Chaplaincy, together with chaplains, teachers, priests, bishops, and youth leaders. Inspirational speakers included adventurer and television presenter Bear Grylls, who spoke about his book The Greatest Story Ever Told based on the Gospel. Every attendee 16 took away a free copy. Flame 2025 concluded with a moving moment of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, led by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, capping a day of spiritual renewal, encouraging everyone to return to their parishes and schools as ambassadors of hope. ## **Schools Mass** On a blazingly hot day in June, pupils and teachers from across the Diocesan community of schools from all corners of the Diocese – including, through live streaming, our schools in the Channel Islands – gathered with Bishop Philip in a packed St John’s Cathedral to give thanks for God’s grace on our schools and ask His blessing on those in need. The focus was ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, which St John’s Cathedral Primary School reflected on during a dance to introduce the Mass. As St Mary’s School, Ascot, led the congregation in singing the opening hymn, schools processed forward with their pledges to ensure a lasting legacy of the Holy Year. Following the uplifting Mass, the celebrations continued across the road in Victoria Park with picnics and, in the heat of a very hot day, a very welcome ice lolly from Bishop Philip. ## _“_ _Always [be] prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. ”_ 1 Pet. 3:15 17 ## **Our New Pope** **In the death of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Church and the world lost a man who worked so hard to ‘humanise’ the papacy, calling us all back to what is truly important in life: the love of God, the service of people, especially the poor and needy, and the care of creation. We gave thanks to God for this great man and for his contribution to the Church and to society. At the same time, we celebrated the election of Pope Leo XIV as a worthy successor and as our new Holy Father.** **Canon John Cooke, Parish Priest at Sacred Heart Fareham and Diocesan Vocations Promotor, was in Rome for a planned Easter break and shares something of the atmosphere following the death of Pope Francis.** “ I flew to Rome on Easter Monday (21 April) for a short post-Easter break, coming back on Friday 25 April ready for Divine Mercy Sunday in the Parish. Before I left for the airport on Monday, the news of the death of Pope Francis broke and it was quite surreal to think that Rome would be in mourning as I arrived. By the time I got to Heathrow, the BA flight was absolutely full and jammed with TV reporters scrambling for an overhead locker with all their cameras and kit! The poor staff had a job to get all the luggage on the plane: I overheard one steward say ‘Sorry, I don’t care! We have BBC, ITV, CBC, CNN, ABC and Sky on this flight’ as he struggled with the refusal to check in an expensive camera from one Canon John Cooke **Diocesan Vocations Promoter and Parish Priest, Sacred Heart Fareham** of the TV crews. Indeed, on arrival in Rome, even the airport screens in Fiumicino had icons of Pope Francis with ‘Thank you Papa’ and the place was heaving. On Tuesday morning, I managed to do three of the Holy Doors – the Lateran Basilica, St Paul outside the walls, and St Maria Maggiore. And go to confession of course - the Dominican Priest at ‘Mary Major’ was very gentle with me! Luckily, there were no queues there, although the mood in Rome was notably sombre and there were icons of Pope Francis in all the churches for the faithful to pay their respects. However, the next day, after it was revealed where the Holy Father would be laid to rest, the queues to visit St Maria Maggiore were round the block. On Wednesday, a planned day trip to Assisi was on the cards to visit the shrines of St Francis, St Clare and of course to venerate Blessed Carlo Acutis, whose canonisation had been stalled with 18 the passing of the Holy Father. I think I was just ahead of the youth pilgrimages so (yet again!) I sailed through and enjoyed a well-paced and very prayerful visit. That evening, on return to Rome, I thought it might be an idea to visit St Peter’s to try to see Pope Francis as he lay in state. However, when I arrived in the square at about 9pm, it was so incredibly busy that I thought I would be queuing for hours if I stayed (in fact, people who did join the queue that evening were waiting for six hours) so I decided to try again the next day. For some reason, I was guided to join the queue into the Basilica from the left hand side, through security and directed across the piazza. I seemed to dodge the large gathering of the crowd that were being held back on the right side of the square. So, as directed, I joined the short queue that was being ushered incredibly well by the Italian staff and volunteers. The atmosphere in the Basilica the next morning was incredibly respectful, prayerful and sombre. It was a such a privilege to bring all my intentions for the parish and the Diocese, and I was particularly praying for vocations for our Diocese. It was very moving to be able to pray before Pope Francis’ coffin for a brief moment; you were not allowed a lot of time, due to the large numbers of visitors, so it was a walking prayer as “ you passed by the late Holy Father. It was such a blessing to have had the opportunity to pay my respects. Of course, this visit also meant a walk through the Fourth Holy Door opened for this Jubilee Year. It was amazing how many people who passed through that door because of the death of Pope Francis might not have done so otherwise. May that have been a sign of hope for our troubled world. **----- Start of picture text -----**
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_**Let us give thanks for this great and generous man and for his outstanding contribution. Let us pray for his well-earned repose. Let us pray that Francis will rise with Christ in joy. And let us commend him to the prayers of Our Lady, the Salus Populi Romani, (‘The Salvation of the Roman People’) to whom he had a great devotion.**_ ” Bishop Philip Egan on the death of Pope Francis 19 Fr Edward Hauschild **Venerable English College** **Fr Edward Hauschild, a priest of our Diocese ordained in 2023, is currently resident at the Venerable English College in Rome, where he is studying Moral Theology at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum). Returning to Rome after Easter, he found himself present at an extraordinary moment in the life of the Church, witnessing first-hand the events surrounding the Conclave and the election of Pope Leo.** “ When I left Rome for an Easter stint as a ship’s chaplain, things were already tense as for some weeks the Holy Father’s health had been failing. He had been hospitalised, various Cardinals took turns leading prayer vigils in Saint Peter’s Square, and the world’s media had become a constant presence. Yet, as we approached Holy Week, the Pope’s health seemed to rally, he returned to his apartments in the Casa Santa Marta, and pronounced the urbi et orbi on Easter Sunday. He was clearly not fully recovered, but seemed perhaps to be on the mend. Then, on Easter Monday, the news broke early in the morning, so suddenly that the television had it live before it was visible anywhere online. The Pope was dead, and the See of Rome vacant. The one-hundredth edition of the Venerabile (Magazine of the English College in Rome) published an article by the Vice-Rector in 1922, describing the death of then-Pope Benedict XV and the period of sede vacante - the hush ## **The Whole World Came to Rome** that fell over the whole city, with the loss of our Father. Arriving back in Rome after the funeral, once the Cardinals had already gathered, I missed the period of hushed mourning. It seemed as if the whole world had descended on Rome. It was a year of Jubilee, and the weekend of the funeral was the weekend originally marked down for the Canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis. Tens of thousands of extra pilgrims had already booked their tickets and poured into the city. More came to say goodbye to the Pope and to witness the election of his successor. With the pilgrims came the media, and enormous scaffolding was erected at the end of the via Conciliazione and on the Piazza san Pietro, to accommodate the television crews. Requests for interviews came flooding in, and the media circus enveloped us intruding even into the gardens and Salotto of the English College as our own Cardinal Nichols gave interviews during the preconclave meetings. The city now buzzed with gossip and excitement; what were the Cardinals saying in the conclave meetings? Who were they supporting? Who was having dinner in whose apartments? I guided one journalist out to lunch to the restaurant La Pollarolla, famously where then-Cardinal Bergoglio had been wined and dined by an English Cardinal, probing out his willingness to take up the cross of the papacy. Some Cardinals were spotted - but if any clandestine dinner meetings had taken place this time, Pollarolla seems not to have been the venue. Names began to emerge Parolin the Secretary of State, Zuppi of Bologna, Erdo of Hungary, or Pizzaballa 20 the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. A whisper, by all conventional wisdom an impossible choice, began to emerge near the end of the preconclave meetings, of an unknown American named Robert Prevost. The first day of the Conclave finally arrived. I managed to procure a ticket for the Mass in St Peter’s Basilica Pro Eligendo Romano Pontefice ‘for the election of the Roman Pontiff.’ After Mass, perched on the edge of the barriers, I watched with awe as the Cardinals processed out to begin their sacred task. I saw the grim determination on the face of Robert Sarah, the serenity of Raymond Burke, and caught a wave and a thumbs up from our own Vincent Nichols. One of these hundred and twenty men would emerge in a few days wearing white, the finger of destiny (or perhaps of the Holy Spirit) already firmly pointing in his direction. Now we waited. The first ballot was delayed. In fact by several hours. Naturally rumours abounded, they had chosen someone outside the Sacred College of Cardinals, they had chosen the one Cardinal who was not a Bishop and were in the process of consecrating him, one of the Cardinals had died and had to be removed from the Sistine chapel, and on and on. Having lived a few years in Rome, my own (it turns out correct) prediction was that the preacher, Cardinal Cantalamessa, famous for his long sermons, had gone over his allocated time. Some hours later the rumours were proved idle speculation; fumo nero, black smoke, there was no Pope. I headed off for a dinner appointment near the Spanish steps with some visitors from England, and together we speculated. The following morning I practically camped out in Piazza san Pietro, positioning myself near the barriers from nine in the morning. It had the feeling of a great carnival, so many people from so many different parts of the world all waiting with baited breath. I saw my friends from the universities, people I’d known in England, priests from home who happened to be on pilgrimage, and a great throng of people who had come from all over the world to see who our new Pope might be. Dressed as a priest, I was apprehended by television and radio crews, from Radio Maria, the BBC, RTE, and others, including one Italian crew from Cardinal Parolin’s home town. The entire world was again turned towards the Sistine Chapel’s makeshift chimney, and its resident seagulls, waiting for a result. Fumo nero. We still did not have a Pope. I rushed home to the college, celebrated a Mass pro eligendo at one of our side altars, and headed out to my afternoon lecture. Our lecturer informed us (perhaps in jest) that he had been told already by some secret source that there would be no white smoke, but encouraged us to go to the square anyway. After class I ran, dropping off my bag in college along the way, to make it back in time. It seemed I would be disappointed. If someone were elected on the fourth ballot, we expected smoke by four. No smoke was forthcoming, and the Roman sun was beginning to become somewhat punishing, so I retreated to the shade of the 21 After what seemed like an eternity, Cardinal Mamberti, the Cardinal Protodeacon appeared on the balcony: annuntio vobis gaudium magnum, habemus papam! The crowd, now more than tripled in size and clogging up the Via Conciliazione, erupted in another great enthusiastic roar (triggering the second warning from my watch: the noise level is dangerously loud). When the name was announced, the impossible became real; sanctae Romanae ecclesiae, Cardinalem Prevost! There was a shocked silence from the Italians around me; Chi? They asked. Who? I answered them, è un Americano! There followed some incredulous cries ‘Americano? No?!’ Then the name was announced, Leonem Decimum Quartum, Leo XIV! An American Pope taking the name of Leo, perhaps after the great champion of Catholic Social teaching, Scholastic Philosophy, and the Holy Rosary, Leo XIII. After another long wait, he appeared on the balcony, himself seeming overwhelmed by the moment, almost close to tears. colonnades by a nearby shop. Just as I leaned against the wall for some welcome respite, there was a mighty roar behind me, as thousands of people began to shout as one. The Basilica’s bells began to ring. Fumo Bianco - white smoke! Though we did not yet know his name, or anything else about him besides, we had a Pope! It was at this moment I began to feel a little overwhelmed, in fact my watch flashed up a notification that my heart rate was dangerously high! I laughed and cried all at the same time (and poured out my feelings to a couple of film crews from the Washington Post!) As I said at the time, the Pope is a Father to the whole Church, and like children with a father we each of us have a great longing to love him and be loved by him in turn. To be present at the handing on of that office, that great ministry of love in service to the whole Church, was an honour and a privilege I was not sure I would ever have. The last time it had happened I was an undergraduate, the time before that I was in primary school, to be a priest living in Rome at the time of this great moment was beyond my wildest expectations. There was an echo of Pope St John Paul II in Pope Leo’s first greeting to us. The saintly Pope’s first words had been non avete paura ‘do not be afraid’ our new Holy Father called out la pace sia con voi ‘peace be with you’. My own reply, a bellowed out e con il tuo spirito ‘and with your spirit’ was from the heart; I hope and pray that whatever trials come the Holy Father’s way, the Lord will grant him the spirit of peace and wisdom. That evening we sang a Te Deum, St Ambrose’s great hymn of praise, in the College Church as a thanksgiving for our new Holy Father, before heading up to the roof for a real celebratory toast in his honour! Many an ad multos annos was sung, as we looked forward to this new Leonine era. **----- Start of picture text -----**
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_**May the Holy Spirit inspire Pope Leo with all the spiritual gifts needed for the work of new evangelisation and grant him the personal health and strength for the challenges ahead. God bless our Pope!**_ ” Bishop Philip Egan on the election of Pope Leo XIV 22 ## **Evangelisation Update** **The Vicariate for Evangelisation is led by Fr Gaston Forbah Afah, Episcopal Vicar for Evangelisation. During 2024-25, the Vicariate has worked with the Bishop to focus on two of the Mission Plan’s three main objectives for the next decade: to be a Christ-centred Church and to be missionary communities.** Here are some highlights. ## **A Christ-centred Church** The Vicariate co-organised with Caritas Portsmouth an online Novena to the Holy Spirit (30 May to 7 June 2025) and a Holy Spirit Day (7 June 2025) in English Martyrs Church, Reading. The Novena had about 15 participants, and Holy Spirit Day has about 100 participants. During the Novena, two talks on the Sacraments of Confession and the Holy Eucharist were presented, with particular emphasis on the impact of Eucharistic Adoration. A highlight of the Holy Spirit Day was also adoration and a procession with the Blessed Sacrament. Participants in the Novena and Holy Spirit Day felt both events had a profound spiritual impact on them and strengthened their relationship with Christ and the Holy Spirit. Also, the Vicariate has been developing an annual plan for enabling seekers to encounter the Lord outside of Mass, particularly through accompaniment and participation in small groups. Though still a work in progress, this is starting to happen in several parishes/ pastoral areas: Southampton, Reading, and Windsor and Ascot, for example, have adopted a Parish Evangelisation Cell System, a method of parish-based evangelisation that operates in small groups that meet weekly or fortnightly in people’s homes. The English Martyrs Vale of White Horse Pastoral Area is creating a diocesan-wide Repository of Evangelisation Resources. “This will also include case studies of parishes that have used evangelisation courses, including strategies, challenges faced and approaches used to resolve them,” explained Fr Gaston Forbah Afah, Episcopal Vicar for Evangelisation and parish priest at English Martyrs, Reading. Some parishes/pastoral areas, including St Peter and the Winchester Martyrs, St Joseph and St Bede in Basingstoke, and Havant, have embedded Alpha courses in their evangelisation strategies. Some pastoral areas, such as Havant, are appointing both part-time paid and volunteer evangelisation coordinators to help them establish their strategies. ## **Missionary communities** More pastoral areas are providing opportunities for lay leaders to meet and share learning, such as days for Catechists, including the resumption of the Annual Diocesan Catechists Day. The Annual Diocesan Pastoral Council took place in March, attracting 33 delegates from 14 pastoral areas and 12 delegates from the diocesan Curia. “Participants found it an enriching experience and many were encouraged and inspired to try new approaches to Evangelisation within their parishes and pastoral areas,” said Fr Gaston. The Schools Link Lead has brought new life into the link with Bamenda, developing an extensive range of material for schools in the Diocese to draw on and is working to reignite individual 23 ## schools’ based partnerships. In 2024-25, parishes generously donated just under £70,000 to the Bamenda Fund, primarily through the annual Bamenda appeal) as well as individual donations, contributions from schools and gift aid receipts. The Committee has been able to support thirteen projects in Bamenda with a value of just under £170,000. There are challenges that remain to be overcome. There is a shortage of catechists in some parishes and pastoral areas; more need to be recruited and trained, while the Diocese’s large geographical area can mean low attendance at in-person events. Some young people drop out after receiving the sacrament of confirmation, with some parents disengaging after the baptism preparation sessions for their children. “ _**There is a lack of proper understanding of the need for Christian unity efforts and of engagement in interfaith dialogue,”**_ said Fr Gaston. _**“Some people do not feel confident in talking about faith, while others lack awareness and commitment to addressing local needs of poor and vulnerable people.**_ ” Nevertheless, Fr Gaston is excited about the plans for the year ahead, which include establishing a Diocesan Formation for Mission Team with experienced catechists and evangelisation volunteers; organisation and support for the Diocesan Pastoral Council by the new Diocesan Synodal Team; a Charity Thanksgiving Mass and a Charity Networking Event; and plans in Jersey to develop a Family Literacy in Prisons’ Project (FLiP) licensed by PACT (Parents and Children Together). It is truly impressive to witness the Vicariate Teams making a sincere effort to achieve their objectives, all of which align with the Ten-Year Mission Plan. The teams are fortunate to have dedicated members who harbour a deep love for the church and are committed to advancing the Bishop’s Vision. We hope that in the months ahead, even more talented individuals will join the teams, helping to further the vital work of the Vicariate. 24 they prepare for a major life transition. ## **Supporting our Retired Priests** **Under Canon Law, the Bishop, and therefore the Diocese, holds a responsibility of care for all priests, whether active or retired. This duty of care is carried out jointly by the Bishop’s Office for Support of Clergy, which provides the practical and pastoral support, and the Priest Retirement Fund (PRF), which provides the associated financial resources. Together, they ensure that retired priests receive appropriate support in accordance with diocesan obligations.** During 2024-25, the Closer to Christ Campaign contributed £300,000 towards supporting our retired clergy. We have 37 priests currently in retirement and expect an additional 24 retirees over the next decade. In 2024-25, three priests retired from active ministry. The Bishop’s Office for Clergy provides support to both retired priests and those approaching retirement, to help them prepare for a smooth and well-supported transition into retirement. Information is provided on retirement timelines, financial matters, and diocesan policies. The team helps clergy in identifying suitable retirement accommodation when required and provides support during the physical and emotional aspects of relocation. They help priests to identify their needs and preferences and offer pastoral and emotional support **37** as **Retired Priests** ## “ _**The move from active ministry into retirement can be challenging**_ ,” explained Mgr John Nelson, Chair of the Committee. “ _**Priesthood is a lifelong vocation, not a role**_ ” _**that ends at retirement.**_ To support this, all retired clergy are encouraged to take part in Diocesan events, including days of prayer and ongoing formation, residential retreats at Douai Abbey, Lent and Advent days of prayer, the Chrism Mass, and the annual Mass for Deceased Clergy. Transportation is arranged for priests with reduced mobility, ensuring they can participate and remain connected to the Diocesan community. When a priest’s needs increase due to frailty or advanced years, the team ensures that appropriate support is in place. This may include assessing levels of care required and helping arrange home help or nursing care, supporting clergy who can no longer live independently and require residential or specialist care and working with the priests, their families, friends and carers to create a personalised care plan. All available state funding is pursued and secured where applicable, which has helped to reduce PRF care support costs. “The PRF and the Bishop’s Office for Support of Clergy have, over the past year, ensured that retired priests have received emotional, practical, financial and housing support appropriate to their needs and the Diocese’s resources,” said Mgr Nelson. “However, the Diocese must continue planning for the growing number of retired priests and the eventual end of Closer to Christ funding to ensure that practical and financial support remains sustainable, allowing priests to live their retirement with dignity and maintain connection to Diocesan life.” **24 Retiring in the next 10 years** 25 ## **Our Cathedral 150 Project** ## “ _**My house will be called a house for all people** ”_ Isaiah 56:7 the roofs, to the high-level masonry and glazing, the underpinning of the subsiding west end, safety improvements including fire and access, renewal of the obsolete heating and electrical systems, and accessibility improvements to the west end. We also have ambitious plans to update the ancillary buildings on the site, especially the former cathedral school which now contains the hall, meeting rooms and shop, as well as to improve access to the Cathedral and other buildings from the carpark. This updating will make the site more fit for the mission of the Church in Portsmouth and the wider Diocese well into the 21st century by becoming even more “ _**a house of welcome for all people.**_ ” **The Rev. Canon James McAuley, Dean of the Cathedral Church of St John the Evangelist, Portsmouth, and Vicar General of the Diocese, shares plans for the restoration and renovation of the Diocese’s Mother Church in time for the 150th anniversary in 2032.** In 2032, the Cathedral Church of St John the Evangelist, Portsmouth, will celebrate its 150th anniversary. Since its opening in 1882, it has been a landmark in the City of Portsmouth and the Mother Church for Catholics in Hampshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire south of the Thames, the Isle of Wight, the Channel Islands and part of Dorset around Bournemouth. Once the structural integrity of the cathedral building has been secured, there are improvements desired to its interior regarding the organ, the artwork and the design of the sanctuary area. All these are intended to enable the Cathedral to become visually and audially even more “ _**a house of beauty for all people**_ .” It is situated in inner city Portsmouth, which has one of the highest IMD (Index of Multiple Deprivation) scores in England. Since the 1880s, the Cathedral has been a beacon of the Light of Christ and a haven to immigrant communities. The current worshipping community comes from more than fifty countries as diverse as Pakistan, Syria, Fiji, Ukraine and Nigeria. To achieve all of this may require up to £10 million. The Cathedral will launch a major appeal for the initial £2.5 million next year. The Cathedral was damaged in January 1941 in the air raid which destroyed many buildings in Portsmouth, including the adjacent Bishop’s House killing six of its occupants. The last major repairs were a quarter of a century ago at the turn of the new millennium. An architectural inspection in late 2023 identified essential repairs, estimated to cost at least £2.5million, to ensure that the Cathedral continues to be “ _**a house of prayer for all people.**_ ” Repairs are required to 26 ## **150 Years of St John’s Cathedral** ## **1882** ## **1880s-now** Cathedral Church of St John the Evangelist, Portsmouth, opens as a landmark church and Mother Church of the Serves inner-city Portsmouth, welcoming immigrant communities and becoming a beacon of faith and refuge. ## **1941** ## **c.2000** Last major programme of repairs carried out at the turn of the millenium. Cathedral damaged during an air raid in WWII; adjacent Bishop’s House destroyed and six of its occupants killed. Diocese. ## **2023** Architectural inspection identifies urgent repairs needed to roofs, masonry, glazing, west end foundations, safety services, and accessibility (estimated £2.5m). ## **2025-26** Major fundraising appeal launches to raise the initial 2.5m for essential repairs. ## **Late 2020s** Planned renovation of ancillary buildings and site access; interior enhancements to organ, artwork, and sanctuary once structure is secure. ## **2032** Cathedral will celebrate its **150th anniversary** renewed as a “house of prayer, beauty and welcome for all people.” 27 ## **An Exciting Future for** ## **Christ the King, Windsor and Ascot** **Renewal and rebirth are central to the main objectives of our Ten-Year Mission Plan: to be a Christ-centred Church, fostering a deep and lasting relationship with Jesus Christ, growing in faith and being confident in evangelising others. The merger of Windsor and Ascot into the single parish of Christ the King, Windsor and Ascot, marked a significant milestone in the journey of these two historic parishes as they grow and develop into a vibrant, Christcentred community.** St Francis of Assisi in Ascot and St Edward in Windsor were both self-contained communities with their own identity and parishioners committed to worship and supporting their local church. “Bringing the two parishes together had clear potential benefits,” explained Mgr David Hopgood, parish priest of Christ the King. “It would allow us to enhance liturgy and music, increase participation and provide faith formation, developing a shared calendar of liturgical events and expand music and liturgy groups.” “ _**The key to ensuring a successful merger was being clear about the goals and benefits and keeping everyone in two original parishes in touch with progress**_ ,” Mgr David Hopgood The merger faced a number of challenges, including reduced support for ministries, administrative issues, and the geographic distance between churches; although the churches are not very far apart, it can take up to 30 minutes to travel between them. A Pastoral Council was set up with representatives from all churches to help shape and support the formation of the new Parish, while a communication plan ensured all parishioners were kept informed of progress. Other key steps included setting up a joint Finance Committee with a single financial strategy, as well as a new website and a combined newsletter. The new merged parish of Christ the King, Catholic Windsor and Ascot, was finally formed in December 2024. It has a clergy group of two priests, and two deacons providing sacramental support and pastoral direction. In addition, a priest from the Priestly Fraternity of the Missionaries of St Charles Borromeo and a sister from the Verbum Dei community are also part of the Pastoral Area. The parish celebrated its’ first year as a joint parish with a new parish magazine sharing information of activities from both communities. “It would also support the creation of a new leadership team to focus on youth engagement and outreach, while reshaping structures, managing resources wisely, and investing for the future.” Open meetings and in-Mass sessions were held to provide opportunities for parishioners and clergy to discuss the potential merger. The relationship between the two parishes was already collaborative and so overall the view of joining together was a positive one. 28 Missionary Communities **Caritas Portsmouth was set up in the Year of Faith in Action as part of the Diocese’s response to the publication of the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (‘The Joy of the Gospel’).** In chapter four, Pope Francis discussed the social dimension of the Church’s mission and particularly the preferential option for the poor. “I want a Church that is poor for the poor” (#198). This requires parishes, schools, small groups, chaplaincies, families and individuals to become missionary communities, looking out into local areas and needs that policies, economics and culture have created. “ _**The Mission of the Church is never insular or self-centred but always seeks to go out to those on the margins and share the Good News with them. By working in unison our communities become both welcoming and truly missionary. This also means recognising, enabling, and celebrating the gifts of a diverse and multicultural community of faith.**_ ” You Will Be My Witnesses ## **Linking Faith to Action** ## **What does poverty look like here?** Our Ten-year Mission Plan, Y _ou Will Be My Witnesses_ , encourages parishes to look beyond themselves and evaluate the needs of the wider community in which they exist. To help, Caritas systematically analysed each pastoral area, collating data on poverty and financial insecurity, homelessness and housing, ageing, loneliness, domestic abuse, migrants and refugees and modern slavery, and has proposed ideas about how parishes might respond to those needs. When determining on social action, Catholic Social Teaching (CST) encourages us to follow the See-Judge-Act pathway. “First, one reviews the concrete situation; secondly, one forms a judgment on it in the light of these same principles; thirdly, one decides what in the circumstances can and should be done to implement these principles.” Pope John XXIII, Mater et Magistra #236. One example of such a project is ‘Breakfast at St Ed’s’ in the parish of St Edmund’s and St Joseph’s in Southampton. Analysis of homeless support in the city revealed that there was a gap in the provision of a hot meal on the first and third Saturday of the month. The parish spent a few months in preparation, linking in with the other homeless services so that it could get to know and benefit from their experience, and developed a plan. The project opened its doors on 6 September 2025. Breakfast at St Ed’s has also benefitted from the Caritas Mustard Seed Fund, a Diocese initiative to 30 support new social outreach projects in parishes that are responding to local needs. Another project set up in Southampton includes ‘Cooking with Confidence’. Supported with funding from the Albert Gubay Foundation as part of a wider Community Hub development project, ‘Cooking with Confidence’ was designed to provide people and their families with healthy and budget friendly food. Participants join to prepare a meal each week and then sit down together to enjoy their combined efforts. After just a few sessions, the project has developed to meet other needs in the community including inclusion and preventing loneliness. ## **Case Study** Caritas ran a joint initiative with CAFOD to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the publication of _Laudato Si_ . This provided an opportunity to learn and share experiences of CAFOD’s LiveSimply award, and to take part in a ‘Let us Dream’ activity, a journey to 2030 that explored ideas of how our parishes could develop to become a beacon of hope within communities, caring both for those in need and our common home. Such events are an ideal way for people across the Diocese to link with others with the same interests and cares, offering support and encouragement. well as parish projects including the Tilehurst and Andover foodbanks, Alton Clothes Bank, Dementia Support, Community hub development, St Peter’s welcome hub and Christians Against Poverty. It was a time to learn, share ideas and form collaborations across the diocese and to spend time with others who share the same passion for social outreach, and love of their neighbour. Looking ahead, Caritas will continue to provide practical support to parishes and schools to initiate or develop social outreach based upon Catholic Social Teaching. It will develop and share resources for formation and prayer, continually linking faith with action. Pope Francis said: ## “ _**Charity is at the heart of the Church, it is the reason for its action, the soul of its mission**_ ” By embedding social and environmental action in the heart of parish life, we will provide opportunities to share the good news, through practical help and service. The first Charity and Volunteer networking day was held in Andover, bringing together the bigger charities operating in the Diocese including CAFOD, SVP and Stella Maris as 31 ## _**come and remain as practising Catholics but should also act an impetus for considering vocational life, particularly to the Priesthood and permanent diaconate.**_ ” ## **Vocations Update** ## **The Vicariate for Vocation works in collaboration with the Bishop to create a culture of vocation in the Diocese.** The Vicariate’s responsibilities include vocational promotion, chaplaincies, vocations to the priesthood, liturgy and music, liturgy formation, called and gifted, pre-discipleship and spirituality. Another busy year for the Vicariate for Vocation saw activity across all the key areas supporting our Ten-Year Mission Plan, including the appointment of a Music Director for the Diocese and continued support for our seminarians, both at the beginning of their formation and upon their return to seminary. One of the main projects for 2024-25 was to appoint a Head of Liturgical Music for St John’s Cathedral and the Diocese. While the role is based at the Cathedral, responsibilities extend to developing programmes for music and liturgies across all pastoral areas and parishes. George Richford, who has extensive experience in liturgical music and has previously worked at Romsey Abbey, took up this post at the start of May. A core purpose of this new role is to make the Cathedral a centre of excellence in music and liturgy, acting as benchmark for parochial practice and providing professional assistance to filter this to parish level. As a first step, the Director is planning the development of the Cathedral choir and establishing the musical and liturgical priorities and needs of all parishes. ## “ _**Experiencing high standards of Catholic liturgy will not only encourage people to**_ Father Benjamin Theobald, Episcopal Vicar for Vocations Formation days for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and Readers were well attended and received by parishioners from across the Diocese. The Liturgy Project website continues to grow, and eye-catching and informative videos about the Mass have been posted on the site. Liturgical Guidelines are being developed for liturgical ministries. The Vocation Promotion Team made a number of popular and well-received parish visits during the year to Farnborough, Shirley, Southampton (including working with their youth group), Yateley and Hartley Witney, Waterlooville, Newbury, Crowthorne, Sandhurst, Lyndhurst, Holbury and Hythe. Other activities included: - [Making short films about ‘A Day in the Life ] of a Priest’ which are now available on the Diocesan and Vocations websites. - [Hosting a meeting for local university ] chaplains to discuss vocational work in chaplaincy. - [Moving the monthly Seeker Meetings to ] Saturdays from 11am - 3pm, which is working well and attracting new members. - [Producing a six-week course guide to assist ] the seminarians who are on placement to lead a discernment group during their pastoral year. - [Holding Vocations Days at St Edmund’s and ] Bishop Challoner Secondary Schools. Support for our seminarians has continued throughout the period, both at the beginning of their formation and upon their return to seminary. Regular visits to the seminaries will also be maintained to ensure continued oversight and accompaniment of seminarians. The Called and Gifted Team has delivered three in person teaching days, supported five other online teaching sessions, conducted over 140 individual discernment meetings and facilitated several small discernment groups. The Team also 32 assisted the Catherine of Siena Institute with an online training course, organised workshops on two charisms, presented an online information evening and developed the content for a C&G Reunion day. Highlights for the Pre-Discipleship team over the past year include a number of Retreats for youth leaders, intercessory prayer as well as ‘Keys to Accompaniment’ courses. The Team is developing both skills and knowledge as well as delivering training. The landscape of accompaniment is broad and developing, and perceptions depend on the experience of the laity and clergy. The Diaconate Department hosted ‘Come and See’ sessions for individuals discerning their vocation in May. There are eight candidates in formation, two of whom are in the Propaedeutic year. The Spirituality Team was represented at the Rite of Election at the Cathedral to showcase what the team can offer to parishes and individuals. This included a display of copies of ‘Spirituality News’, which is published three times and year and is published on the Diocesan website, Bishop Philip’s e-News and direct mailing and includes information about a range of available retreats and spiritual resources. Father Benjamin added: “In the year ahead, the Vocations Vicariate will continue to develop and enhance a programme for promoting vocations at parish level. This will include a strong focus on promoting our work through digital media to help us reach the widest possible audience.” 33 **During 2024-25, the Closer to Christ Campaign contributed £350,000 to supporting our seminarians. Jack Ryan is an Assistant Chaplain at the Fisher House Chaplaincy, Cambridge, and is due to be ordained a priest later this year.** “ I am Jack, one of the seminarians for our Diocese of Portsmouth. I undertook my formation for the priesthood at the Venerable English College, Rome, and now serve as one of the Assistant Chaplains to the University of Cambridge, at Fisher House. What has really surprised me is the great variety of work that I have been asked to be involved with. From working for Vatican Media, teaching at a high school and as a prison chaplain during my time in Rome, to placements in the diocese in Fareham, Millbrook, Wokingham, and Winchester, to time in Milan and Paris, and now student chaplaincy in Cambridge. In all of the different situations I ## **Life as a Seminarian** have found myself, I am constantly reminded of the need of God’s grace to be an authentic witness to the Gospel, for we cannot do so on our own. Seminary life is strange, for we are neither just university students, nor are we ordained for pastoral ministry. We are in a time of preparation and formation, which God willing, will lead to ordination. By living in a community within the seminary, the Rector, and his team of formators can assess the suitability and progress of the candidates, before recommending them to the Bishop. Although all the seminaries for England and Wales are located outside of the Diocese of Portsmouth, as seminarians we are always linked to our home Diocese. One day, we will return to minister within the diocese which formed us, and in turn form other disciples, continuing the Lord’s instruction ‘ _**go out to the whole world, proclaim the Good News’**_ (Mark 16:15). ” 34 ## **A Unique Opportunity for Encountering Christ** **Our Catholic schools are key to the vitality and mission of the Diocese. They are places of learning and communities where the seeds of hope are planted and where all are enabled with Christ at the centre to grow spiritually, academically, morally and personally to become twenty first century citizens ready to embrace and transform the world in which they live.** The Jubilee Year entitled ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ has been a real focus for our schools to celebrate not only all they achieve and do for the pupils in their care, but to reflect on the difference that the young people are called to be. The young people in our schools recognise the importance of witnessing to their faith through their actions as well as their prayer. Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School in Boscombe this year became the first school nationally to achieve ‘Innovator’ level in the Oscar Romero award. This was in recognition of their focus on Catholic Social Teaching and the annual conference they run for both denominational and non-denominational schools to share good practice in this field. ‘Drawing new maps of hope’ on the 60th Anniversary of ‘Gravissimum educationis’ said: “ _**Forgetting our common humanity has given rise to divisions and violence; and when the earth suffers, the poor suffer the most. Catholic education cannot be silent: it must combine social justice and environmental justice, promote sobriety and sustainable lifestyles, and form consciences capable of choosing not merely what is convenient, but what is just. Every small gesture – avoiding waste, choosing responsibly, defending the common good constitutes cultural and moral literacy.**_ ” The culmination of schools’ work as Pilgrims of Hope was seen in the pledges presented to Bishop Philip during the Annual Schools Mass at the Cathedral in June. Whilst it is easy for pledges to simply become something that we think about doing rather than doing, that has not been the case for our Catholic schools. St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Primary School in Bracknell had pledged ‘to form courageous advocates for justice and peace’. As part of their curriculum, Year 6 pupils learnt about the crisis in Sudan and the importance of standing in solidarity with communities who are suffering. Inspired by this, the children chose to write heartfelt letters to their local Member of Parliament, Peter Swallow, urging him to raise awareness of the humanitarian emergency and to encourage action. The Oscar Romero Award, a national award under the patronage of Archbishop John Wilson was developed by Oaklands Catholic Secondary School in Waterlooville and this year celebrated its 10th anniversary with a Mass at Southwark Cathedral on the Feast of St. Oscar Romero. It has been adopted by 364 schools across 22 dioceses as a tool to embed Catholic Social Teaching at the heart of school life. Pope Leo XIV in his Apostolic Letter 35 Through the children’s action not only did their MP respond personally to each child, but he also raised their concerns directly with the Prime Minister during question time in Parliament. This extraordinary moment demonstrates the power of pupil voice and the real influence that even young children can have when guided by faith, compassion, and a commitment to global solidarity. Anne Mulholland, the Headteacher at St. Margaret Clitherow Primary School, said: “We are immensely proud of Mrs Ridguard and all the children involved. Their work beautifully embodies the hopes of the Jubilee Year, encouraging our young people to act with courage, empathy, and a deep sense of moral responsibility.” _**“This experience has been a powerful reminder to our whole community that a small act, rooted in faith and hope, can reach far beyond the walls of our school.**_ 36 ## **Catholic Education in Numbers** ## **2024-25** **in our Catholic schools** **28,000** **timetabled hours of prayer** **380** **volunteer school governors** **21,123** **pupils attend our schools** **2,184** **teachers and educators employed** **57,000** **hours of religious education** **68** **Catholic schools** 37 ## **Safeguarding: A Responsibility for Us All** Our Safeguarding Year in Numbers **Our commitment to safeguarding as an integral part of the life and ministry of the Church is ongoing. With Bishop Philip as our shepherd, safeguarding is identified as a responsibility for us all and as a specific leadership priority for our clergy.** Embedding safeguarding as a culture and as the thread that runs through all ministries supports our aim of ensuring all those within our parishes and church communities are safe from harm and abuse. During this reporting period, our Head of Safeguarding and Central Team have continued to work on embedding the recommendations from the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) inspection that took place in March 2024. **1,042 DBS checks** processed to support safe recruitment and ongoing safeguarding across parishes In accordance with our terms as a regulated affiliate of the CSSA, we continue to report on progress on the recommendations and completed our annual self-inspection in July 2025, which received positive comment from the CSSA. Our next routine inspection is scheduled for 2027 and we look forward to working with the CSSA as we continue to enhance our safeguarding functions and services. The Central Administration Team have been busy leading on the safe recruitment of those working in roles with children and/or vulnerable groups. 130 Parish Safeguarding Ministers to support safe practice and local safeguarding leadership Our Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) processing increases year on year and, over the summer period, the team led on the transfer 38 over to Know Your People as the new provider for DBS. The Team also assumed responsibility for DBS checks relating to the Governors and Inspectors as part of our Catholic school oversight and governance. As these roles are appointed by the Bishop for the Diocese, it is right that the Diocesan teams lead on the safe recruitment. **30 New PSMs welcomed** to strengthen parish safeguarding through newly trained Parish Safeguarding Ministers **2,400 Volunteers** approximately working with vulnerable adults or children to support safe ministry It has been a busy year for safeguarding training. In June and September, we held two days for our clergy, focusing specifically on the experiences of victims and survivors. The days were led by ‘Beyond Just Words’ a survivor-led training organisation. In sharing their stories through training, the aim is to improve understanding and insight into the impact of abuse. Over 130 of our clergy attended over the two days and the feedback from both perspectives was extremely positive. In addition to our clergy training, we have continued our commitment to ensuring safeguarding training is delivered in each pastoral area of the Diocese at least once a year. Our safeguarding trainer has led 24 in-person sessions, enabling just under 400 volunteers and lay people to access training local to them. Our Safeguarding Standards mandate that anyone working in a role with children and/or vulnerable groups must undertake safeguarding training at least every three years. Whilst this is the standard, we further encourage anyone with a role in the Diocese to attend one of the in-person sessions or complete training online to ensure there is a baseline level of awareness in relation to safeguarding and to know what to do if there are concerns. We continue to make good use of the Learning Management System (LMS) as our online training offer, and just under 700 people have successfully completed their safeguarding training via this platform. Our team of 130 volunteer Parish Safeguarding Ministers are committed to embedding our safeguarding standards within their parishes. These volunteers work tirelessly to embed and uphold our policies in relation to safe recruitment and to create a safe environment for all those within our parishes and church communities. 39 2 All concerns of a safeguarding nature are responded to promptly and in accordance with the safeguarding policies for the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Where an allegation of abuse is made against a person 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. Victims and survivors are responded to in accordance with our Victims’ Charter, which includes signposting for specialist advice and support. Clergy training days attended by 130 clergy to support confident, informed safeguarding leadership Our Safeguarding Committee, Chaired by a Lay Trustee Board member, and the Trustee Board have oversight of the safeguarding work across the Diocese through regular meetings and formal reporting which includes both qualitative and quantitative information. ## 690 **Completed online training** to support accessible safeguarding learning across the Diocese 24 **In-person safeguarding training sessions** delivered to 397 volunteer lay people to support good safeguarding practice 40 ## **Working with Fellow Christians** **During the summer, unrest around asylum seekers in the UK was marked by protests and violent disorder, particularly against the use of hotels for accommodation. After such an incident in Portsmouth, the Roman Catholic and Church of England Bishops of Portsmouth, Bishop Jonathan Frost and Bishop Philip Egan, emphasised the role of Church leaders in supporting and speaking out for the less fortunate after children were among those left intimidated during similar events in the city that involved the intimidation, blaming and scapegoating of asylum seekers and refugees.** “Immigration is a complex matter and we understand the real concerns and fears about it,” said Bishop Philip. “Yet every refugee or asylum seeker is a person with a name and a story to tell and we must remember they have often fled from truly desperate situations. We remember Jesus’s words _**‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me’**_ (Mt 25: 35) and how He identified Himself with the poor and needy such that in caring for them, we are really caring for Him. The light of faith prompts Christians to support asylum seekers and refugees, as well as the homeless, the poorest and the oldest in our communities. That compassionate approach is rooted in a regard for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. This principle is the bedrock of our shared faith.” The statement from the two bishops, which was covered in the local media, read: “ _As the Roman Catholic and Church of_ _England Bishops of Portsmouth, we are honoured to serve a city which has as its emblem ‘Heaven’s Light Our Guide’._ _Each day we seek the light and guidance of God for daily living. We listen closely to our scriptures and seek wisdom from our Christian heritage. We listen to the cry of the most vulnerable in our city. We find the teaching of Jesus difficult but always life-giving._ _We cherish our city’s long history of hospitality to strangers, refugees and asylum seekers. But we are concerned that our city’s well-deserved reputation for compassion is under threat from those promoting fear and misinformation about our most vulnerable neighbours._ _We have been truly ashamed by recent events in our city that involve the intimidation, blaming and scapegoating of asylum seekers and refugees. We are horrified when protestors use Christian language to justify divisive chants. We are aware that more than 20 children currently live in the Royal Beach Hotel in Southsea. Here families live in fear as protesters chant crude slogans outside the hotel._ _We understand the real concerns and fears about immigration, including the perception that it adds to pressures on already stretched welfare and NHS systems. It is a complex problem that needs to be sorted out, but it requires a long-term solution, not a short-term quick fix or scapegoating. Every refugee or asylum seeker is a person with a name and a story to tell and we must remember they_ 41 ## _have often fled from truly desperate situations._ _Jesus Christ modelled care for the outcast and marginalised. His gospel calls us to love our neighbour, including care for the stranger. We are called to build bridges, not walls. Indeed, Jesus identified himself with the stranger such that to care for a stranger is to care for him (Matthew chapter 25, verse 35)._ _The light of faith prompts Christians to support asylum seekers and refugees, as well as the homeless, the poorest and the oldest in our communities. That compassionate approach is rooted in a regard for the sanctity of all human life, which is the bedrock of our shared faith._ _A humane way forward demands informed engagement, meeting asylum seekers, and pressing politicians for real reform, backed by cross-agency, cross-party and international collaboration to deliver a fair, long-term solution._ _We call on our own Christian communities, people of all faiths and none, to seek a just and kind solution, and to take practical steps towards understanding and supporting those in need. Let us commit ourselves to doing that which truly_ . _makes a difference ”_ 42 L.,¥J., Prudent Stewardship 43 ## **Update from the Closer to Christ Campaign** **The Closer to Christ Campaign is an extraordinary undertaking that has and continues to benefit the Diocese by building upon the Diocesan mission of supporting individuals in practising and deepening their faith in Jesus Christ. It provides much-needed resources to fund seminarians in formation for priesthood, ongoing formation and care for priests in active ministry and into retirement, and helps parishes to secure the necessary resources to thrive in the future.** Over the past four years, 79 parishes have taken part in this campaign, raising over £10.9 million (including Gift Aid) worth of pledges towards our original goal of £13.5 million. This is a fantastic milestone that we firmly believe is laying the foundations for strategic growth in the future, _**bringing people closer to Jesus Christ through His Church**_ , but there is still more to raise. We are enormously thankful to priests and parishes right across the Diocese who have entered this campaign with generosity, reflecting their love for the Church and their hope for the future. Three out of every four parishes that took part have not only achieved their goal but surpassed it, some by significant amounts. By any standards, the Closer to Christ campaign has been tremendously successful, with parishioners from every corner of the Diocese answering the call to support the clergy and contribute towards their local parish priorities. More than 3,200 individual pledges were made as part of the campaign and over 1,200 have been completed. 79 Parishes have taken part in the Closer to Christ Campaign **£10.9 million** has been pledged (including Gift Aid) towards our original goal of £13.5 million 3,200 Individual pledges have been made and over 1,200 have been completed 44 ## **Supporting our Plans for the Future** **£8,000** Towards the restoration of the historic organ at English Martyrs Reading **The Diocese receives no external funding from the Vatican or UK government; all its income comes from donations by parishioners and some rents and investments. The Diocese Fundraising Team advises and supports parishes with planned or existing fundraising work and the move away from cash donations towards more regular and online giving.** In the 2024-25 financial year, the Fundraising Team focused on five areas to help drive increased income for the Diocese and its parishes: - [Continue to increase donor income at parish ] level, predominantly by promoting and supporting increased take-up of contactless donations. - [Support successful external grant funding at ] - for parish projects. - [Increase awareness and use of Gift Aid on all ] - eligible donations. - [Raise profile of legacy giving across the ] - Diocese. - [Support the Cathedral 150 programme.] Preparatory work also began on a stewardship/ parish giving programme that will be piloted and rolled out across the Diocese from September 2025. Over the past 12 months, three parishes have begun to offer their parishioners the option of contactless donations in their churches. Altogether, 64 parishes now have digital collection plates and 11 of them have upgraded these during 2024-25. **£2,740** To keep running Becky’s Cafe at St Joseph’s in Christchurch **£500** For the clothes bank at St John’s Cathedral managed by the SVP and Insight 45 ## **The Road to Full Academisation** **This year, in line with other Catholic dioceses, the progression of the academisation strategy has been a key focus for the Diocese.** The Diocesan Trustees reiterated their intention for all Catholic maintained schools within the Diocese to become academies, in a rolling programme to be completed by 2030. All remaining Catholic maintained schools will join one of two Catholic Academy Trusts. The Mother Teresa Catholic Academy Trust and Edith Stein Catholic Academy Trust are geographically located for the north and south of the Diocese. The Academy Steering Group formed of diocesan officers and the Chief Executives of both Trusts has been established to bring the project to fruition. The largest of the two Trusts, the Mother Teresa Catholic Academy Trust, welcomed its first secondary school into the Trust when All Hallows joined in October 2024. The Trust now has eight schools and has been busy establishing a blueprint for effective working and school improvement that complements the offer already provided by the Diocese. Seven further schools have already signed partnership agreements and are working with the other schools in the Trust ahead of their planned conversion to become academies from September 2027. 46 ## **Keeping our Schools Safe and Welcoming** **Our Catholic schools are key to the vitality and mission of the Diocese; places of learning and communities where the seeds of hope are planted and where all are enabled to place Christ at the centre to grow spiritually, academically, morally and personally.** They also need to be safe, inspiring and welcoming places for their students, teachers and support staff. In 2024, the Diocese Estates team began a rolling programme of surveys into the condition of our schools to identify where capital investment was needed to maintain the standards required. The school condition survey covered all 38 voluntary aided schools in 2024-25, identifying main capital requirements and creating a fiveyear priority work plan for each school, with a budget of £3 million a year across the Diocese. The plan focuses on resolving the work requirements for around ten schools each year. Each school plan leads to a series of briefs for consultants identifying the specific work needed. The Diocese has a range of approved contractors who carry out the building repairs and updates. ## **Rebuild of St Francis Primary School, Ascot** The school building was closed with immediate effect in July 2023 when a high content of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) was discovered. Since then, the pupils have been taught in modular buildings onsite while the Estates Team worked with architects and the DfE school authorities to develop a detailed plan to rebuild the whole school. The works are due to start on site in April 2026 and should be completed in November 2027. ## **Major redevelopment of school buildings at Corpus Christi School, Portsmouth** Following a successful bid by the Edith Stein Catholic Academy Trust, the Department for Education (DfE) confirmed Corpus Christi School had been added to the Schools Rebuilding Programme in December 2022. The bid was submitted due to the poor condition of the outdated buildings. To date the full extent of the likely redevelopment has not been confirmed but it is anticipated that most of the school will be demolished and rebuilt. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Photo courtesy of St Francis
School, Ascot, 2026
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47 While the client for the project is the Edith Stein Catholic Academy Trust, the buildings and land belongs to the Diocese, so the Estates Team will be working in collaboration with the architects (when appointed) and DfE to provide input on the design of the building and obtain the necessary legal consents required. The works are being fully funded by the DfE. ## **Solar panel installation at Christ the King College, Newport, Isle of Wight** The Diocese is currently progressing an offer made by Solar for Schools to install solar panels to the roof at Christ the King College in the Isle of Wight. Solar for Schools have extensive experience in designing and installing highquality solar power systems in schools, colleges and universities, and specialise in working on projects at premises that need to remain open to the public throughout the installation. The panels would be installed at no cost to the school or Diocese. Solar for Schools state that, at its peak, solar power could replace around 28% of the school’s current mains electricity supply, potentially saving tens of thousands of pounds each year, and would also decrease CO₂ emission by 41 tonnes a year. The success of this project could lead to similar significant savings for other schools across the Diocese in future. 48 ## **Update on Religious Life Arrangements** **Religious life in the Diocese is supported and represented by the Episcopal Vicar for Religious, supported by two representatives from religious life groups. A new Episcopal Vicar for Religious, Fr Michael Fava, was appointed in Spring 2025.** Historic arrangements with certain Catholic organisations, including religious life groups and other groups, are in some cases not fully documented. This carries a risk of misunderstandings or gaps in insurance coverage and means that there is little visibility and understanding of the arrangements between the Diocese and other Catholic organisations operating in our geographical area, most notably religious life groups (RLGs). These groups are almost always separate legal and canonical entities to the Diocese, and arrangements have often developed informally over time. In 2023 an audit of all the religious life groups was undertaken to ascertain which groups still had an active presence in the Diocese and give an initial view of their activities and arrangements. The audit highlighted that some groups believed to be in the Diocese no longer had an active presence, often due to ageing communities. During 2024-25, the second phase of the project began, focusing initially on the agreements between the Diocese and RLGs running diocesan parishes, based on a template developed by the Catholic Bishop’s Conference for England and Wales. There are currently 11 RLGs involved in parish ministry. A structured programme is underway to review these arrangements with each organisation, ensuring that responsibilities are clearly defined and properly documented going forward. 49 ## **Our Finances at a Glance** **The financial year ended 31 August 2025 was a period of consolidation and improved financial discipline for the Diocese, set against a backdrop of continued operational pressure in parishes and rising costs across the estate. Despite these challenges, the Diocese ended the year in an overall surplus position, although this cannot be taken for granted in future years.** Total income for the Diocese in 2024–25 was £18.2 million, compared with £21.9 million in 2023–24. However, the prior year included a oneoff exceptional item of £4.0 million (relating to the donation of a church) and therefore does not provide a like-for-like comparison of underlying income. Within the current year, rental income from investment properties increased, which is encouraging. We remain deeply grateful for the generosity and commitment of those who support their parishes and the Diocese. In particular, the Closer to Christ campaign has given greater confidence in our ability to plan effectively for vocations, priests in active ministry and our retired priests. However, donations and offertory income have otherwise remained broadly static and are not increasing in line with inflationary pressures, which remains of concern. Total expenditure for the year was £17.7 million, reflecting a slight increase in the costs of carrying out the Diocese’s charitable activities compared to 2023-24. Although the Diocese has maintained a surplus position overall, underlying cost pressures remain significant and continued financial discipline is required. At the year end, total assets stood at £105.4 million, an increase of £6.0 million on the previous year, mainly due to the Diocese’ investment property being revalued and cash held increased by £2.5 million). While this headline figure appears strong, most of these assets are not immediately available for general use, as they are tied up in parish property, designated and restricted funds, long term investments and permanent endowments. The level of cash freely available to meet day to day running costs was £4.7 million. There is a significant variation in the financial health of individual parishes. Some hold healthy current account balances, while others remain in considerable financial difficulty. Encouragingly, increased uptake of contactless giving, alongside improved Gift Aid processes and stewardship programmes, has helped many parishes to strengthen and sustain recurring income. Sixteen parishes ended the year without the recommended minimum of three months’ operating reserves. This remains a key area of focus. Enhanced parish reporting, budgeting support and training are being rolled out to assist in developing local financial resilience and sustainability. Within the Curia, cash flow continues to be managed carefully, and operating cash levels remain below the level envisaged in the Diocese’s Reserves Policy. The Diocese’s investment portfolio performed well during the year. Following the appointment of Evelyn Partners as investment managers, the portfolio increased in value to £7.1 million. Investment income and revaluation gains made a positive contribution to the balance sheet and will assist the Diocese in its longer-term financial planning. 50 Looking ahead, the Diocese continues to face a number of financial challenges, including supporting parish sustainability, maintaining the estate, and resourcing mission and evangelisation. These pressures must be managed in the context of a wider economic climate which, at the time of writing, appears more challenging than it has been for some time. The Finance Team remains committed to strengthening the support available to parishes. Recent examples include the rollout of a new Gift Aid processing system and the development of a Parish Support Visit Programme, focused on stewardship, which is due to begin in summer 2026. Improving financial performance and developing the Diocese’s Finance Strategy for the next five years will be a key focus. This will provide the framework to ensuring that the Diocese is able to fulfil its mission in years to come. 51 ## **Our Income at a Glance** **£18.2 million our total income in 2024 -2025** **72p** was given through the offertory, fundraising appeals and legacies in people’s wills. **For every £1 we received...** **8p** was raised through interest on investments. **1p** was paid out by insurers in connection to **13p** insurance claims. came from grants and income for services provided to other organisations, such as Catholic schools and hospital chaplaincies.. **6p** came from hiring out halls or letting vacant presbyteries and other property. A closer look at parish income Smallest income **£17,657** Middle income **£174,726** Largest income **£1,004,339** 52 ## **Our Spending at a Glance** **£17.7 million our total expenditure in 2024 -2025** **27p** went on maintaining and repairing our churches, presbyteries and other buildings **25p** was spent on parish running costs: keeping the lights on, spaces warm, the parish insured, candles stocked and more **1p** covered the levy to the Catholic Bishop’s Conference for England and Wales **1p** was spent on Diocese-wide outreach and evangelisation programmes **2p** was spent on the work of the Bishop, Chancery and Tribunal **4p** supported our Catholic schools and provides chaplaincy to local universities **7p** went towards training future priests, supporting priests in ministry and providing for retired priests **For every £1 we spent... 11p** covered central costs to keep the Diocese running as a responsible charitable organisation, including safeguarding, finance and accounting, IT, HR, property management, data protection, governance, **11p** communications and fundraising remunerated our **11p** clergy **11p** paid our parish employees A closer look at parish expenditure Lowest Middle Highest **----- Start of picture text -----**
£13,639
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**£178,422** **£889,612** 53 ## **Our Assets at a Glance** **£105.4 million our total net assets in 2024 -2025** ## **31p** ## **40p** was the value of our Church property. While it shows in our accounts, this could only be spent if churches, presbyteries and other parish buildings are sold. was the value of our investment property. While it shows in our accounts, this could only be spent if investment properties are sold. Once sold they would no longer generate an income. **For every £1 of assets we held...** ## **6p** ## **4p** was held by parishes and the Curia in current accounts. This is the portion of assets which is available to spend on day-to-day expenditure. ## **6p** was held by parishes and the Curia in deposit accounts. Money held in deposit accounts is tied up for a set period and less readily available, but it generates income from interest. related to funds held for specific restricted purposes, such as the maintenance of Catholic school buildings, the Priest Retirement Fund, the Bamenda Fund, and other restricted funds and permanent endowments. ## **6p** was held in investments on the UK stock exchange. Income from investments is reinvested in order to grow the portfolio overtime and support the Diocese’s financial future. ## **6p** was owed by the Diocese to other organisations on the 31 August 2025. This is shown as a negative number in our accounts. ## **1p** was owed to the Diocese by other organisations on the 31 August 2025. It is expected that all of these funds will be paid to the Diocese within the next financial year. 54 ## **Our Assets** ## **at a Glance** **£4.7 million total cash in current accounts across the Diocese on 31 August 2025** There is a wide variation in the wealth of individual parishes. The illustration below shows the range of net assets across our parishes. It shows their overall position taking into account the value of all their assets, including the value of churches and other buildings, investments, savings, restricted funds, permanent endowments, cash in their current account and any debts or overdrafts. **----- Start of picture text -----**
A closer look at parish net assets
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Most vulnerable
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-£29,124
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Middle
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£718,126
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Wealthiest **----- Start of picture text -----**
£4,427,075
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There is also wide variation in how much cash parishes hold in the current accounts; which reflects the resources they have most easily available to cover recurring and unforeseen costs. Our Reserves Policy reccomends that parishes hold enough cash in the current account to cover at least 3 months’ worth of usual expenditure to ensure they have a modest buffer against shocks. At the 31 August 2025, only 49 (58%) parishes had enough cash to meet this target. A closer look at parish bank balances Lowest Middle **£81,086** **----- Start of picture text -----**
-£417,716
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Highest **£551,470** 55 2024 - 2025 in the Channel Islands 56 ## **From the Bishop** **Over the past year, I have been reminded just how special the Channel Islands are to the life of our Diocese of Portsmouth.** Last summer, I visited Jersey to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation. Sixty-seven candidates were confirmed, and it was great to see St Thomas’s Church full to the brim - a wonderful sign that faith is alive and joyful. I’m very grateful to the catechists, clergy and families who prepared the candidates so well. Spending time with the priests and deacons in Jersey, and with the schools who play such an important role in parish life, really showed me how strong and collaborative the Church is on the Island. Guernsey, too, is a powerful witness to the richness of Catholic life in our diocese. Over the years, the Island has been served with real dedication by priests who have given themselves wholeheartedly to their parishes and the wider community. I want to thank Canon Christopher Rutledge personally for his five years of faithful service on the Island. He has been a beacon of hope and joy for parishioners, actively supporting parish life and delivering the diocesan mission plan. I wish him every blessing as he continues his ministry in Andover. Both Jersey and Guernsey have faced challenges over the years, with times of loss and times of renewal. What really matters today is their energy and the promise they hold. These communities show that faith can thrive even in places that feel small or far away, and that strong parish life grows from faithful service, welcome, and a deep life of prayer. The Channel Islands may be separate from the mainland, but spiritually they are very much at the heart of our diocesan family. The clergy, religious and lay people who live and serve there make a huge contribution to the work of the Diocese of Portsmouth, and we are richer for their witness. I want to thank everyone who serves the Church in Jersey and Guernsey - often quietly and faithfully. Please be assured of my prayers, and I ask that you continue to pray for one another, so that together we can grow as a diocese united in faith, hope and love. 57 ## **Jersey Review of the Year** **At the heart of everything we do is a simple belief: that the Catholic Church in Jersey - one parish established in canon law - exists to help people grow closer to Jesus Christ through his Church.** Over the past year, this belief has been lived out in many practical ways. Thanks to the commitment of our volunteers, five of our seven churches have remained open each day for prayer, offering quiet spaces of welcome and reflection. Our clergy team of two priests and four deacons have continued to provide regular Sunday and weekday Masses, while priests from the Diocese of Funchal have joined us to support our Portuguese community during their annual celebrations in May and October. Our clergy have also been very much part of island life. They have taken part in civic services and events, celebrated many baptisms and weddings, accompanied families through funerals, and provided year-round chaplaincy support at Jersey Hospital, Jersey Hospice, La Moye Prison, and the island’s three independent Catholic schools. The Catholic Dean has represented the parish on the Beaulieu Convent School Governing Body and on the Board of Directors of Caritas Jersey. Meanwhile, the parish office has continued to respond daily to people seeking spiritual support, guidance, or reassurance. Our church buildings have remained active spaces for the wider community. Several churches, particularly St Thomas, have welcomed local schools for concerts and services, and once again St Thomas hosted the annual Jersey Festival of Carols during Advent - a much-loved moment in the island’s calendar. Alongside this day-to-day ministry, we have continued to respond to our Bishop’s Pastoral Plan for the Diocese of Portsmouth “You Will Be My Witnesses.” This ten-year plan calls each parish to focus on evangelisation, formation, and catechesis, while also making thoughtful and courageous decisions to ensure we are fit for the future. A key development this year was the establishment of a Parish Pastoral Council, made up of 12 lay members. One of its early successes was organising an outdoor Mass and picnic at Coronation Park, bringing together parishioners from three Sunday-Mass churches for a joyful celebration of faith and community. The Council also distributed a parish questionnaire, inviting parishioners to share their views on what we do and what we might do next; the responses are now helping to shape our plans for the year ahead. Our Parish Finance Committee, consisting of six lay members, has continued to support the Catholic Dean with financial and property matters, including careful consideration of the future of our seven churches. The disposal process required by canon law is now underway. In addition, the parish is supported by a number of voluntary groups, bringing together people of different ages and backgrounds for friendship, formation, and outreach. Through all these activities, we continue to remain faithful to why we exist. 58 ## **Catholic Life in Jersey** **It is always a pleasure to offer a few words to the latest Annual Report of the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth from the beautiful Island of Jersey.** I am extremely pleased to report again this year that the Diocese’s southern outpost’s Catholic community remains as vibrant and strong as ever; all churches and adjacent halls are busy, bustling places for both worshippers and local community groups alike. And in accordance with the Parish’s ‘mission plan’, the Pastoral Council has spent this last year identifying and implementing some exciting projects to further cement the sense of being a unified Catholic community across the Island. As a fun example, I heard all about a particularly successful ‘Picnic and Mass’ event in Coronation Park in St Helier in September! More widely, our churches continue to provide sacred spaces for reflection, prayer and worship. With Sunday congregation numbers on the increase in Jersey, notably from young adults and overseas workers, can I offer my heartfelt thanks to all the incredible people and volunteers who do so much in serving our community through the Catholic Church. Led by the irrepressible Reverend Canon Dominic Golding, the Catholic Church, is a source of support, nurture and joy in bringing the beauty of the Gospel to so many people. In concert with all the other denominations, the Catholic Church remains a key part of the Island’s culture, faith and wellbeing. And for that can I say a huge thank you! 59 ## **Catholic Education in Jersey** **1,606** pupils **In Jersey there are three Catholic independent schools, one of which is for primary aged pupils and the other two are single sex allthrough schools.** Beaulieu School welcomed a new Headteacher in Matthew Burke, who was no stranger to the island having worked at De La Salle College earlier in his career. Inspection has been a key focus for the schools. The States of Jersey have established their own inspection framework, and independent schools are included as part its regular cycle of inspections or can register for a British overseas Independent Schools Inspection (ISI). De La Salle College was subject to an ISI inspection and met the expected standards. _**“Catholic Social Teaching calls us to promote dignity, justice, care for the vulnerable, and peace in the world”**_ Beaulieu Convent School Jersey A national framework for the inspection of Catholic schools was established by the Bishops Conference to ensure consistency across all 22 dioceses. Inspections are conducted every five years. The three Catholic schools have been working with the diocese to prepare for their Catholic School Inspection through attendance at training, briefings and in school support FCJ Primary School is the first Catholic school on the island to be inspected under the new framework. Three areas are inspected; Catholic life and mission, Religious Education and Collective Worship. The school was graded as being good overall with two areas being identified as outstanding. The report highlighted that the pupils recognised the blessings in their lives and therefore their responsibility to serve others. They were keen to take on leadership roles as they valued the opportunity to make a difference. All Catholic schools will have been inspected by July 2027. **633** Catholic pupils 60 **The Jersey conference of the Society of St Vincent de Paul is a Jersey registered charity and the local conference of the international Catholic organisation of lay people formed in Paris in 1833 by Blessed Frederic Ozanam and companions as a conference of charity.** Inspired by his thinking and works, this conference dedicated itself to St Vincent de Paul and to the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1834. The International General Conference was formed in 1839 and today conferences all over the world, including Jersey, uphold the legacy of this first group forming groups who meet for prayer and action, creating bonds of friendship among members and reaching out in charity to those most in need. There is a beautiful stainedglass window in St Thomas church in St Helier dedicated to St Vincent de Paul which shows that there was a conference carrying out charitable works in Jersey as early as the 1880’s. Today, SVP Jersey continues this mission to support the disadvantaged in our community providing practical assistance aiming to relieve poverty and promote human dignity. It runs foodbank clinics 4 days each week together with other outreach clinics in conjunction with Caritas Jersey. These include ‘drop in’ foodbanks and ‘click and collect’ online ordering services, the latter enabling us to help more people, particularly young families. “ Living the gospel message: _**I will show you my**_ ” _**faith through works**_ (Letter of St James 2:18) SVP Jersey’s mission is to serve and help any person in need without differentiation. ## **The Society of St Vincent De Paul in Jersey** The team of some 24 faithful and joyful volunteers spend time meeting people who come for assistance and advice, lending a listening ear and a supportive hand. Gratefully supported by Catholic Church in Jersey and the Diocese of Portsmouth, SVP Jersey has been operating its main foodbank from St Thomas – St Helier for many years. Aware that many Islanders who need help are unable to access our St Thomas’ foodbank, a second foodbank – the SVP Western foodbank – was opened in conjunction with St Peter’s Parish Anglican Church in September 2025. Even on such a small Island, people struggle to travel and carry food parcels to and from St Helier, so we constantly consider how we can reach more Islanders in need and to expand our outreach to more locations making our services more accessible to the many Islanders struggling to make ends meet. The pandemic created an exponential increase in the numbers seeking foodbank assistance and use of the foodbank services in Jersey continues to rise. Today SVP Jersey operates the largest foodbank on the Island helping approximately 650 families - (c. 1,700 individuals) roughly equating to 1.7% of the Island’s population - with food, hygiene and mother & baby products and monthly electricity allowances for those on PAYG meters with Jersey Electricity. SVP’s work is funded solely through donations received from individuals, local businesses, trusts, church groups as well as bequests. Our constant aim is to continue to spread the message more widely throughout the Island, through schools, 61 businesses, faith communities and the public at large, who, when aware of the continued need for foodbank assistance, are keen to support whether financially, with sponsorship or with food donations. As a small island community, there is a need to work closely with other charities across the Island not only to tackle poverty, but to develop and strengthen links to ensure we complement and support the delivery of the necessary services. Charities SVP works closely with include Caritas Jersey, the Salvation Army, Adult Mental Health and Mind Jersey. Each year we strive to make more of a difference to people’s lives and remain faithful to our conference principles as “a community of love, faith, prayer and action” and so this year we plan to re-introduce home visits, halted during Covid, as part of our work. We are hopeful that this will provide opportunities for more personal encounters through service in hope to the poor, sick, lonely and marginalised as a sign of living an active Christian faith. _**“ We hope and pray that the year ahead will enable us to be successful in the work we do.**_ Sinead Wright, President, Jersey SVP Society[”] 62 ## **Guernsey Review of the Year** **I am continually humbled and inspired by the goodness, generosity, and deep faith of our Catholic community in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. One of the most encouraging signs of life in our parish is the number of active groups who work tirelessly to enrich the spiritual, social, and pastoral life of our people. Each group seeks, in its own way, to ensure that no one feels overlooked, isolated, or unsupported.** Recently, each parish group was given the opportunity to speak at all the weekend Masses, sharing their mission, their activities, and an invitation to participate. After each presentation, group members stood at the back of the church to take the names of those interested in joining. Every group, without exception, tries its very best to reach our people, and this collaborative spirit is a powerful sign of the Holy Spirit at work in our community. Our efforts extend far beyond parish events. The schools of Guernsey, especially our Catholic schools are a tremendous blessing. Our teachers and students are always ready to help, whether through parish initiatives or charitable projects, offering their time, talent, and enthusiasm whenever needed. 63 ## **Faith and Community in Guernsey** **My Catholic faith is very important to me and a belief in Christ is at the heart of the values and standards I hold dear.** We are fortunate to live in a Bailiwick that believes in tolerance and kindness, but no society can ever take these things for granted. I have always been a strong believer in the contribution that faith can make, both within the military and society; not just in the way in which it can support and guide individuals, but also through the part it can play in providing leadership and example within a community. I am privileged to have the chance to visit and talk with people from across our Islands and I know that many feel the same way. I hope that working together and finding a place for Christ and belief in our lives will not only make a personal difference but will also encourage us to help those in need and so reinforce the strength and unity of our shared lives. 64 ## **The UK’s BestKept Secret** **Since moving from Guernsey to Andover, my new parishioners have been asking, “What’s it like in Guernsey?”** Well, let me tell you! Firstly, The Bailiwick of Guernsey is not in the UK. It is a Crown Dependency and located off the coast of Normandy, France. And, along with Jersey, is the most southernly part of our diocese. The Island of Guernsey is not big, only 24 square miles, and has a population of 64,000 people. It is fiercely independent with its own government, called the States of Deliberation. The culture is a mix of French and English and has its own dialect of French called Guernésias; sadly, it’s not widely spoken these days. I spent five happy years as Parish Priest and Dean of the Guernsey parish - three churches but one community. I think “community” sums up Guernsey as a whole. Everyone speaks to each other. For example, when out for walk along the beautiful coastline, you would always get a cheery good morning or good afternoon! Island life concerning faith and morals. My aim was to be the ‘Father’ of the parish, sharing the goals and challenges of embedding our 10-year Mission Plan. I was greatly helped and supported in my ministry by the Assistant Priest and the Deacon, both of which were very good men. Along with the usual Sacramental programmes, I think one of the greatest successes was Adult Catechesis with the weekly talks during Lent and the notable speakers. We were able to bring from the UK - Abbot General Christopher Jamison OSB being one of them and a most notable speaker. We also had a weekend retreat, and I asked the Dominican Sisters of St Joseph, Sway if they could facilitate, and what a great weekend it was! A little bit of Guernsey will always be in my heart. Guernsey has the ability to change you. If you give your heart and soul to its way of life it will capture you. I was privileged to serve there! The summer months are delightful in Guernsey with the opportunity to welcome holiday makers to Mass and from the diverse congregation we could almost certainly find someone to welcome them in their own language! Along with the normal parish duties, the role of The Catholic Dean of the Island had responsibilities too - often called to appear on the local TV or speak on the radio and write articles for the paper. The local Church leaders of the different faiths got on extremely well and we met every six weeks or so to be a support for each other and to discuss various aspects of 65 ## **Guernsey and Bamenda:** ## **A partnership that builds hope** **The relationship between the Archdiocese of Bamenda in Cameroon and the Parish of Our Lady and the Saints of Guernsey has continued to grow through donations, encouragement, and prayer.** During a visit to Portsmouth in 2025, Archbishop Andrew of Bamenda acknowledged that our support provides not only practical benefits but also the reassurance that the people of his diocese are not forgotten during challenging times. The Parish of Guernsey raised more than £17,000 - in addition to its annual Bamenda Sunday collections - to help build Ntenefore Nursery School, with construction starting in July 2025. Fr Bernardine, the parish priest, described the school as a “gift for our children” at a time when a “dignified school structure” is so needed. Both primary schools on Guernsey - Notre Dame du Rosaire and St Mary and St Michael - are now twinned with St Felix Nursery and Primary Schools, strengthening links between the communities, supporting education, and helping refurbish schools. Elizabeth Dene, who is the Communications Lead for the Portsmouth Bamenda Committee, has been particularly active, giving talks at Sunday Masses and fostering community engagement. In 2024, the diocese celebrated the 50th, or golden, anniversary of its partnership, marking a long history of shared faith, support, and friendship. ## **A Sisterhood of Service and Support in Guernsey** **The Union of Catholic Mothers in Guernsey has its roots in friendship, faith, and mutual support. It was founded many years ago by a group of young mothers seeking companionship and encouragement within the Church and the wider community.** While our membership today is largely made up of older women, the heart of the UCM remains unchanged. We continue to be a close, caring, and supportive organisation, proudly affiliated with the UCM in the UK and committed to service, fellowship, and faith. Over the past year, our monthly meetings have provided a welcoming space for friendship, support, and learning, supported by a varied and engaging programme. Members were inspired by a talk from our Parochial Representative on the parish’s support of the Church in Bamenda, which highlighted our connection to the global Church. We also visited a local centre supporting people with disabilities and learning difficulties, helping to deepen our understanding and compassion through direct engagement. Social and creative activities were an important part of the year, including cookery demonstrations, a craft evening, and an enjoyable visit from local Scottish dancers who encouraged everyone to take part. A particularly meaningful highlight was a talk on St Thérèse of Lisieux by our chaplain, Deacon Mark Leightley, which offered spiritual reflection and renewed inspiration. Throughout the year, we have continued to show care and solidarity with our local Sisters of Mercy and retired members, while maintaining our ongoing support for the Church and clergy, guided by the same spirit of service and faith that inspired our founders. 66 ## **Catholic Education in Guernsey** **In Guernsey there is an independent Catholic all through school and two Catholic voluntary primary schools. The States of Guernsey pays for the day to day running of the two voluntary schools along with a rent for the use of the buildings. The Parish is responsible for the upkeep and development of the buildings. Leadership changes have been a key focus for our schools this year.** In January Alexa Yeoman took over as the Principal at Blanchelande independent school, having worked there for many years, and at the end of her first term successfully navigated her way through an Independent Schools Inspection. In the summer we bade farewell to Helen Willetts who after 18 years as Headteacher at St. Mary and St. Michael’s Primary School decided to begin a well-earned retirement. Mary Robertshaw has been appointed as the Executive Headteacher of both Catholic primary schools, having previously been the Headteacher at Notre Dame du Rosarie Primary School. On appointment Mary said “I am deeply honoured to be taking on the role of Executive Headteacher at both Notre Dame du Rosaire and St Mary & St Michael Catholic Primary schools. These are two very special schools, each with dedicated and caring teams, and I am excited to begin this new chapter. Ms Willetts will be leaving St Mary & St Michael in an extremely strong and positive position, and I look forward to working alongside the senior leaders, staff, children and parents as we continue to strengthen and celebrate our thriving Catholic school communities together.” The States of Guernsey have been reviewing the governance of all of its schools including the two Catholic voluntary schools. Interim Education Boards were established to provide more strategic oversight and challenge to school leaders to ensure excellence in education and to drive positive improvements within the education system. The Catholic Education Service have been supporting the Diocese in its work with the States of Guernsey as it considered its options for a permanent governance structure for the schools. The strategic partnership meetings established with the States of Guernsey has resulted in ongoing dialogue about standards, staffing and issues being faced by our schools, as well as assurances being agreed for the governance of the Catholic voluntary primary schools that are enshrined in its revised Education Law. The Governance Boards being established by the States will be chaired by a practising Catholic appointed by the bishop. Elizabeth Dene has been appointed to take on this role for both Catholic primary schools. The Boards which will have a majority of governors appointed by the bishop will have improved decision making, resource efficiency and accountability responsibilities, ensuring our Catholic voluntary schools are as effective and successful as possible and the children enabled to achieve their God given potential and prepared for the next phase of their education. **810** pupils **420** Catholic pupils 67 ## **Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth TRUSTEE REPORT AND ANNUAL ACCOUNTS** **2024 - 2025 Financial Year** _Bringing people closer to Jesus Christ through His Church_ 68 The Board of Trustees met five times during the year. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** ## _**Linked Charities**_ The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth has over 90 special trusts, most of which relate to property. There are seven funds: - [Anthony Robert Barron’s Bequest ] - [Diocese of Portsmouth Common Investment ] - [Pangbourne Assistance Fund ] - [St Dominic’s Priory Countess of Clare Fund ] - [The Father Bernard Medd Memorial Fund ] ## _**Constitution**_ The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO), registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 06 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 appointing Trustees. ## _**Trustees**_ - [Bishop of Portsmouth Rt Rev Philip Anthony ] Egan - [Rev Gaston Forbah Afah ] - [Mrs Anne-Marie Eden ] - [Mr Michael Elks ] - [Rev Christopher Heaps ] - [Mr Paul Kilduff ] - [Dr Catherine Knowles ] - [Rev Canon James McAuley ] - [Rev Canon Paul James Smith ] - [Mr Richard Taylor ] _[(appointed 04 October ] 2024)_ - [Rev Benjamin Theobald ] - [Rev Canon Simon Thomson ] _[(term ended 11 ] December 2025)_ - [Mr Chris Trickey ] - [The Portsmouth Diocesan Educational ] Foundation - [Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth – Priests ] Retirement Fund 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. ## _**The Appointment of Trustees**_ Trustees are appointed in writing by the charity’s sole member: the Bishop of Portsmouth. Trustee vacancies are advertised through appropriate Diocesan communication channels; potential candidates are also approached directly. All candidates applying to become a trustee are interviewed by designated trustees and the Bishop. Successful applicants are co-opted as advisory members of the Board at the next full meeting for a period of six months. At the end of six months, they are appointed as trustees by the Bishop. Senior priests are appointed as ex-officio trustees by the Bishop; their appointment lasts as long as they are in office. Other trustees are generally appointed for a five-year term, which may be repeated or extended. ## _**Trustee Induction and Training**_ The Secretary to Trustees, in collaboration with the Governance Team, is responsible for ensuring that an appropriate induction programme is arranged for new trustees, within the first 3 months of appointment. 69 The induction is expected to include clarification of legal responsibilities, Charity Commission requirements of charity trustees, strategic issues, governance issues, familiarity with the governing documents and structure of the Diocese, and other relevant induction material to allow trustees to understand the Diocese’s purpose, activities, financial position and current risks. Trustees are encouraged to undertake regular training throughout their appointment and to keep up to date with current legislation. ## _**Trustee expenses**_ A number of trustees are priests of the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth. They are housed, remunerated and reimbursed expenses for carrying out their ministry in the same way as other priests in the Diocese. However, no trustee receives reimbursement from the Diocese for their role as trustee, nor does any trustee have a beneficial interest in any contract with the Charity. Trustees may claim expenses, such as mileage, incurred in connection with their duties as Trustees. ## _**Management Team**_ The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall management, oversight and strategic direction of the Diocese. To achieve this, they have appointed a Chief Operating Officer to whom the trustees have delegated the day-to-day responsibility of running the Diocese. The Chief Operating Officer is supported by a senior management team to whom specific areas of responsibility have been delegated, such as finance, estates, safeguarding, HR, IT, communications, governance, fundraising, charity outreach, and clergy support. ## _**Setting pay**_ Remunerated roles in the Curia, including the Central Administration, have been benchmarked against several charity sector benchmarks, including other dioceses. The Diocese is a lower-quartile employer, although the Board of Trustees may choose to apply a recruitment or retention premium to a particular post in certain circumstances. ## _**Organisation**_ The Board of Trustees is supported in decision-making by detailed scrutiny and recommendations provided by sub-committees which meet regularly throughout the year. These committees include: - [Finance, Audit and Risk Committee ] - [HR Remuneration and Nominations ] Committee - [Investment Committee ] - [Priest Retirement Fund Committee ] - [Art, Architecture and Patrimony ] Committee - [Vocation Committee ] - [Education Committee ] •[Evangelisation ] Committee **70** - [Caritas Committee ] - [Portsmouth Bamenda Committee ] - [Safeguarding Committee ] The Diocesan Curia is organised into a Framework for Collaboration, with three vicariates. Each Vicariate is responsible for one aspect of the Bishop’s threefold ministry: **Vocation, Education and Evangelisation.** Each is headed by an Episcopal Vicar, who, together with the Vicars General, are the sole members of the Bishop’s Council, all except one of whom have been appointed trustees. Each Vicariate Committee is chaired by the Episcopal Vicar for that 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 and Nominations 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 the 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 alterations 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. It is chaired by a diocesan priest. The **Safeguarding Committee** is responsible for matters which relate to safeguarding and is chaired by a non-clergy trustee. The **Chancery and Tribunal** also form part of the Curia, the Judicial Vicar was 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 advise the Board of Trustees. ## **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. The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth is registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Safeguarding in the Diocese is overseen by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA). ## _**Other organisations in 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 academies following the Diocese’s incorporation to the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth on the 31st December 2022. The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth is a company member of Caritas Jersey Limited, Jersey Charity number 150, a charitable company limited by guarantee and the hub of Catholic Social Action in Jersey. 71 The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth has two trading subsidiaries; it is the sole shareholder for the Portsmouth Diocesan Trading Company Limited and the Bournemouth Oratory Undercroft Limited. ## **Public Benefit Statement** The Board of Trustees has due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in exercising its powers and duties. It ensures the Diocese benefits the public by 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 Diocese fulfils its purpose by offering religious and pastoral services, educational programmes, charitable support and assistance to all those living within its borders: including approximately 27,000 regular Mass-attending Catholics. The principal vehicles for these ministries are parishes, chaplaincies and schools, as well as outreach activities coordinated by Caritas Portsmouth. ## **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: - [Select suitable accounting policies and apply ] them consistently. - [Observe the methods and principles in the ] Charities SORP. - [Make judgements and estimates that are ] responsible and prudent. - [State whether applicable accounting ] standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and - [Prepare the financial statements on a going ] concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that this basis applies. 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 30 April 2026. 72 increasingly complex requirements. ## **Risk Statement** **A risk register is provided for review by the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee and Board of Trustees to review at every meeting. Key risks are:** - [Falling Mass attendance and participation ] in Church activities leading to a shortage of volunteers to support the running of parishes and outreach, fewer vocations, and falling offertory income. All of which has a significant impact on the long-term vitality of the Church. The planned mitigations for this is the full implementation of our Ten-Year Mission Plan, _You Will Be My Witnesses_ . - [The growing backlog of estate maintenance, ] together with the deterioration of older, listed buildings, most notably the Cathedral, is a long-term liability. Again, the planned mitigation is the full implementation our Ten-Year Mission Plan, which sets out to increase participation in parish life and enable us to discern where to invest and what we can no longer maintain. A major fundraising programme has been launched to support the repair and redevelopment of the Cathedral. - [The Diocese comprises 85 individual parish ] units which operate autonomously to a significant extent. The organisation is highly dispersed and also largely reliant on part time employees and volunteers for much of its day-to-day activity. This all presents a significant risk of non-compliance with key policies required by regulators and legislation. This is being addressed through support, training and regular communication provided to parishes about policy and guidance. Further work is required to ensure that practical resources and increased training are provided to help parishes to navigate - [Recruitment to key roles in central ] administration and in parishes is proving a significant challenge. Vacancies can, on occasion, be open for several months. To mitigate this risk and attract and retain candidates with the appropriate experience and expertise will require a re-evaluation of our structure and pay and reward strategy in the coming year. A newly implemented HR system including recruitment elements will assist with this. - [Historic arrangements with certain Catholic ] organisations, including religious life groups and other groups, are in some cases not fully documented. This carries a risk of misunderstandings or gaps in insurance coverage. This is being addressed by a structured programme to review these arrangements with each organisation, ensuring that responsibilities are clearly defined and properly documented going forward. - [Decisions made outside the Diocese, ] including changes in government and local authority policy, as well as developments within the wider structures of the Catholic Church, can materially affect diocesan plans, priorities and resources. Recent examples include national policy shifts on school academisation, changes to employment legislation, revised tax treatment for historic buildings, and the Bishops’ Conference decision to amend the CCSA’s remit for training, and advice on complex safeguarding matters and the development of national safeguarding policy. - [There is a risk that the Diocese’s Ten-Year ] Mission Plan, You Will Be My Witnesses, may not be fully realised if consultation processes are ineffective, if resources are insufficient, or if leaders are not developed. To mitigate this, the Bishop and senior clergy are undertaking a structured programme of visits to every Pastoral Area to review local plans. Clear guidance and support is being provided to ensure that consultations on major change are conducted properly and in accordance with Canon Law. Investment in clergy leadership and development and training is also central to our plans. 73 ## **Investments** **The Diocesan Investment Committee was established in 2022 to assist the Board of Trustees in their decision-making, promote the safeguarding and growth in value of Diocese’s investments, and to ensure the Diocese’s ethical policy is adhered to.** In early 2025 the Board of Trustees, acting on the advice of the Investment Committee, appointed Evelyn Partners as the CDP’s new investment managers, following a competitive tender process. On 31st August 2025, the Diocese held £7.1 million in quoted investments, which had increased in value by £0.4 million since 1st September 2024. _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._ ” The Board of Trustees have agreed on an investment policy for the portfolio, which can be summarized 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 Board of Trustees have 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_ 74 ## **Reserves** **The Diocese’s 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 also 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 is 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 six months of net average operating costs (currently £2.4 million). At 31 August 2025 unrestricted Curial Cash Reserves stood at £1.9 million overdrawn. Steps being taken to address closing the gap between actual and target Curial Operating Reserves include revenues generated by the disposal of surplus assets in the Ten-Year Plan You Will Be My Witnesses and the ongoing generation of curial budget surpluses since 31 August 2023. - [A Diocesan Development Fund (DDF) is ] intended to provide temporary financial support for the repair or maintenance of the Diocesan estate and listed buildings to parishes with insufficient funds at their disposal. The intention is for the DDF to be used and replenished within a medium-term period (three to five years). The Current DDF balance can be seen within the Designated Fund Note to the accounts. - [A Strategic Financial Reserve (SFR) is ] intended to provide funds for the strategic development of the Diocese in general 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 £2.0 million. The Strategic Financial Reserve will be built up once progress has been made in addressing the Curial and Parish Operating Reserves. - [A Parish Operating Reserve in which all ] parishes should seek to have at least 3 months of net recurrent annual costs held as reserves. At 31 August 2025, 16 out of 85 parishes did not have sufficient reserves to cover three months’ recurrent expenditure. This situation will be addressed by improved reporting of parish’s financial positions, ongoing budgeting training for all parishes, and the implementation of the Ten-Year Mission Plan. 75 ## (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. ## **Independent Auditors’ Report** 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 charity 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**_ ## **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 ended 31 August 2025 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: - [give a true and fair view of the state of the ] charity’s affairs as at 31 August 2025 and the net movement in funds for the year then ended; - [have been properly prepared under the ] United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and - [have been prepared following the ] requirements of the Charities Act 2011. ## _**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 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 charity’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 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 76 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: - [adequate accounting records have not been ] kept by the charity, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or - [sufficient accounting records have not been ] - kept; or - [the charity’s financial statements are not in ] agreement with the accounting records and returns; or - [we have not received all the information and ] explanations we require for our audit. ## _**Responsibilities of Trustees for the financial statements**_ As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the 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 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 charity 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. 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: - [Review of minutes of trustees’ meetings. ] - [Inspect correspondence with regulators and ] tax authorities. - [Discussions with management including ] consideration of known or suspected instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations and fraud. - [Evaluating management’s controls designed ] to prevent and detect irregularities. - [Identifying and testing journals; and ] - [Challenging assumptions and judgements ] made by management in their critical accounting estimates. These are related to depreciation and investment property valuations. 77 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. ## **HaysMac LLP** 10 Queen Street Place Statutory Auditors London EC4R 1AG Date: 05/06/2026 HaysMac LLP is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006. 78 |**Statement**
**of Financial**
**Activities**
**For the Year Ended 31 August 2025**|||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |Notes
**Donations and legacies**
|Unrestricted||Restricted||| ||CURIA
TOTAL|PARISH
TOTAL|RESTRICT-
ED &
ENDOW-
MENT
FUNDS|TOTAL
2025|TOTAL
2024| ||||||| |Donations and ofertories|61,300|9,477,282|2,281,701|11,820,282|16,074,361| |Legacies|824,942|349,218|72,311|1,246,470|1,147,198| |Other|670,690|1,744,724|112,490|2,527,905|2,250,317| |**Other trading activities**|||||| |Rent - miscellaneous lettings|17,650|1,062,680|0|1,080,330|1,135,661| |**Investments**|||||| |Investment income & interest receivable
1|11,539|183,397|
20,986|215,922|158,367| |Rent - investment properties
1|36,347|1,173,093|
19,883|1,229,323|1,030,508| |**Other**|||||| |Insurance claims|0|
46,759|0|46,759|58,316| |**TOTAL INCOME**|**1,622,467**|**14,037,154**|**2,507,370**|**18,166,991**|**21,854,729**| |**Expenditure on raising funds**|||||| |Finance costs|(187)|(22,536)|(4,961)|(27,684)|(547,450)| |**Charitable activities**in furtherance of
the Roman Catholic Faith|(3,766,632)|(12,967,403)|(910,587)|(17,644,623)|(17,519,380)| |**TOTAL EXPENDITURE**
2|**(3,766,819)**|**(12,989,939)**|**(915,549)**|**(17,672,307)**|**(18,066,830)**| |**Net (expenditure) / income**|(2,144,351)|1,047,214|1,591,821|494,684|3,787,900| |**Realised and unrealised gains on**
**investments**|(46,010)|5,487,179|72,131|5,513,300|9,766,353| |**Net income / (expenditure)**|(2,190,362)|6,534,393|1,663,953|6,007,985|13,554,253| |Transfers between funds|2,114,868|(138,079)|(1,976,788)|0|0| |Transfers - School Building Fund Levy|0|0|0|0|0| |Transfers - Diocesan Levy|2,572,009|(2,572,009)|0|0|0| |**NET MOVEMENT ON FUNDS**|**2,496,515**|**3,824,305**|**(312,835)**|**6,007,985**|**13,554,253**| |**Reconciliation of funds**|||||| |Fund balances brought forward|2,378,471|85,357,711|11,646,345|99,382,527|85,828,274| |Fund balances carried forward|4,874,986|89,182,016|11,333,510|105,390,512|99,382,527| The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses in the period. All operations are continuing and there are no discontinued operations in either year. The comparative year’s Statement of Activities is included in Note 15. 79 |**Balance Sheet**
**As at 31 August 2025**
Notes
**Fixed Assets**||||| |---|---|---|---|---| ||CURIA
FUNDS|PARISH
FUNDS|TOTAL
2025|TOTAL
2024| |||||| |Tangible assets
4|6,683,842|40,840,109|47,523,951|49,239,322| |Investments
5|3,238,745|40,880,662|44,119,407|38,666,967| ||**9,922,587**|**81,720,771**|**91,643,358**|**87,906,289**| |**Debtors: due after more than one year**
6|0|0|0|0| |**Current Assets**||||| |Debtors and prepayments
6|1,502,983|318,495|1,821,477|460,629| |Cash at bank and in hand|7,056,955|11,832,277|18,889,232|16,372,334| ||**8,559,938**|**12,150,772**|**20,710,709**|**16,832,962**| |**Creditors: due within one year**
7|(6,706,467)|(257,088)|(6,963,555)|(5,356,724)| |**Net Current Assets**|**1,853,471**|**11,893,684**|**13,747,155**|**11,476,238**| |**Creditors: due after more than one year**
7|0|0|0|0| |**Parish Loan Accounts**||||| |Due from parishes
|2,707,259|(2,707,259)|0|0| |Net Of Intra-curial|494,767|(494,767)|0|0| |Due to parishes|(1,357,205)|1,357,204|0|0| ||**1,844,821**|**(1,844,822)**|**0**|**0**| |||||| |**NET ASSETS**|**13,620,879**|**91,769,633**|**105,390,512**|**99,382,527**| |**Unrestricted Funds**||||| |General Funds|1,900,780|0|1,900,780|(1,545,271)| |Designated Funds
10|2,974,206|89,182,016|92,156,222|89,281,453| ||**4,874,986**|**89,182,016**|**94,057,002**|**87,736,181**| |**Restricted Funds**
**9**|**8,568,519**|**1,743,243**|**10,311,762**|**10,634,086**| |**Permanent Endowment Funds**
**8**|**177,374**|**844,374**|**1,021,748**|**1,012,259**| |**RESERVES**|13,620,878|91,769,634|105,390,512|99,382,527| Approved by the Board of Trustees on the 30 April 2026 and signed on their behalf by the Rt Rev Philip Egan and Canon Rev James McAuley 80 |**Statement of**
**Cash Flows**
**For the Year Ended 31 August 2025**
**Reconciliation of net income / (expenditure) to net cash fow from operating**
**activities**||| |---|---|---| ||TOTAL
AUG 2025|TOTAL
AUG 2024| |||| |**Net income / (expenditure) for the reporting period (asper the SOFA)**|6,007,985|
13,554,253| |Realised and unrealised gains on investments|(5,513,300)|(9,766,353)| |Dividends, interest and rents from investments|(1,445,245)|(1,188,875)| |Depreciation|802,107|
816,716| |Loss/(gain) on disposal of Tangible Fixed Assets|328,253|
675,808| |(Increase)/decrease in debtors|(1,360,849)|839,504| |(Decrease)/increase in creditors|8,600|
(319,745)| ||(1,172,449)|4,611,308| |||| |**Net cash infow from operating activities**|(1,172,449)|4,611,308| |||| |**Cash fows from investing activities**||| |Returns on investment
|1,445,245|
1,188,875| |Payments to acquire tangible fxed assets
|0|(4,165,000)| |Receipts from sales of tangible fxed assets|0|0| |Payments to acquire investments|(3,960,062)|(442,927)| |Receipts from sales of investments|4,605,933|
191,386| ||2,091,117|
(3,227,666)| |||| |**Cash fows from fnancing activities**||| |New bank loans received|0|0| |Movement on School Loans|1,598,231|
(919,736)| |Bank loan repayments|0|0| ||1,598,231|
(919,736)| |||| |Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year|2,516,898|
463,907| |Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year|16,372,334|
15,908,427| |Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year|18,889,232|
16,372,334| 81 |**Statement of**
**Cash Flows**
**(Cont.)**
**For the Year Ended 31 August 2025**
**Reconciliation of cash fow to movement in net funds/(debt)**|**Statement of**
**Cash Flows**
**(Cont.)**
**For the Year Ended 31 August 2025**
**Reconciliation of cash fow to movement in net funds/(debt)**||| |---|---|---|---| |||TOTAL
AUG 2025|TOTAL
AUG 2024| ||||| |Increase in cash in the year
||2,516,898|
463,907| |Net cash infow from movements in bank loans||(1,598,231)|
919,736| |Change in net funds in the year||918,668|
1,383,642| |Net funds at the beginning of the year||11,715,514|
10,331,871| |Net funds at the year end||12,634,182|11,715,514| |**Analysis of net funds/(debt)**
Cash and bank balances|||| ||1 SEP 24
CASH
FLOWS|OTHER|31 AUG 25| ||16,372,334
2,516,898|0|18,889,232| ||(4,656,820)
(1,598,231)|0|(6,255,051)| ||11,715,514
918,668
0
12,634,182||| 82 ## _**c) Legacies, Donations and Grants**_ ## **Statement of Accounting Policies** Legacies and donations are recognised when 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**_ ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025** 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 excludes trading subsidiaries listed in note 13. The accounting period is the 12 months to 31 August 2025. The subsidiaries are not consolidated due to immateriality. ## _**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 Ten-Year Mission Plan, _You will be My Witnesses._ 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 Diocese’s investments. Costs of charitable activities consist of all expenditure directly relating to the charitable objects of the Diocese. 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 83 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 are 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 predecessor entity, 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. 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. A full year’s depreciation is charged on additions, and no depreciation is charged on disposals in the year. Depreciation is calculated by the straightline method to write off the cost/value less anticipated residual value, over the expected useful lives of assets as follows: ## **Freehold property (excluding land):** 50 years **Leasehold property:** 50 years or, if less, the term of the lease ## **Furniture and equipment:** 5 to 20 years ## _**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: Fixed assets and investment properties. ## _**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 percent 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- 84 instrument transactions that result in the recognition of financial assets and liabilities like trade and other accounts receivables/ payables 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 property professional. 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. ## _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-instrument transactions that result in the recognition of financial assets and liabilities like trade and other accounts receivables/payables and investments in stocks and shares. 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). ## _**o) Roundings**_ The Financial Statements and notes to the accounts may contain rounding differences. This is because the underlying balances for each line and column are to two decimal places, but as all amounts are presented as whole numbers, totals may appear to be £1 more or less than the sum of the parts. ## _**l) Parochial Funds**_ Each parish is considered by Canon Law to be 85 ## **Notes to the Accounts** **For the Year Ended 31 August 2025** ## **1. Investment Income and Interest Receivable** |**1. Investment Income and Interest Receivable**||| |---|---|---| ||2025|2024| |Arisingonquoted investments|0|98,922| |Rent on investment property|1,229,323|1,030,508| |Bank interest|215,922|59,445| ||1,445,245|1,188,875| All income received from investments during the year ending August 2025 has been reinvested and is thus reflected in the capital values of the investments. 86 ## **2. Charitable Expenditure** |**Direct costs**
|**SUPPORT OF PARISH LIFE**|**SUPPORT OF PARISH LIFE**||**VOCATION**||**EDUCATION**|**EDUCATION**|**EVANGELISATION**|**EVANGELISATION**|Fundraising|TOTAL| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||Locally Incurred
Costs|Centrally
Incurred Costs|Training
New Clergy,
Promoting
vocations|Supporting
Clergy in
ministry|Supporting
Retired Clergy|Supporting
Catholic
Education|Youth and
University
Chaplaincies|Supporting
the Poor and
Marginalised -
Inspired by the
Love of Christ|New
Evangelisation||| ||0|0|184,861|
332,024|
377,849|240,999|
177,005|61,985|20,847|754|1,396,325| |The Ofce of the Bishop|0|371,840|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|371,840| |Chancery|0|2,056|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|2,056| |Tribunal|0|23,574|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|23,574| |Hospital chaplaincies|0|31,827|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|31,827| |Seminarians|0|0|247,750|
0|0|0|0|0|0|0|247,750| |Maintenance of Catholic schools|0|0|0|0|0|286,681|
0|0|0|0|286,681| |Caritas|0|0|65,677|
0|0|0|0|0|0|0|65,677| |**Parish costs**|||||||||||| |Clergy
|1,860,133|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|1,860,133| |Staf|1,745,727|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|1,745,727| |Church running costs
|1,906,671|
0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|1,906,671| |Ofce running costs|888,586|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|888,586| |Investment management fees|22,536|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|22,536| |General: books, events, donations, fees etc|951,386|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|951,386| |Insurance|460,167|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|460,167| |Repairs and maintenance|4,493,991|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|4,493,991| |Depreciation|660,742|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|660,742| |**Designated funds**|0|10,463|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|10,463| |**Endowment funds**|0|2,085|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|2,085| |**Restricted funds**|0|248,933|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|248,933| ||12,989,939|
756,456|432,611|
332,024|
377,849|527,680|177,005|61,985|
20,847|754|
15,677,151| 87 ## **2. Charitable Expenditure (cont.)** |**Direct costs andparish costs**|**SUPPORT OF PARISH LIFE**|**SUPPORT OF PARISH LIFE**||**VOCATION**||**EDUCATION**|**EDUCATION**|**EVANGELISATION**|**EVANGELISATION**|Fundraising|TOTAL| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||Locally Incurred
Costs|Centrally
Incurred Costs|Training
New Clergy,
Promoting
vocations|Supporting
Clergy in
ministry|Supporting
Retired Clergy|Supporting
Catholic
Education|Youth and
University
Chaplaincies|Supporting
the Poor and
Marginalised -
Inspired by the
Love of Christ|New
Evangelisation||| ||12,989,939|
756,456|432,611|
332,024|
377,849|527,680|
177,005|61,985|
20,847|754|
15,677,151| |**Support costs**|||||||||||| |Communications|39,653|
39,653|7,931|
7,931|
7,931|7,931|
7,931|7,931|
7,931|23,792|
158,614| |Estates|219,949|
0|0|0|109,975|109,975|
0|0|0|0|439,898| |People|148,452|
0|1,546|
1,546|
1,546|3,093|
773|773|
2,320|773|
160,823| |IT|113,600|
0|4,733|
4,733|
4,733|9,467|
2,367|2,367|
7,100|2,367|
151,467| |Finance|417,648|
24,321|13,909|
10,675|
12,148|16,966|
5,691|1,993|
670|24|
504,046| |Governance*|91,222|
5,312|3,038|
2,332|
2,653|3,706|
1,243|435|
146|5|
110,093| |Curia property and overheads|69,888|
11,160|1,764|
1,545|
7,746|8,420|
1,034|784|
1,043|1,496|
104,880| |Safeguarding|229,090|
0|628|
628|
628|628|
628|628|
628|0|233,484| |Bishops Conference Levy|0|131,852|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|131,852| |**TOTAL**|14,319,442|
968,754|466,160|
361,414|
525,210|687,864|
196,671|76,896|
40,684|29,211|
17,672,307| For full comparative figures, see Note 16. |_*Governance costs include the auditors’ remuneration_
2025
2024|_*Governance costs include the auditors’ remuneration_
2025
2024|_*Governance costs include the auditors’ remuneration_
2025
2024| |---|---|---| |Audit (includingVAT)|68,400|65,700| 88 ## **3. Staff** |**3. Staf**||| |---|---|---| |**Staf Costs**|2025|2024| |Wages and salaries|3,349,833|3,335,545| |Social security|299,580|241,689| |Pension costs|131,467|125,004| |Redundancy costs|15,254|53,399| ||3,796,135|3,755,637| The average number of total employees (not full-time equivalents) of the Diocese during the period and their aggregate emoluments are shown below: |
emoluments are shown below:||| |---|---|---| |**Monthly Average Number of Employees**
Curia|2025|2024| ||48|50| |Parishes|144|168| |**Number of Employees with Emoluments Greater Than £60,000**
£60,001 - £70,000|192|226| |||| ||2025|2024| ||1|0| |£70,001 - £80,000|0|1| |£80,001 - £90,000|2|1| |£90,001 - £100,000|2|2| Key management personnel received salary, benefits and pension contributions of £669,014 (2024: £671,761) during the year. 89 ## **4. Tangible Fixed Assets** |**4. Tangible Fixed Assets**||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |**COST OR VALUATION**|Freehold
Buildings|Leasehold
Buildings|Furniture &
Equipment|Total| |||||| |At 1 September 2024|48,433,057|1,759,191|352,734|50,544,981| |Additions|0|0|0|0| |Disposals|(425,918)|0|0|(425,918)| |Transfers to investment properties|(511,692)|0|0|(511,692)| |At 31 August 2025|47,495,447|1,759,191|352,734|49,607,372| |||||| |**DEPRECIATION**||||| |At 1 September 2024|1,217,626|58,640|29,394|1,305,660| |Charge for the period|749,905|35,184|17,018|802,107| |On disposals|(12,434)|0|(1,031)|(13,465)| |Transfers to investment properties|(10,882)|0|0|(10,882)| |At 31 August 2025|1,944,215|93,824|45,381|2,083,420| |||||| |**NET BOOK VALUE**||||| |At 31 August 2025|45,551,232|1,665,367|307,353|47,523,952| |At 31 August 2024|47,215,431|1,700,551|323,339|49,239,321| 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 £300 million. 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 Diocese’s charitable objects. 90 ## **5. Investments** |**5. Investments**|||| |---|---|---|---| |Fair value at 1 September 2024|Investment
Properties|Quoted
Investments|TOTAL| ||32,030,327|
6,636,640|
38,666,967| |Additions|0|3,960,062|3,960,062| |Disposals|(469,000)|(4,052,732)|(4,521,732)| |Transfer from Tangible Fixed Assets|500,810|0|500,810| |Transfers to Tangible Fixed Assets|0|0|0| |Revaluation gains|4,941,436|571,864|5,513,300| |**Fair value at 31 August 2025**|37,003,573|7,115,834|
44,119,407| 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 by the predecessor entity at 1 January 1997 is available; the value at which they were first recognised in the accounts was £1,014,500. £37,003,573 of investment properties were valued in October 25 by Broadlands, Savills, Simmons & Sons, Leaders, Ross Nicholas, Kelway Law, Hose Rhodes Dickson, Robin Austen, Romans, Zoopla and Charters. The revaluation gain on investment property of £4,941,436 follows a comprehensive Estates Department review, during the year, of potential and actual investment properties across the diocese. The review has resulted in a number of functional properties being rented out for the first time and thus reclassified. It has also enabled the identification and reclassification of properties that were already rented, where the long terms plans and classification had previously been unclear. This review has encompassed the entire diocese and no further already-rented investment properties are expected to come to light in future years. 91 ## **6. Debtors** |**6. Debtors**||| |---|---|---| ||2025|2024| |**Due after more than oneyear**||| |School and other loans|0|0| |**Due within one year**||| |School and other loans|911,526|87,832| |Legacies receivable|0|0| |Other debtors and prepayments|909,952|372,797| ||1,821,477|460,629| ## **7. Creditors** |**7. Creditors**||| |---|---|---| ||2025|2024| |**Due within oneyear**||| |School and other loans|6,255,051|4,656,875| |Social security and other taxes|72,930|52,091| |Other creditors and accruals|635,601|647,758| ||6,963,555|6,596,205| 92 ## **8. Permanent Endowment Funds** |**PAROCHIAL**|Balance at 1
Sep 2024|Income|Expenditure|Transfers|Gains and
losses on
investments|Balance at
31 Aug 2025| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||||||| |Properties|361,618|
0|0|0|0|361,618| |Countess of Clare|203,801|
0|(1,299)|0|5,296|207,798| |Tanguy Masses|1,936|
0|(8)|0|66|1,994| |St Mary’s Mission|231,463|
0|(262)|0|2,096|233,296| |Christchurch Parish Priest|39,669|
0|0|0|0|39,669| ||838,487|
0|(1,570)|0|7,458|844,375| |**CURIAL**||||||| |Curtin Masses|47,104|
0|(200)|0|1,598|48,502| |Dunne Masses|2,671|
0|0|0|0|2,671| |St Joseph Education Fund|123,998|
0|(315)|0|2,519|126,201| ||173,773|
0|(516)|0|4,116|177,374| |**TOTAL**|**1,012,260**|
**0**|
**(2,085)**|**0**|**11,574**|**1,021,749**| For full comparative figures, see Note 17 ## **PAROCHIAL** ## **Countess of Clare** Relates to Rosary Cottage, Carisbrooke, on the Isle of Wight. ## **Tanguy Masses** Endowment for Masses for the Repose of the Soul of the Rev Tanguy. ## **St Mary’s Mission** Religious or other Charitable Purposes in the Parish of Alton. ## **Christchurch Parish Priest** ## **CURIAL** ## **Curtin Masses** Endowment for Masses for the Repose of the Soul of the Rev Curtin. ## **Dunne Masses** Endowment for Masses for the Repose of the Soul of the Rev Dunne. ## **St Joseph Education Fund** To support Education to the Catholic Community in and around Wantage, Oxfordshire. For the benefit of the Parish Priest of the Church of the Immaculate Conception and St Joseph Christchurch. 93 ## **9. Restricted Funds** |**CURIAL**|Balance at 1
Sep 2024|Income|Expenditure|Transfers|Gains and
losses on
investments|Balance at
31 Aug 2025| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||||||| |Social Welfare|165,383|0|0|(165,383)|0|0| |Clergy Training|889,895|21|0|(889,628)|0|288| |Bamenda Fund|155,349|70,795|(75,290)|0|0|150,853| |Clergy Assistance|151,780|0|0|(151,777)|0|3| |Lourdes Fund|188,672|5,024|(5,259)|0|0|188,437| |Youth Funds|783|0|0|0|0|783| |Vicariate Triple Trust|63,329|0|0|0|0|63,329| |Edmund Rice Fund|298,038|0|(2,000)|(70,000)|0|226,038| |School Building Fund|167,744|366,997|(286,681)|0|0|248,060| |Bernard Medd Fund|10,846|0|0|0|0|10,846| |Refugee Support|0|0|0|0|0|0| |Education Fund|174,548|0|(742)|0|5,921|179,727| |Diocesan Caritas|18,130|30,000|0|0|0|48,130| |Closer to Christ|717,231|1,636,736|0|(1,000,000)|0|1,353,967| |Closer to Christ - Parish|0|0|0|0|0|0| ||3,001,728|2,109,573|(369,972)|(2,276,788)|5,921|2,470,462| |**PRIESTS RETIREMENT FUND**||||||| |Priests Retirement Fund|6,017,249|126,136|(377,849)|300,000|32,520|6,098,056| ||6,017,249|126,136|(377,849)|300,000|32,520|6,098,056| |**PAROCHIAL**||||||| |Parish Fundraising|773,948|271,661|(155,422)|0|0|890,186| |Barron Trust|475,806|0|(1,941)|0|15,496|489,361| |Pangbourne Assistance Fund|205,492|0|(8,279)|0|6,621|203,834| |Foundation Masses|159,862|0|0|0|0|159,862| ||1,615,108|271,661|(165,642)|0|22,117|1,743,243| |**TOTAL**|**10,634,085**|**2,507,370**|**(913,463)**|**(1,976,788)**|**60,557**|**10,311,761**| For full comparative figures, see Note 18 94 ## **9. Restricted Funds** ## **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. A transfer is made to the General Fund from which the training costs are paid. ## **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. ## **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. ## **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. ## **Education Fund** This fund is utilised for the support of schools and other educational purposes within the Diocese. ## **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 raise £13.5 million over five years, with a third of the proceeds returning to the parishes and the remainder being split between funding seminarians, current clergy and our retired priests. ## **PAROCHIAL** ## **Parish Fund Raising** 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. The St Joseph Education Fund and Christchurch Parish Priest Fund have been reclassified as Permanent Endowments. ## **Foundation Masses** Legacies left for mass intentions of the deceased, are held as separate funds within the parishes. 95 ## **10. Designated Funds** |**CURIAL**|Balance at 1
Sep 2024|Income|Expenditure|Transfers|Gains and
losses on
investments|Balance at
31 Aug 2025| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||||||| |Diocesan Caritas|37,701|65,677|(76,140)|0|0|27,239| |Pastoral Development Fund|1,125,868|0|0|(1,125,869)|0|0| |Diocesan Development Fund|0|0|0|186,796|0|186,796| |Diocesan Buildings Fund|2,760,171|0|0|0|0|2,760,171| ||3,923,740|65,677|(76,140)|(939,073)|0|2,974,204| |**PAROCHIAL**||||||| |Living Our Faith Fund|526,522|0|0|(152,128)|0|374,394| |Living Our Faith Jersey|9,577|0|0|0|0|9,577| |Diocesan Buildings Fund|41,845,599|0|(932,649)|0|0|40,912,950| |Other Parochial Funds|42,976,013|14,037,154|(12,057,291)|(2,557,960)|5,487,179|47,885,095| ||85,357,711|14,037,154|(12,989,939)|(2,710,088)|5,487,179|89,182,016| |**TOTAL**|**89,281,451**|**14,102,831**|**(13,066,079**|**(3,649,161)**|**5,487,179**|**92,156,221**| For full comparative figures, see Note 19 ## **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. ## **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. The transfer to clear the PDF reflects the fact that this fund has been superceded by the DDF (see below). ## **Diocesan Development Fund** The Diocesan Development Fund is a fund to allow the Bishop and Board of Trustees to fund projects considered to be urgent priorities but for which no parish (or Pastoral Area) funds are available. This will usually be provided as a loan to the receiving parish unless there are exceptional circumstances. ## **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. ## **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. Transfers within the curial element relate to the offsetting, approved by Trustees, of eligible expenditure, previously treated as unrestricted, against the fund, whilst transfers within the parish section relate to the offsetting of amounts owed by the parishes to the curia against Living Our Faith amounts owed to parishes. 96 ## **11. Allocation of Net Assets** |**Permanent Endowment Funds**|Fixed Assets|Investments|Cash &
Debtors|Current &
Long Term
Liabilities|Parish Loan
Accounts|Total at 31
Aug 2025| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||||||| |Curial|0|124,957|52,417|0|0|177,374| |Parochial|508,271|225,987|97,067|0|13,050|844,375| |**Restricted Funds**||||||| |Curial|4,120,399|996,986|1,686,702|(4,208)|1,768,640|8,568,519| |Parochial|0|835,913|909,626|0|(2,296)|1,743,243| |**Unrestricted Funds**||||||| |Curial|2,563,443|2,116,802|6,820,818|(6,702,259)|76,181|4,874,986| |Parochial|40,331,838|39,818,762|11,144,079|(257,088)|(1,855,576)|89,182,016| |**Total Net Assets**|**47,523,951**|**44,119,407**|**20,710,709**|**(6,963,555)**|**0**|**105,390,512**| For full comparative figures, see Note 20 ## **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 £5,500 (2024: £10,424). 97 ## **13. Trading Subsidiaries** During the period the Diocese had wholly owned active subsidiary companies incorporated in England and Wales. Due to immateriality, the trading subsidiaries are not consolidated and their combined totals are shown below in summary form. **The Portsmouth Diocesan Trading Company Limited** General commercial trading on behalf (Company Number: 2746549) of the Diocese **Catholic Resource Centre Limited** Operation under licence of a carpark (Company Number: 3141601) and sale of religious material **Our Lady of Peace Catholic Club Limited** Management of licensed premises on (Company Number: 3340552) behalf of Our Lady of Peace, Earley **The Bournemouth Oratory Undercroft Limited** Church based cafe (Company Number: 15887816) **Caritas Jersey** Catholic social action in Jersey (Jersey Company Number: 116008) A summary of the companies’ trading results and balance sheets is set out below: |Consolidated proft and loss account for the year ended 31 August 2025
**TURNOVER**|2025|2024| |---|---|---| ||376,344|371,571| |Cost of sales|(143,500)|(154,527)| |**GROSS PROFIT**|232,844|217,044| |Administrative expenses|(42,716)|(86,104)| ||190,128|130,940| |Amount gifted to the Charity
|(200,579)|(150,579)| |Transfer of fxed assets
|0|0| |Tax on proft on ordinary activities|0|0| |**(LOSS) / PROFIT AFTER TAXATION**|(10,451)|(19,638)| |Reserves brought forward|(7,655)|11,983| |**RESERVES CARRIED FORWARD**|(18,106)|(7,655)| 98 ## **13. Trading Subsidiaries (cont.)** |**13. Trading Subsidiaries (cont.)**||| |---|---|---| |Consolidated Balance Sheet for the Year Ended 31 August 2025
**FIXED ASSETS**|2025|2024| |||| |Tangible Assets|58,444|48,952| |**CURRENT ASSETS**||| |Stock|2,377|7,529| |Debtors|54,832|
66,916| |Cash at bank and in hand|194,494|
175,434| ||251,703|
249,879| |CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year|(146,446)|(151,080)| |**NET CURRENT ASSETS**|105,258|
98,799| |CREDITORS: Amounts falling due after one year|(38,308)|(11,906)| |**NET ASSETS**|125,393|
135,845| |Share Capital|143,500|
143,500| |Reserves|(18,106)|(7,655)| ## **14. Related Party Transactions** There were no related party transactions during the year. (2024: Nil). 99 ## **15. Consolidated Statement of Financial** ## **Activities for the Year Ended 31 August 2024** |Notes
**Donations and legacies**
|Unrestricted|Unrestricted|Restricted||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||CURIA
TOTAL|PARISH
TOTAL|RESTRICT-
ED TOTAL|TOTAL
AUG 2024|TOTAL
AUG 2023| ||||||| |Donations and ofertories|18,612|
12,796,287|
3,259,463|
16,074,361|
14,380,499| |Legacies|446,124|
646,397|
54,677|
1,147,198|
866,484| |Other|742,044|
1,417,513|
90,760|
2,250,317|
1,727,748| |**Other trading activities**|||||| |Rent - miscellaneous lettings|21,200|
1,114,461|
0|1,135,661|
906,331| |Income of trading subsidiaries|0|0|0|0|0| |**Investments**|||||| |Investment income & interest receivable|2,091|
147,727|
8,549|
158,367|
174,136| |Rent - investment properties|39,558|
981,874|
9,076|
1,030,508|
451,989| |**Other**|||||| |Insurance claims|0|58,316|
0|58,316|
117,790| |Transfer from Predecessor Entity|0|0|0|0|81,124,597| |**TOTAL INCOME**|**1,269,629**|
**17,162,575**|
**3,422,526**|
**21,854,729**|
**99,749,573**| |**Expenditure on raising funds**|||||| |Finance costs|(493)|(20,459)|(526,498)|(547,450)|(958,521)| |**Charitable activities**in furtherance of
the Roman Catholic Faith|(4,123,679)|(11,142,330)|(2,253,371)|(17,519,380)|(12,061,438)| |**TOTAL EXPENDITURE**|**(4,124,171)**|**(11,162,789)**|**(2,779,869)**|**(18,066,830)**|**(13,019,959)**| |**Net (Outgoing)/Incoming Resources**
**before transfers**|(2,854,543)|5,999,786|
642,656|
3,787,900|
86,729,614| |**Realised and unrealised gains on**
**investments**|72,482|
9,599,778|
94,094|
9,766,353|
(901,340)| |**Net income / (expenditure)**|(2,782,061)|15,599,564|
736,750|
13,554,253|
85,828,273| |Transfers between funds|930,318|
(416,065)|(514,253)|0|0| |Transfers - School Building Fund Levy|0|0|0|0|0| |Transfers - Diocesan Levy|2,407,224|
(2,407,224)|0|0|0| |**NET MOVEMENT ON FUNDS**|**555,481**|
**12,776,275**|
**222,497**|
**13,554,253**|
**85,828,273**| |**Reconciliation of funds**|||||| |Fund balances brought forward|1,822,990|
72,581,436|
11,423,848|
85,828,274|
0| |Fund balances carried forward|2,378,471|
85,357,711|
11,646,345|
99,382,527|
85,828,274| 100 ## **16. Charitable Expenditure and Support Costs for the Year Ended 31 August 2024** |**Direct costs**
|**SUPPORT OF PARISH LIFE**|**SUPPORT OF PARISH LIFE**||**VOCATION**||**EDUCATION**|**EDUCATION**|**EVANGELISATION**|**EVANGELISATION**|Fundraising|TOTAL| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||Locally Incurred
Costs|Centrally
Incurred Costs|Training
New Clergy,
Promoting
vocations|Supporting
Clergy in
ministry|Supporting
Retired Clergy|Supporting
Catholic
Education|Youth and
University
Chaplaincies|Supporting
the Poor and
Marginalised -
Inspired by the
Love of Christ|New
Evangelisation||| ||0|0|465,306|
321,601|
618,891|266,908|
136,899|45,420|
27,055|16,126|
1,898,205| |The Ofce of the Bishop|0|353,378|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|353,378| |Chancery|0|1,721|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|1,721| |Tribunal|0|22,761|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|22,761| |Hospital chaplaincies|0|39,647|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|39,647| |Maintenance of Catholic schools|0|0|0|0|0|517,645|
0|0|0|0|517,645| |Caritas|0|60,524|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|60,524| |**Parish costs**|||||||||||| |Clergy
|1,776,162|
0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|1,776,162| |Staf|1,900,902|
0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|1,900,902| |Church running costs
|1,947,888|
0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|1,947,888| |Ofce running costs|882,979|
0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|882,979| |Investment management fees|20,459|
0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|20,459| |General: books, events, donations, fees etc|277,283|
0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|277,283| |Insurance|438,367|
0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|438,367| |Repairs and maintenance|3,254,814|
0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|3,254,814| |Depreciation|663,934|
0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|663,934| |**Designated funds**|0|59,218|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|59,218| |**Endowment funds**|0|3,077|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|3,077| |**Restricted funds**|0|1,118,392|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|521,865|
1,640,257| ||11,162,789|
1,658,717|465,306|
321,601|
618,891|784,553|
136,899|45,420|
27,055|537,991|15,759,222| 101 ## **16. Charitable Expenditure and Support Costs for the Year Ended 31 August 2024 (cont.)** |**Support costs**|**SUPPORT OF PARISH LIFE**|**SUPPORT OF PARISH LIFE**||**VOCATION**||**EDUCATION**|**EDUCATION**|**EVANGELISATION**|**EVANGELISATION**|Fundraising|TOTAL| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||Locally Incurred
Costs|Centrally
Incurred Costs|Training
New Clergy,
Promoting
vocations|Supporting
Clergy in
ministry|Supporting
Retired Clergy|Supporting
Catholic
Education|Youth and
University
Chaplaincies|Supporting
the Poor and
Marginalised -
Inspired by the
Love of Christ|New
Evangelisation||| ||||||||||||| |Communications|46,866|
46,866|9,373.15|
9,373.15|
9,373.15|9,373.15|
9,373.15|9,373.15|
9,373.15|28,119.46|
187,463| |Estates|182,412|
0|0|0|91,206|91,206|
0|0|0|0|364,824| |People|153,096|
0|1,595|
1,595|
1,595|3,190|
797|797|
2,392|797|
165,854| |IT|110,120|
0|4,588|
4,588|
4,588|9,177|
2,294|2,294|
6,883|2,294|
146,827| |Finance|328,056|
48,747|13,675|
9,451|
18,188|23,057|
4,023|1,335|
795|15,811|
463,137| |Governance|171,688|
25,512|7,157|
4,946|
9,519|12,067|
2,106|699|
416|8,274|
242,382| |Curia property and overheads|253,742|
55,288|7,926|
6,545|
28,992|31,912|
4,105|3,225|
4,377|11,876|
407,987| |Safeguarding|189,205|
0|518|
518|
518|518|
518|518|
518|0|192,833| |Bishops Conference Levy|0|136,300|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|136,300| |**TOTAL**|12,597,973|
1,971,430|510,138|
358,618|
782,870|965,052|
160,116|63,662|
51,809|605,163|18,066,830| 102 ## **17. Permanent Endowment Funds Comparative Figures for the Year Ended 31 August 2024** |**PAROCHIAL**|Balance at 1
Sep 2023|Net
Income /
Expenditure|Transfers|Gains and
losses on
investments|Balance at
31 Aug 2024| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||||| |Properties|361,618|
0|0|0|361,618| |Other|190,854|
7,052|
0|5,894|
203,801| |Tanguy Masses|1,776|
(8)|0|168|
1,936| |St Mary’s Mission|226,826|
(693)|0|5,330|
231,463| |Christchurch Parish Priest|39,669|
0|0|0|39,669| ||820,743|
6,352|
0|11,392|
838,487| |**CURIAL**|||||| |Curtin Masses|44,270|
(1,257)|0|4,092|
47,104| |Dunne Masses|2,671|
0|0|0|2,671| |St Joseph Education Fund|117,842|
(293)|0|6,450|
123,998| ||164,782|
(1,551)|0|10,541|
173,773| |**TOTAL**|**985,525**|
**4,801**|
**0**|**21,933**|
**1,012,260**| 103 ## **18. Restricted Funds Comparative Figures for the Year Ended 31 August 2024** |**CURIAL**|Balance at
01 Sep 2023|Income|Expenditure|Transfers|Gains and
losses on
investments|Balance at
31 Aug 2024| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||||||| |Social Welfare|189,590|
0|(24,206)|0|0|165,383| |Clergy Training|889,731|
10|
154|
0|0|889,895| |Bamenda Fund|152,120|
59,748|
(56,519)|0|0|155,349| |Clergy Assistance|151,780|
0|0|0|0|151,780| |Lourdes Fund|192,825|
1,356|
(5,509)|0|0|188,672| |Youth Funds|783|
0|0|0|0|783| |Vicariate Triple Trust|64,941|
0|(1,612)|0|0|63,329| |Edmund Rice Fund|305,606|
(1)|(7,568)|0|0|298,038| |School Building Fund|(2)|418,320|
(250,574)|0|0|167,744| |Bernard Medd Fund|10,846|
0|0|0|0|10,846| |Refugee Support|1,066|
0|(1,066)|0|0|0| |Education Fund|152,815|
0|6,572|
0|15,162|
174,548| |Diocesan Caritas|45,143|
42,380|
(69,393)|0|0|18,130| |Closer to Christ|633,404|
1,605,695|
(796,861)|(725,006)|0|717,231| |Closer to Christ - Parish||630,542|
(630,542)|0|0|0| ||2,790,647|
2,758,050|
(1,837,124)|(725,006)|15,162|
3,001,729| |**PRIESTS RETIREMENT FUND**||||||| |Priest’s Retirement Fund|5,988,092|
348,047|
(618,891)|300,000|
0|6,017,249| ||5,988,092|
348,047|
(618,891)|300,000|
0|6,017,249| |**PAROCHIAL**||||||| |Parish Fund Raising|802,352|
297,701|
(326,105)|0|0|773,948| |Barron Trust|426,373|
11,556|
(1,806)|0|39,683|
475,806| |Pangbourne Assistance Fund|189,605|
(684)|(790)|0|17,361|
205,492| |Foundation Masses|159,930|
(68)|0|0|0|159,862| |Caritas Jersey Ltd|81,324|
7,923|
0|(89,247)|0|0| ||1,659,584|
316,428|
(328,701)|(89,247)|57,044|
1,615,108| |**TOTAL**|**10,438,323**|
**3,422,525**|
**(2,784,715)**|**(514,253)**|**72,206**|
**10,634,085**| 104 ## **19. Designated Funds Comparative Figures for the Year Ended 31 August 2024** |**CURIAL**|Balance at
01 Sep 2023|Income|Expenditure|Transfers|Gains and
losses on
investments|Balance at
31 Aug 2024| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||||||| |Education Fund|0|0|0|0|0|0| |Diocesan Caritas|41,427|
56,799|
(60,524)|0|0|37,701| |Insurance Risk Fund|0|0|0|0|0|0| |Pastoral Development Fund|1,125,868|
0|0|0|0|1,125,868| |Living Our Faith Fund|1,789,031|
(1,463)|0|(1,787,569)|0|0| |Diocesan Buildings Fund|2,819,389|
0|(59,218)|0|0|2,760,171| ||5,775,715|
55,336|
(119,742)|(1,787,569)|0|3,923,740| |**PAROCHIAL**||||||| |Living Our Faith Fund|942,587|
0|0|(416,065)|0|526,522| |Living Our Faith Jersey|9,577|
0|0|0|0|9,577| |Diocesan Buildings Fund|37,350,172|
4,495,427|
0|0|0|41,845,599| |Other Parochial Funds|34,279,100|
12,667,148|
(11,162,789)|(2,407,224)|9,599,778|
42,976,013| ||72,581,436|
17,162,575|
(11,162,789)|(2,823,289)|9,599,778|
85,357,711| |**TOTAL**|**78,357,152**|
**17,217,911**|
**(11,282,531)**|**(4,610,858)**|**9,599,778**|
**89,281,451**| 105 ## **20. Allocation of Net Assets Comparative Figures for the Year Ended 31 August 2024** |**Permanent Endowment Funds**|Fixed Assets|Investments|Cash &
Debtors|Current &
Long Term
Liabilities|Parish Loan
Accounts|Total at 31
Aug 2024| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||||||| |Curial|0|121,356|
49,746|
0|2,671|
173,773| |Parochial|508,271|
219,013|
58,484|
0|52,719|
838,487| |**Restricted Funds**||||||| |Curial|4,689,165|
729,377|
1,660,161|
(4,405)|1,944,680|
9,018,979| |Parochial|0|816,567|
798,542|
0|0|1,615,108| |**Unrestricted Funds**||||||| |Curial|2,717,959|
2,618,490|
4,264,889|
(5,079,499)|(2,143,369)|2,378,470| |Parochial|41,323,927|
34,162,164|
10,001,140|
(272,820)|143,299|
85,357,710| |**Total Net Assets**|**49,239,322**|
**38,666,967**|
**16,832,962**|
**(5,356,724)**|**0**|**99,382,526**| 106 ## **Thank you** Many of the stories in this report about supporting our communities and furthering our Mission would not have been possible without the kindness and generosity of our volunteers, donors, Trusts and other supporters. We cannot thank everyone individually here but we are indebted to each and every one of those for their contribution. ## **Leaving 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 Jesus 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. Your gift will have an enduring impact for generations to come. Making provision for the Diocese isn’t costly or complicated. To start a conversation, please get in touch by emailing legacygiving@ portsmouthdiocese.org.uk. ## **Keep in touch** @catholicportsmouth Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth portsmouthdiocese.org.uk sign-up for Bishop Philip’s weekly enews via our website 107