CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte Finance Office, in partnership with ParishSOFT, will offer a two-day finance conference Tuesday-Wednesday, March 19-20, at the Catholic Conference Center in Hickory.
ParishSOFT is the standard accounting platform used by all diocesan parishes and parish based schools. The program incorporates key internal controls designed to achieve diocesan objectives of accurate, complete, timely and transparent financial reporting.
The diocesan Finance Office sponsors annual workshops designed to educate parish and schools financial staff on new accounting and tax requirements, implementing best practices, software training and diocesan financial matters. The diocesan Finance Office also performs internal audits of parish and school financial activities to determine whether parish assets are properly safeguarded, whether parish accounting procedures are appropriate and in compliance with diocesan and civil requirements.
This is the first time the diocese has sponsored a two-day conference and the first time partnering with ParishSOFT.
Finance staff and volunteers from all 92 parishes and missions, as well as Catholic schools, are encouraged to attend.
The conference will be both educational and a time of retreat, offering workshops along with time for spiritual reflection.
Father Richard Sutter, parochial administrator of St. John the Evangelist Church in Waynesville, will give a Lenten reflection March 19. The theme of his talk will be “Let Us Climb Together!” His reflection is based on Psalm 121:1-2 and Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s “The Cross and the Beatitudes.”
Monsignor Mauricio West, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese, will offer Mass March 20 during the conference.
General sessions over the two days will include: Ledger and Payable Reports and Analyzing Financial Statements; Projects – Organize for Effective Reporting; Overview of Family Suite, Ministry Management and My Own Church; Update from the Diocesan Finance Office; and Church Manager Advanced Options.
Workshops will include: What You Need to Know About Bank Reconciliation; Importing and Exporting in Accounting; How to Build Your Budget; Ledger Report Writer – Getting the Custom Statements You Need; Accounting Tips and Tricks; and Effectively Recording Credit Card Transactions.
Bill Weldon, chief financial officer of the diocese, announced plans for the financial conference last fall.
In a letter to pastors announcing the conference, he said, “This is a unique opportunity for parish finance personnel to come together to grow in faith, to learn and to relax. How wonderful it would be if every parish was represented!”
Advance registration for the finance conference is required. The cost to attend varies from $50 to $175 per person, depending on the number of days a participant attends and if overnight lodging is needed.
The diocesan finance office is offering financial assistance for attendees from parishes without the financial resources to cover the cost of attending.
For more information and to register, contact Mason Beaumont at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 704-370-3396.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior Reporter