Policies, Manuals and Forms

In applying the principle of subsidiarity, the Diocese of Victoria recognizes that at the local parish level the Pastor, by virtue of the authority delegated to him by the Bishop, has the authority and the responsibility to approve speaking events held in the parish, including those involving presenters.

The Pastor may choose to delegate administrative tasks such as defining budget requirements, details concerning registration and fee collection, and the recruitment of volunteers, but ultimately he is responsible for overseeing that proper Diocesan policies are in place and respected.

Occasionally the Diocese may offer support or receive a request for support from a parish or Catholic group wishing to offer an event to the greater Diocesan community. Please submit an Event Protocol Form for Diocesan-sponsored events.

All promotional materials (for example event-specific logos, posters and other advertising) for Diocesan events must be approved prior to being used or distributed. Please see the ‘Use of the Diocesan Crest’ section later in this document for further information about advertising parish versus Diocesan events.

The Diocese of Victoria has a Responsible Ministry and Safe Environment Policy to guarantee our commitment to the respect, dignity and wellbeing of all persons. Events must adhere to the practices and procedures prescribed in that Policy (https://www.rcdvictoria.org/responsible-ministry). For questions regarding the Diocese of Victoria’s Responsible Ministry & Safe Environment policy, please email the RMSE Coordinator at gbeattie@rcdvictoria.org.

As part of Diocesan Responsible Ministry and Safe Environment policy, and in accordance with Canon Law, all people who are visiting from outside the Diocese of Victoria to provide ministry or speak / present at an event are required to provide a Suitability Declaration form to the Chancellor, one month in advance of the event.

Suitability Declarations forms are available for:

• Visiting Priest/Deacon
• Visiting Religious Sister/Brother
• Visiting Lay Person

Parishes/schools may offer a stipend, honorarium, or speaker fee to guest speakers/presenters at their events. The Diocese will report and issue a T4A to any individual that receives $500 or more in remuneration during a calendar year, as the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) considers this sort of remuneration as taxable income.

All remuneration given to clergy/employees regularly working in the Diocese of Victoria must be submitted through Diocesan payroll.

For payments to other guest speakers/presenters, please complete the T4A Remittance Form and submit it to the Payroll Administrator prior to payment. This will ensure that the necessary information is obtained and remuneration, reimbursement, T4A requirement and tax implications are discussed with the recipient. Withholding taxes, if any, will be submitted to CRA on their behalf and billed internally to the parish/school. The form must be submitted even if the amount is less than $500, as the as $500 per year minimum is a combined total for all parishes / schools.

The requirement to issue a T4A applies even if the parish/school holds a collection and remits the entire proceeds to the speaker. Once the parish/school records or deposits the collection funds into the books or bank account and subsequently pays the individual, these funds are taxable income. Whether the parish/school issues charitable tax receipts to donors is irrelevant to the requirement of issuing a T4A.

There are a few exceptions to the requirement of submitting a T4A Remittance Form. If you feel your situation fits one of these categories, please contact the Payroll Administrator at least one month prior to your event:

• The parish/school permits the guest speaker to hold a collection or have a donation box and the funds are given directly to the speaker and NOT to the parish. No banking or recording of the funds are done by the parish. Parishioners must be made aware that the funds are to be given directly to the guest speaker and not the parish; therefore, no donation tax receipts will be issued.
• The parish/school is paying a charitable organization or religious order and the payment is NOT made to an individual.

The Diocesan Crest (‘the Crest’) is a graphic representation of the Diocese of Victoria over which the Bishop has been granted pastoral responsibility and authority. A consistent image (the Crest) creates a distinct and memorable identity that helps to establish authenticity and credible authority, and recognition for parishioners and our communities, and helps form an efficient approach to communication. In addition, when the Crest is used on posters, promotional materials or letterhead, it identifies the material and the event as Diocesan-sanctioned.

It is therefore important that the Crest is used appropriately, consistently and in accordance with the Diocese’s publication guidelines. These guidelines will assist with our collective responsibility for maintaining the quality and integrity of the graphic image that is used, and also identify the instances in which the Crest is required, and those occasions when it is permitted to be used.

Required use of the Crest

Promotional materials (posters or other advertising) for any event that is sponsored by the Diocese of Victoria must include the Diocesan Crest, and the material must be submitted for approval by Diocesan personnel prior to being distributed or used in any manner. Please contact the Office of Communications at communications@rcdvictoria.org for these approvals before you have anything printed or distributed in any form.

If you require assistance with creating a poster or other materials, please contact the Communications Coordinator via email (communications@rcdvictoria.org).

Non-permitted use of the Crest

• The Crest may not be used without prior permission from the Diocese of Victoria.
• The Crest may not be used on letterhead that is not approved by the Diocese of Victoria.
• The Crest may not be used on any promotional material to suggest representation and approval of an event or communication by the Diocese of Victoria except as approved by the Office of Communications.
• The proportion and colours of the image and its elements may not be altered in any way.

General guidelines

• The Crest should be placed and sized secondary to your content; headlines, graphics and images should always be more prominent.
• Keep every part of the Crest at its set proportions
• Keep the colours and typeface as is
• Use it on backgrounds that provide adequate contrast

Options for the Crest include black and white, full colour, or two colour (blue and white). Available formats include .jpg, .png and PDF. Please contact the Communications Coordinator by email (communications@rcdvictoria.org) to obtain a copy of the Crest for your use, or for more information.