Verification Policy

Catholic School Tuition Guidelines

In order to receive the Catholic School Tuition Discount, the parent must obtain a form from their student's Catholic School. After filling out the form, the parent will submit it to the Parish Office for review. If approved, the form will be signed and stamped by the Pastor and returned to either the parent or the school, per school policy. The Parish Office retains a copy of the form.

Registration

• One must be officially registered as a parishioner of Our Lady of Joy, as recorded in our parish database.
• If recently registered at Our Lady of Joy (within past 6 months), a statement from the former parish of “active and contributing in-parish” status from your former parish will be accepted to qualify as a registered, active and participating member of your parish

Regular Attendance

• Catholics are obliged to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. “The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor.  Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.” (CCC 2181) Parents of Catholic children should be particularly aware of this teaching of the Church, as they have solemnly promised God to raise their children accordingly to the law of Christ and His Church (Rite of Baptism). Understanding this responsibility is inquired about during the Rite of Baptism.
• For the Pastor of a parish, it is sometimes difficult to have knowledge of each person’s attendance at Sunday mass.  The easiest, most concrete way to demonstrate one’s attendance at Sunday Mass is by participating in your parish envelope system. Envelope usage should be executed even if you have direct withdrawal for tithing purposes.  Please use your envelopes.  If you don’t have them, please contact the parish office to request them.  Your parish staff should have no doubt as to your mass attendance.  Please make that decision easy for your parish by using envelopes or checks.

Financial/Personal Support at Our Lady of Joy

• The level of financial support will vary from family to family depending of course, upon family income. The biblical tradition of a tithe is 10% of one’s income. Catholic tradition of tithing is even something more. As Catholics we are called to sacrificial giving. Jesus Christ has given us everything. For our part, we shall make a joyful sacrifice to our Lord in return for all the good bestowed upon us.
• In addition to financial support at your parish, one should be involved in one or more ministries within your parish. Service is a large component of our response to the Gospel as well as our living out our Baptismal call. Holiness is prayer and action and so rightly we serve our brothers and sisters in the local as well as the universal community. Your service in ministry makes it very easy for parish staff to decide whether or not you are an active member of your parish.

Going forward, in order to receive the Catholic tuition discount, please document your contributions by giving at least two (2) times each month using your family envelope or by check.  Please do not mail in the donation envelopes. To schedule regular debits from a bank account, go to the OLOJ website and click on “Giving.”

It will be your responsibility as active and contributing members to make these distinctions very easy for your pastor or your parish office staff to discern.