Publicity
Why haven’t I heard of
the TPST if it was formed in 2005?
We have not achieved the publicity we would have liked, although we ran a classified ad in the Catholic Herald from 2006 and occasionally a larger one. We were allowed to start advertising in the LMS magazine in 2012 and have done so regularly since then. Hopefully we are now more widely known.
Priests
Can you help priests who
do not live in the
No. HMRC does not
allow this.
Do you help seminarians?
Four
seminarians
have already asked for help. We have agreed that we would like to offer help
from the second year of their seven-year training. However, our funds have so
far not allowed this. We will always prioritize ordained priests.
Why don’t independent traditional priests join
priestly societies if it’s so difficult to exercise their apostolate outside
them?
Some have tried but
it has not worked. Church politics are involved. Also a vow of obedience would
oblige a society priest, eg to accept a posting abroad, which he may not wish to
do.
Can the priests you help accept Mass stipends for special intentions?
In the winter issue (November) of Mass of Ages we offer this until the following February. However, we cannot guarantee that Masses will be said on particular dates. All those who have ever donated to the TPST and their intentions are included in the priests' monthly Masses for trust benefactors.
Can you help our group/community to find a traditional priest?
No. The provision of priests is not in our mandate. In any case, the priests we help are often elderly or in poor health and unsuited to the commitments of a normal apostolate.
Money
Why isn’t the TPST a
registered charity?
Because our annual
income is less than £5,000. HMRC advises small charities not to register and
grants them exactly the same benefits as larger registered ones. See here.
Can the TPST accept
donations in other currencies than sterling?
Yes. CAF Bank will convert, eg US$ cheques before they go into our account. However, there is a charge for this, so please allow extra to cover it. You may prefer to donate to traditional priests in your own country rather than funding English banks!
We have received two
legacies to date. Otherwise we rely on standing orders for modest amounts from
traditional faithful. Occasionally we have also had large one-off donations.