THE Diocesan office of Bishop Niall Coll has confirmed that Mass collections will continue to accept cash donations.
The confirmation follows the move by another Catholic church in Donegal to install card machines for payments by credit and debit cards.
Several churches across the county already use card readers – and now one more in Letterkenny has announced it is do the same.
The Church of the Irish Martyrs on Gortlee Road in Ballyraine revealed the move in its parish notes.
It stated: “Tap to donate. We recently installed bank card readers in the church should you wish to contribute via card payment.
“These can be found in the main porch and beside the candle shrine of Our Lady.”
The Donegal News contacted Bishop Coll’s Raphoe Diocese office.
Bishop of Raphoe, Niall Coll, at a ceremony in Letterkenny’s St Eunan’s Cathedral to confirm his appointment last year. Photo Brian McDaid.
A diocesan spokesperson revealed that decisions to move to card machines does not need to be approved by the diocese.
She said: “The diocese is aware that the parishes sometimes use card readers.
“Each parish priest, along with the finance committee, has a system that works for the needs of that individual community.”
Crucially, she added that parishioners can continue to use cash.
She said: “In general, yes, absolutely people are still free to give cash.”
Analysts have warned that the future of cash payments is uncertain amid a rise in contactless services.
The move towards card payments in churches began in Dublin seven years when the method was trialled in the capital during 2019.
Some churches embraced the contactless donations amid banking system changes that made parishioners less cash-reliant.
Contactless card terminals in churches could become more common, according to surveys.
Some claimed that the Covid-19 pandemic helped to encourage contactless payments.
Church of the Irish Martyrs in Letterkenny.