At St Vincent’s the decision to let the plate pass by was taken when the Neocats were first imposed upon the community. In recognition of the importance of finding alternatives to contributing to the Cardinal's coffers every Sunday, St Vincent’s parishioners apply their tithes to immediate needs, by, for example, supporting the Sharing of the Meal and providing financial assistance to members of its extended community in crisis situations.

A representative sample of the weekly takings as reported in the Saving Word Church bulletin is shown in the graph below. The peaks correspond to St Vincent de Paul’s feast day ($157.00) and Christmas day ($188.70) – both distinguished by a significant number of non-regular church-goers in the congregation.

Weekly collections at St Vincent's