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palmas85
Guest
Apparently Rome does think it’s wrong since it calls the custom reprehensible.
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Della
Guest
Citation please.
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MusicMan
Guest
If you follow the link below, you will find the documentation Della has asked Palmas85 to provide:
usccb.org/liturgy/current/chapter5.shtml#sect3
However, I disagree with Palmas85’s interpretation of the rubric. After reading all of section 311 and putting it into context, it looks like what they mean is reserving seats for private persons week after week and mass after mass. As an example, “so-and-so who ALWAYS runs this fundraiser for the church ALWAYS gets to sit in this seat.” This is also likely a reprobation of the old pew fee where the Jones family pays in $100 per year and “owns” their pew.
As the donors for this church’s once a year practice likely change, this part of the GIRM probably isn’t applied in the way that you’re wanting to apply it.
Why doesn’t someone contact the Office of the Archbishop for a ruling on this? I’ve said before that this is the sort of thing that Archbishop Flynn would put a stop to if he knew about it and believed it to be an issue. Afterall, the (arch)bishop is the one responsible for implementing the GIRM in his diocese, and would be the one to rule on nebulous areas.
Goodness, I can’t believe we’re still arguing about this. Someone just call the Office of the Archbishop and get a ruling.
usccb.org/liturgy/current/chapter5.shtml#sect3
However, I disagree with Palmas85’s interpretation of the rubric. After reading all of section 311 and putting it into context, it looks like what they mean is reserving seats for private persons week after week and mass after mass. As an example, “so-and-so who ALWAYS runs this fundraiser for the church ALWAYS gets to sit in this seat.” This is also likely a reprobation of the old pew fee where the Jones family pays in $100 per year and “owns” their pew.
As the donors for this church’s once a year practice likely change, this part of the GIRM probably isn’t applied in the way that you’re wanting to apply it.
Why doesn’t someone contact the Office of the Archbishop for a ruling on this? I’ve said before that this is the sort of thing that Archbishop Flynn would put a stop to if he knew about it and believed it to be an issue. Afterall, the (arch)bishop is the one responsible for implementing the GIRM in his diocese, and would be the one to rule on nebulous areas.
Goodness, I can’t believe we’re still arguing about this. Someone just call the Office of the Archbishop and get a ruling.
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JCPhoenix
Guest
I’m going to help you with your comprehension problem.
The individual parish has monetary needs…social programs, building maintenance, heat, electricity, staff salaries…etc. They may have a building fund or a fund specifically for debt relief if there is a mortgage of some type on the property.
The tax deadline does not refer to a benefit to the parish…it refers to the fact that donations to the Church are tax-deductible to the person who donates. The parish will provide a financial statement a couple times per year to each person who contributed.
For example, if I gave $500 to the parish, when I go in to get my taxes done this year, I add that amount to any other charitable donations, and this decreases my taxable income by a particular percentage.
IN shorthand, you get to claim your donations to the Church…that is, if you are a homeowner.
I learned the hard way long ago that until I bought a house, I could give away everything I owned to charity and still not have enough to be able to “claim” it on my taxes. As a homeowner, though, itimization is possible and charitible donations can add up to decrease taxable income.
THAT is what the bulletin was referencing, not double dipping as you apparently took it to mean.
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BlestOne
Guest
Wow I am surprized by the reactions to the reserved pews on Christmas. My parish holds an auction every year to help raise money for the school. The past 2 years we have auctioned off front pews for the childrens liturgy Christmas Eve mass. This has gone over very well I must say, and nobody has complained about it. I think because it is in the spirit of giving for our school. I certainly wouldn’t object to it at all. It is open for anyone to bid on and all proceeds are accounted for well ahead of time. Actually, I think the pews went for $600 one year, and I think this year they actually went for about $800. More power to them I say, if this helps one more kid attend Catholic school! My kids all went on grants until this year when I got a new job and got married I felt it was an obligation I could handle and I am so glad for the generosity of others until I could pay for their education myself.
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Catholic_Heart
Guest
AMEN!!! I agree with all you have said in your previous post…To sell tickets to Mass is disgraceful, no matter where the money is going. I would be so ashamed if my own parish did this kind of thing…Ashamed and deeply embarrassed.
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HagiaSophia
Guest
I am too – pews are reserved for many reasons and for many special occasions; raising money is only one. Try getting into a reserved pew during a papal visit, a presidential or high political visit, new priests ordination, new bishop installation, large confirmations, consecration of a new cathedral, some weddings, cermonies for various organizations such as the KC’s, Red Masses etc.etc.
Anyone reading the statement of the priest can see how it works – and yet some try and compare it to selling high offices in the church or worse.
No wonder we suffer from a shortage of priests who really “work their parishes” – no matter what they do, the worst possible light is put upon it.
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