Father,
The question of financial support has come up in this thread. Can you confirm that, under the current code, we are obliged to support the Church, but not necessarily our canonical territorial parish?
There is no provision in the Code of Canon Law that speaks about an obligation to support the proper parish as such financially.
Can. 222 §1. The Christian faithful are obliged to assist with the needs of the Church so that the Church has what is necessary for divine worship, for the works of the apostolate and of charity, and for the decent support of ministers.
That’s rather vague. We all know that means “put money in the collection basket” (at least in cultures where there is a monetary collection, which will apply to most readers on this forum). However, the Code does not specify that we are obligated to support our own parishes or diocese.
The Code is vague. In my opinion, that’s intentional. I say that because it’s a universal code, and the exact circumstances of how that obligation is fulfilled is going to vary greatly both by geography and by individual.
I do believe that it is
implied in the Code that we should support our own proper parishes. I say that because it’s clear from other parts of the Code that there is a communal relationship between the individual person and the proper parish. I see that relationship as an important value in the code.
The Code does speak about the rights of the Christian Faithful. They have the right to the Sacraments and other spiritual goods of the Church from their own proper pastors (usual conditions). Since a right to the ministry does exist, logically there is a corresponding obligation to support that ministry–even if it’s not directly articulated in the Code.
Contrast this topic with a purely secular one. A fast food chain really doesn’t care which one of their restaurants a customer chooses to patronize. It makes no difference to them (without making an absurd reduction like “if no one goes there, they’ll close it”) When I mail a letter, it doesn’t matter which post office I use. There is no relationship. That’s important. A Catholic parish is not merely some kind of franchise or branch-office; instead it’s a community that exists within a larger community.
In my case, I sometimes attend Mass at my territorial parish, but as the Cathedral has far more Mass times available I, more often than not, head down to the Cathedral. Scheduling can be tricky. Then there’s a third parish that I often attend on weekdays for Mass and confession. I’ve given to all three parishes as well as directly to the Archdiocese and various charitable arms of the Archdiocese and/or Canadian Bishops, but I would say my territorial parish receives a relatively small percentage of my overall tithing.
That’s your choice. I respect that–especially because from a distance, I have no idea of the specifics.
Now, hypothetically speaking, if someone were to say “my parish is struggling financially” I might (just might) suggest that a person adjust the numbers and give more to the home parish instead of the other.
Your last paragraph really isn’t something I can address in a forum like this. That’s a personal choice you make. What I can say, however, is that objectively speaking, you are certainly not violating anything in Canon Law–that much I can certainly say.
Addendum:
The Catechism has this to say:
2043 …The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.
Same as the Code. No specific mention of ones proper parish.
