Average $ Offering?

[royal_archer]

The 10% has to be “after income taxes” since we have no control over how much the local, state and federal government taxes us. In my humble opinion. However, we all need to be trying for the goal!!!

My goal is to get close to 10% by the end of the year for all my donations… church, birthright, priests for life, etc. etc.

My other goal is to work on not judging the professional next to me in the pew, (you know the one… the guy who drives the bmw… yeah, that guy…) who throws in a $5 bill each week. Not judging him is actually much harder than actually giving 10%. lol.

If the guy is like me he may be going through that phase where he donates through a payroll deduction but then puts something in the basket just because he doesn’t feel right not p utting something in.

 

[Catholictrain]

If the guy is like me he may be going through that phase where he donates through a payroll deduction but then puts something in the basket just because he doesn’t feel right not p utting something in.

Well, since I get pay every other week, I donate to the church on the weekend that I get paid. Which means that the other weekends I don’t put anything into the collection basket. So I understand how you feel… afraid that someone is judging you for not putting money in. But you are right that we CANNOT judge because more and more people are having their donations pulled directly from their checking account.

 

[cjd]

I know I am a little late in this thread, but I think CS Lewis has it dead-on:

“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusement, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our giving does not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say it is too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot because our commitment to giving excludes them.”

Mere Christianity

With that said, we have found that tithing (10%… of take home pay), seems to be about our pinch point, at least right now.

 

[dachsiemom]

I heard one commentator on EWTN say that tuition could be counted as part of a 1/10 tithe, but that’s the only person I’ve heard raising that point.

jb

The pastor at my parish talked about his one Sunday when his homily was related to tithing. He said tuition to the parish school can be counted toward tithing.

 

[babochka]

Does the 10% include tuitition you pay to send your children to Catholic school? In the case of our parish we are small but have maintained a school for 70 years. But the school does rely on parishioners to send their kids and support the school through volunteer activities. On the other hand, we are getting something in return for that tuition, so it is not a pure “gift.”

I heard one commentator on EWTN say that tuition could be counted as part of a 1/10 tithe, but that’s the only person I’ve heard raising that point.

jb

Our former pastor had a policy that no member of the parish should be denied an education in the parish school due to finances. He would personally assist each family in finding a way to send their children to the parish school. He had several methods of doing so, including making personal phone calls to some of our wealthier parishioners, but his first suggestion was that the family reduce or eliminate their contribution to the parish and pay tuition instead.

Elizabeth

 

[Halo]

As Catholics we never grew up ever hearing about the modern day teaching of “tithing” but my parents always faithfully supported the Church as did everyone else. Sometimes it was even a case of the Widow’s Mite. While offering your time and talent is admirable it is no substitution for a monetary donation, and everybody can give something. A start of $25.00 a week might be a good starting place and then see how you cope from there.

 

[DJgang]

I grew up Southern Baptist, watched my parents tithe 10 percent. I do the same and when the kids were in parish school, I still gave 10 percent… I consider tithing very important for our family and my husband agrees.

God bless.