Cathedraticum

[jmjconder]

What exactly - and really is this? My Diocese has a yearly appeal for our Bishop - however i understand this is not the same.

 

[BcuzISaidSo]

It is essentially a tax that the diocese imposes on each parish. This is one of the two ways that the diocese supports its programs (the other being the Annual Diocesan Appeal) I’m not sure if it works the same in every diocese, but I believe it is something like 10% of the Sunday collection where I live.

 

[jmjconder]

Is this in addition to a bishop’s appeal? Does the Bishop of the diocese have to make available where this money is spent? The formula is based on the weekly income via the Mass?

I have been an active committed Catholic for a very long time - and well educated in the faith…I have never heard of this till this week…it troubles me.

 

[Usige]

The cathedratricum in the US is normally a flat percentage of the weekly parish offering. Generally it something like 8-12% depending on the dioceses. I have heard that some dioceses have more complex calculations, but don’t know the details. It supports the bishop as well as many diocesan offices. There has been this sort of “tax” since at least the 6th century. The 1983 code of canon law dropped the term, but the intent is still there in canon 1263.

As for how this relates to a bishops appeal? Normally the appeal is directed to the actual people and often will have specific intentions mentioned. The cathedratricum on the other hand is normally out of the collections and goes more into a diocesan general fund for lack of better term.

This is all my understanding as far as the US is concerned. It is possible that the church tax in some other countries serves the same purpose, but not sure about that.

 

[dans0622]

jmjconder,

I will disagree with “Usige” and make some distinctions about this issue. There is no longer such a thing as a *cathedraticum *in canon law but the term is still used, in some places/by some people, to refer to the “tax” that the bishop can impose. Canon 1263 discusses this tax and it is important to note that there are differences between the old *cathedraticum *and the current, optional, “tax.” The most notable differences are that the *cathedraticum *was an equal obligation for every entity that had to pay it–not based on income, membership, etc.–and that it was paid to the bishop by those subject to him, and was, therefore, not a large amount of money. Meanwhile, the c.1263 tax is not given to the bishop (it is for the needs of the diocese and so adds up to a much larger amount than the *cathedraticum *would have) and is based on the income of the entity paying it. It would be best to not use the term, since it does not appear in the law and what it means (meant) is not what its current users want it to mean. Perhaps you never heard of it because not many people use the term.

Canon 1262 addresses “appeals” and so they are different from the “tax” of c. 1263. You might see, sometimes, that an “appeal” turns into a tax because there is a minimum amount a parish is **required **to contribute to the diocese. That’s not optimal.

The canon in the old (1917) Code which spoke of the *cathedraticum *is c. 1504.

Yes, the diocese should make it known, at least in a general way, how money is collected and spent (c. 1287.2).

Dan

 

[Holly3278]

We have a Catholic Parishes Campaign here in our diocese in which each parish is expected to come up with a set amount of money to give to the diocese to help them run smoothly but I am not sure if that is the same as this or not. That said, I would explain how the set amount of money is determined but I can’t remember how its done. I think it has something to do with the number of people per parish but I might be wrong on that.

 

[jmjconder]

So this is separate from the assessed bishop’s appeal? If there are two sources of parish funding for their diocese - why aren’t the parishioners aware and why does it not show up on the records?

 

[Phemie]

So this is separate from the assessed bishop’s appeal? If there are two sources of parish funding for their diocese - why aren’t the parishioners aware and why does it not show up on the records?

Doesn’t the Bishop’s Appeal go toward paying the Diocese’s tax to the Vatican, while the diocesan tax (still referred to as the Cathedraticum by the diocese where I live) goes to the day to day operations of the diocese and its programs?

 

[jmjconder]

Doesn’t the Bishop’s Appeal go toward paying the Diocese’s tax to the Vatican, while the diocesan tax (still referred to as the Cathedraticum by the diocese where I live) goes to the day to day operations of the diocese and its programs?

In my Diocese the Bishop’s Appeal goes - according to the yearly report - to support the Diocesan offices and programs. You are saying there is a Diocesan obligation to the Vatican?

 

[Santi2]

The cathedratricum in the US is normally a flat percentage of the weekly parish offering. Generally it something like 8-12% depending on the dioceses. I have heard that some dioceses have more complex calculations, but don’t know the details. It supports the bishop as well as many diocesan offices. There has been this sort of “tax” since at least the 6th century. The 1983 code of canon law dropped the term, but the intent is still there in canon 1263.

As for how this relates to a bishops appeal? Normally the appeal is directed to the actual people and often will have specific intentions mentioned. The cathedratricum on the other hand is normally out of the collections and goes more into a diocesan general fund for lack of better term.

This is all my understanding as far as the US is concerned. It is possible that the church tax in some other countries serves the same purpose, but not sure about that.

8-12 only? You’re getting off lightly.

The counterpart of the Bishops Appeal over here is the Diocesan Development Fund which is assessed at 20-23% of the Offertory Collection. There are other compulsory annual Parish contributions such as:

Bishops Fund which is calculated at 1.5% of DDF contribution.
Clergy Support Fund (which is per capita)
Safeguarding (fixed amount)
Insurance (fixed amount)

Additionally, we also have Second Collections taken up for the benefit of named causes as below which are donated (free will) from the pew:

Archbishop’s Administration Fund
Needs of the Diocese
and, for the Cathedral

Parish pew collections can be declared as gift-aid i.e. the tax office gives to the Parish 28% to the £ gift-aided.

 

[tafan]

So this is separate from the assessed bishop’s appeal? If there are two sources of parish funding for their diocese - why aren’t the parishioners aware and why does it not show up on the records?

Having been involved with parish finances extensively, I would be shocked that this is in any way hidden. Does your parish publish a yearly financial report in its bulletin? If so, I am sure there will be an expense line that corresponds to the diocesan tax ( around here called an assessment)

 

[BcuzISaidSo]

Each year our financial report is put up on our parish website and has a line in it for Cathridaticum. I had to ask what it was, but the info was available to all of us.

I’m not particularly troubled by it. The bishop/diocese needs to be funded somehow.

 

[Usige]

jmjconder,

I will disagree with “Usige” and make some distinctions about this issue. There is no longer such a thing as a *cathedraticum *in canon law but the term is still used, in some places/by some people, to refer to the “tax” that the bishop can impose. Canon 1263 discusses this tax and it is important to note that there are differences between the old *cathedraticum *and the current, optional, “tax.” The most notable differences are that the *cathedraticum *was an equal obligation for every entity that had to pay it–not based on income, membership, etc.–and that it was paid to the bishop by those subject to him, and was, therefore, not a large amount of money. Meanwhile, the c.1263 tax is not given to the bishop (it is for the needs of the diocese and so adds up to a much larger amount than the *cathedraticum *would have) and is based on the income of the entity paying it. It would be best to not use the term, since it does not appear in the law and what it means (meant) is not what its current users want it to mean. Perhaps you never heard of it because not many people use the term.

Canon 1262 addresses “appeals” and so they are different from the “tax” of c. 1263. You might see, sometimes, that an “appeal” turns into a tax because there is a minimum amount a parish is **required **to contribute to the diocese. That’s not optimal.

The canon in the old (1917) Code which spoke of the *cathedraticum *is c. 1504.

Yes, the diocese should make it known, at least in a general way, how money is collected and spent (c. 1287.2).

Dan

Dan, I would agree. Since the cathedraticum no longer exist I was looking for the thing closest to it in modern usage. In my diocese it is called a parish assessment and makes up about 50 - 55% of the operating budget for the diocese. The bishops appeal makes up another 33 - 35% of the yearly budget. I was trying to avoid the history of the *cathedraticum *from 572- 1983.

 

[tafan]

Each year our financial report is put up on our parish website and has a line in it for Cathridaticum. I had to ask what it was, but the info was available to all of us.

I’m not particularly troubled by it. The bishop/diocese needs to be funded somehow.

I am impressed that you liked at it and asked. I don’t know how many times I have heard people in our parish complain about some financial matter being kept hidden, and it was published in bulletin every 6 months.

Once, a very well respected lady, came to a open meeting on church matters and suggested that we should start putting financial reports in bulletin every year. She was rather forceful in her suggestion. I went and got a copy of prior weeks bulletin ( with said report) and gave it to her.

 

[Phemie]

I am impressed that you liked at it and asked. I don’t know how many times I have heard people in our parish complain about some financial matter being kept hidden, and it was published in bulletin every 6 months.

Once, a very well respected lady, came to a open meeting on church matters and suggested that we should start putting financial reports in bulletin every year. She was rather forceful in her suggestion. I went and got a copy of prior weeks bulletin ( with said report) and gave it to her.

That has been my complaint for at least a decade.

We publish a detailed financial report each year but no one reads it. One person on our finance committee suggested that people didn’t understand it. That might be true if we were publishing only a Balance Sheet but how could a detailed Income Statement be less than understandable when the account names are crystal clear?

Or do we need to make it 6 pages long by breaking down accounts like ‘liturgical supplies’ to missalettes, hosts, wine, candles, etc, and ‘office supplies’ to paper, pens, correction fluid, ink cartridges, Post-its, envelopes, etc.?

I have a revolutionary idea! If there is something you don’t understand on the financial statement, approach the Pastor or a member of the Finance Council and ask about it!! But for Pete’s sake take the time to look at it.

 

[1ke]

So this is separate from the assessed bishop’s appeal?

Yes. The appeal and the tax (in our diocese called the “quota”) are two separate things.

If there are two sources of parish funding for their diocese - why aren’t the parishioners aware and why does it not show up on the records?

Why are some not aware? Who knows.
Why does it not show up on records? Who says it doesn’t? If it is not showing up on your own parish financials, that is a question for your finance council.

Our parishioners are certainly aware of both the quota and the diocesan appeal, and both of these are on all our parish fininancial reports that we distribute. It is not a secret.

 

[1ke]

Doesn’t the Bishop’s Appeal go toward paying the Diocese’s tax to the Vatican, while the diocesan tax (still referred to as the Cathedraticum by the diocese where I live) goes to the day to day operations of the diocese and its programs?

Phemie, it is up to the bishop how each is used.