Collection at weekday mass

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A weekday mass (12:10pm) I attend near work occasionallypasses the baskets for collection. At my home parish they never pass the collection baskets at a weekday mass… I was just wondering what your expietrences where.
 
hilde_the_dog said:
A weekday mass (12:10pm) I attend near work occasionallypasses the baskets for collection. At my home parish they never pass the collection baskets at a weekday mass… I was just wondering what your expietrences where.
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My home parish seldom passes a collection plate during daily Mass. One exception that comes to mind is we occassionally have a Priest from Kenya who visits and it is done to support his ministry in Kenya. However, many big city parishes have very small Sunday attendees as their primary mission is related to serving the area during the week and attended by people going to Mass prior to work, for lunch or after work. I’ve been to many who depend on the support they get from these “itinerant” Mass attendees.

Personally, I have resolved to always donate wherever I recieve a Sacrament outside my home parish even though every week I have authomatic withdrawal of my weekly tithe.
 
I’ve never known a parish that didn’t take up a collection on Ash Wednesday.

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I come from a small and very poor parish called Saint Monicas it is located in a poor hispanic neighborhood in tucson AZ. When I am able to get to mass the collection plate always goes out. Our priest My hero takes a collection every day so that he can keep the parish going. Even though people on the other side of town where they actualy have money and a very big church are I see more given to our church where it is known for people to give their last dollar if they have it in collection. We support the midtown crisis shelter and right now we need a new roof ( why is it we always need a new roof?)) not to mention we buy material and those of us who know how make blankets for the mothers who are having babies. I don’t know why your church does not send out a collection basket every service but where I come from where most of the men work for temp agencies and day labor to make a living it makes scence. giving a tith is right and good but that is mony you already budgeted or have. Where I come from to tith properly is hard when the basics of life is a day to day struggle anything extra is a blessing.
 
If this is a parish in a downtown area with few weekend attendees or in a very poor area then it is likely the Sunday collections do not take in enough funds to pay the parish operating costs. The heating, lighting, and cooling bills for a church can be in the thousands of dollars. The utility, cleaning, and maintenance bills still don’t cover the costs of wine, hosts, candles, priest salary, etc.

Those who attend on weekdays and put money in the collection basket may be making the difference between the parish staying open or closing entirely.
 
Our parish does a daily collection during Lent. I believe the money is for the Missions. Other than that, for Holy Days always a weekday collection.
 
Ours does a daily collection as well, but sometimes father just puts a basket on the table at the back of the chapel, and people will just drop a dollar or so into the basket as they pass by.
 
Our parish never passes a collection basket for daily Masses, with the exception of Ash Wednesday and Holy Days of Obligation. Our parish is in a declining area and struggles to make ends meet.
 
hilde_the_dog said:
A weekday mass (12:10pm) I attend near work occasionallypasses the baskets for collection. At my home parish they never pass the collection baskets at a weekday mass… I was just wondering what your expietrences where.
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In PA, the weekday mass at noon collected. I think the main reason because it was televised, and it needed that money to pay for the air time, in addition to the weekend masses, which actually were small in attendance. But, some might also want to donate more to the poor? It doesn’t hurt to ask?
 
I’ve been to 2 churches in NYC for daily mass. Both have collected. I have no idea about my own parish. I feel it is an honor to give daily at such beautiful and orthodox churches, although it is only $1 or 2.
 
In my travels across the country, I’ve found this more prevalent in city parishes, as opposed to those in suburban communities. Where I attend daily Mass during the week, the pastor refers to us as his “weekday parish”. In the past there were 3 Masses Monday through Friday. Collection was taken at the 12:20 and 5:30 Mass, but rarely (I think once a month) taken at the 7:30 Mass. Due to a fewer number of priests, he reluctantly had to cancel the 5:30 Masses, so now collection is taken at both 7:30 and 12:10 during the week. I can only remember a couple of times in the last few years I’ve been there, where the pastor has actually asked that people consider making a donation because the money is running low - and he is visibly uncomfortable doing it.

It costs a lot of money to keep a parish open, particularly the costs of the physical plant itself. This church is open all day - it’s wonderfully cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Confessions are heard 6 days a week - and if the times aren’t convenient, all one has to do is call. There are also 2 large Penance Services each year.

It is so comforting to me to know that my “weekday parish” is there and open for me everyday, I have no problem supporting it along with my home parish.
 
MS Joan the church I try attend during the day is three block from the capital of the US. I guess that would qualify as urban and now gentrified. They completely restored this 140 year old church, its beautiful. But they don’t ask for money in any organized way that I can tell.
 
I think the pastor, knowing the costs and the regular weekend income, makes the best decision he can in the situation. In DC, I’ve seen it vary from parish to parish, even when they are within blocks of each other.

As for the church I usually attend during the week, I believe if there were a legitimate way to avoid taking up a collection during weekday Masses, this pastor would take it. But, he knows without the contributions of his ‘weekday parish’ he couldn’t pay the bills.
 
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