Do you give 10% to the Church?

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cviolette said:
I do volunteer work. Teach CCD, communion service at retirement home, pro life ministry, bake for different events, donate food, clothes and Christmas gIfts. I want to give more money and volunteer more. I.
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OP didn’t ask about also giving through time and talent, but they are part of stewardship spirituality. The parish simply cannot carry out its mission without this kind of service.

example: we have regular dinners, holiday gifts etc. for the needy of the parish. It never fails that at each of these events we find new families who are unable to give any financial support yet become enthusiastic members of parish service organizations, including CCD, and even more exciting, bring family members to the sacraments. Evangelization is about a lot more than financial support.
 
I think we all know what we are able to do and what we are not able to do. We all can judge for ourselves.

Does God deserve our best? Absolutely!

Are we not able to give much due to our circumstances? If we search our hearts and feel confident that what we give is all that we can do, then there is nothing to worry about because God knows the heart.

I personally know I can give 10% of my income or more, in addition to my volunteer work. Does that mean it is easy to give 10% as a single parent? No. It isn’t. But I also see what I do spend money on and I know if I put just a fraction aside for the Lord, I can do it. In other words, my goal this year is to budget God in, and set aside money for my parish(es), which I am extremely thankful for, apostolates, missons, helping a brother or sister I know is in need, etc.

But that’s me.

As long as we give our best, then God is pleased.
 
TrueLight said:
I just added a sentence to my post. Take a look. 🙂
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Indeed. I’ve always wanted to participate greatly in the parish community but in my last parish I wasn’t given the chance to do so. I do hope I am not overextending myself here. But I feel sometimes I can do everything. Maybe I should ask bishop if I can be the acting bishop whenever he’s away on trips :D:D:D:D
 
_isuru said:
I am going to start my career life and determined to give 10% to the church or poor people, is it practicable? and are you doing it?
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I’m a very poor single mom, but if you count how much i pay for Cath school tuition, and my offerings, and $ i donate, the answer is yes.
I started with 1%, then went up from there. You wouldn’t think it was much though.
 
ConstantineTG said:
Indeed. I’ve always wanted to participate greatly in the parish community but in my last parish I wasn’t given the chance to do so. I do hope I am not overextending myself here. But I feel sometimes I can do everything. Maybe I should ask bishop if I can be the acting bishop whenever he’s away on trips :D:D:D:D
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I’m like that too. Ask God in prayer what he wants you to do so that you don’t spread yourself too thin.
 
TrueLight said:
You paying taxes is not financing abortion.

If you provide a scholarship to young disadvantage youth to help take care of their books and other expenses, and choose to give the money directly to them and not the school, you do not know what they are going to do with it. They may buy books, they may even procure an abortion!

It is morally wrong to live in a country and not pay taxes, which take care of roads, construction, schools, hospitals, etc, etc because the government does not always do what is right with our money.

This is where prayer and activism comes in.

You don’t get a free ride.
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Planned Parenthood is partially funded with Federal money; federal money can only be considered as part and parcel to tax money revenue. The fed knows Planned Parenthood performs a majority of abortions in the US. It’s totally different than your scholarship example. That example would hold true if the recipient of the scholarship indicated they would seek abortion to focus on studies rather than child care.

I didn’t get a free ride and I still don’t. I’m being paid via a contractual agreement, a contract I secured by providing as collateral a check to the US Army in an amount up to and including my life. Again, I PAY NO INCOME TAX on this contractual agreement being fulfilled.

I’m onmy phone so I can’t provide a very documented response, but I can say that we are closing in on the criteria which would allow armed resistance to this practice of murdering the unborn.

To borrow a phrase from SF:

De oppresso liber
 
jonbhorton said:
Planned Parenthood is partially funded with Federal money; federal money can only be considered as part and parcel to tax money revenue. The fed knows Planned Parenthood performs a majority of abortions in the US. It’s totally different than your scholarship example. That example would hold true if the recipient of the scholarship indicated they would seek abortion to focus on studies rather than child care.

I didn’t get a free ride and I still don’t. I’m being paid via a contractual agreement, a contract I secured by providing as collateral a check to the US Army in an amount up to and including my life. Again, I PAY NO INCOME TAX on this contractual agreement being fulfilled.

I’m onmy phone so I can’t provide a very documented response, but I can say that we are closing in on the criteria which would allow armed resistance to this practice of murdering the unborn.

To borrow a phrase from SF:

De oppresso liber
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All I’m going to say is pray about it and do not make disparaging remarks which insinuate that those of us who rightly pay taxes are being hypocritical or sinful, such as this remark:
I will not kiss Christ on the cheek while financing abortion. I feel like I would be a Judas to do so.
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The key word in the line you quoted: “I”.

*I *had this opinion before I ever thought about becoming a Catholic.

I draw my conclusions having weight, in light of becoming Catholic, from the following CCC paragraphs, though these paragraphs are not the foundation for my reasoning, but rather build on that which I already knew to be good and true:

1782, 1907, 2240 (this is weighed against all the others to determine its implementation in my life), 2242, 2243 (thank God we are not at this point, but I’m ready for when we are), 2256, 2414, 2424, 2313, 2338, 2340, 2378, 2420, 2270, 2271, 2272 (by paying taxes, knowing they are going, in part, to funding organizations which perform abortions, I view the paying of taxes as ancillary to abortion), 2273, and 2274.

Now, if the Federal government stops giving money to groups which perform abortion, *I * will gladly pay taxes should I ever find myself with a taxable means of income once again.

The thing is, that is not currently the case, and so,* I* stand on the moral principles outlined in the above CCC #'s to continue in a type of asceticism: namely not seeking to further my material wealth at the expense of my conscience whose moral compass points in the exact opposite direction of the IRS.

What you do, is on you.
 
TimothyH said:
So what about Catholic school tuition?

I have heard people say it both ways, that it counts toward tithe and that it doesn’t count toward tithe. What if someone were to spend $13,000/year in tuition at their parish Catholic school? Is that money considered part of one’s tithe? I’ve always reasoned that it wasn’t part of the tithe because one is getting a service for it. Is there a teaching of the Church on this?

And what about deacons and priests? Do deacons tithe? I’d be surprised if priests do but could be wrong. Does the Holy Father tithe?

-Tim-
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When I was at a parish that was running in the red, one year the pastor gave the usual stewardship talk. But he added that since the parish was in the red he had been donating 100% of his income to the parish for the last 9 months. Of course he lived in the rectory, food and clothing were provided, as was healthcare and transportation. But he had no money for his own personal use. He was a diocesan priest so had no vow of poverty.

The deacons I know are all employed by the parish and I would expect them to tithe from that income (or what ever % they feel is appropriate)
 
jonbhorton said:
The key word in the line you quoted: “I”.

*I *had this opinion before I ever thought about becoming a Catholic.

I draw my conclusions having weight, in light of becoming Catholic, from the following CCC paragraphs, though these paragraphs are not the foundation for my reasoning, but rather build on that which I already knew to be good and true:

1782, 1907, 2240 (this is weighed against all the others to determine its implementation in my life), 2242, 2243 (thank God we are not at this point, but I’m ready for when we are), 2256, 2414, 2424, 2313, 2338, 2340, 2378, 2420, 2270, 2271, 2272 (by paying taxes, knowing they are going, in part, to funding organizations which perform abortions, I view the paying of taxes as ancillary to abortion), 2273, and 2274.

Now, if the Federal government stops giving money to groups which perform abortion, *I * will gladly pay taxes should I ever find myself with a taxable means of income once again.

The thing is, that is not currently the case, and so,* I* stand on the moral principles outlined in the above CCC #'s to continue in a type of asceticism: namely not seeking to further my material wealth at the expense of my conscience whose moral compass points in the exact opposite direction of the IRS.

What you do, is on you.
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Do you boycott all those businesses that directly or indirectly financially support sinful behaviors like abortion or homosexuality?
 
Cristiano said:
Do you boycott all those businesses that directly or indirectly financially support sinful behaviors like abortion or homosexuality?
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When I can, yes. For example, Girl Scout Cookies. I LOVE Girl Scout Cookies. Particularly the Thin Mints and Samoas. However, GSUSA has allowed a 7 year old “tranny” to join in Denver. HIS name is Bobby Montoya, though little Bobby thinks he is a girl. I will never buy their cookies again.

If I know for sure a company is supportive of certain things, I don’t support that company, even if it is to my detriment.

Obviously it is impossible to do this with every single company and product, but, the US Government is a favorite target of mine because the US Government quite literally sticks its nose where it does not belong- such as giving tax money to outfits like Planned No-Parenthood.

It’s a matter of principle, and unfortunately, we have to choose our battles. I like aiming for the giant’s forehead. His brothers will eventually run away and aren’t worth my time.
 
Cristiano said:
Do you boycott all those businesses that directly or indirectly financially support sinful behaviors like abortion or homosexuality?
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You’ll be a hermit if you do so. We are all sinners. Do we have to pick and choose the sin? Do we shun a business for supporting Planned Parenthood, yet buy from the store from a guy with a wife and 3 mistresses (and his profits is supporting all his women and kids by them, thus you can say its “encouraging” this behavior)?
 
jonbhorton said:
When I can, yes. For example, Girl Scout Cookies. I LOVE Girl Scout Cookies. Particularly the Thin Mints and Samoas. However, GSUSA has allowed a 7 year old “tranny” to join in Denver. HIS name is Bobby Montoya, though little Bobby thinks he is a girl. I will never buy their cookies again.

If I know for sure a company is supportive of certain things, I don’t support that company, even if it is to my detriment.

Obviously it is impossible to do this with every single company and product, but, the US Government is a favorite target of mine because the US Government quite literally sticks its nose where it does not belong- such as giving tax money to outfits like Planned No-Parenthood.

It’s a matter of principle, and unfortunately, we have to choose our battles. I like aiming for the giant’s forehead. His brothers will eventually run away and aren’t worth my time.
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It looks like we are on the same wavelength, we do what we can and most of us have to pay taxes, there is no way out whether we like it or not. You are in a situation where you can avoid it, while others cannot avoid paying taxes. I think that it is a bigger evil not to participate in the political life of the country than paying taxes when some of the monies are directed toward wrong or evil purposes.
 
As to the question, Do I give 10% to my church?. I give what I can and more if I can, but I remember what Jesus said to his Apostle’s. see what this women has given to the church,her last two coins she has, this means more to me than those who give from thier wealth. What counts is that we give from our Hearts for this pleases GOD.
 
I think the whole idea of giving 10% is very flimsy. I feel an obligation to give, but I’m not a regular week in, week out contributor.

Around here, they recommend 5% to the parish, 1% to CSA, and 4% to charities of our choice.

I like Food for the Poor, Aid to the Church in Need, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls (Chicago), Covenant House, and the occasional Franciscan or dominican solicitation. Almost needless to say, my mailbox is full of solicitations.

I am not sure that any earthquake or tsunami funds really get the money where it’s supposed to go.
 
Crumpy said:
I think the whole idea of giving 10% is very flimsy. I feel an obligation to give, but I’m not a regular week in, week out contributor.

Around here, they recommend 5% to the parish, 1% to CSA, and 4% to charities of our choice.

I like Food for the Poor, Aid to the Church in Need, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls (Chicago), Covenant House, and the occasional Franciscan or dominican solicitation. Almost needless to say, my mailbox is full of solicitations.

I am not sure that any earthquake or tsunami funds really get the money where it’s supposed to go.
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CSA = confederate states of america?
community supported agriculture?
canadian standards association?
compliance, safety, accountability of DOT?
combat support associates?
cub scouts of america?

Anyway, it looks like you tithe if you support in the percentages you give above.
 
_isuru said:
I am going to start my career life and determined to give 10% to the church or poor people, is it practicable? and are you doing it?
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I wish that I could. . . My spouse would have a fit and possibly a coronary! :stretcher:

I give 5% and can only hope that God understands, which He probably does. But, I do offer up prayers to stranges I pass on the street for the other 5% my spouse would certainly refuse to allow me to give to the Church.
 
I battled an addiction which put me into debt a couple of years ago and am still paying it off, and give very little. I do notice however that my financial situation doesn’t prevent me from keeping myself supplied with cigarettes. 😊 As I said to my Mum the other day I have so many faults to overcome, I hope as I do so it will be a witness to my family. They seem quite interested in my journey.
 
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