Do you or do you not tithe? Why or why not? Why is it important?

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Peace_Pilgrim

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I am a new Catholic with questions. :confused: Would you kindly share your thoughts on this “touchy” area?

Specifically:

Do you or do you not tithe?

Why or why not?

Why is it important?

Is it Biblical?

Thanks in advance.

In God’s Light,
Peace
peacepilgrim.fotopages.com/
 
We tithe around 10% of our monthly income. And from experience, I can tell you God has NEVER been outdone in generosity. We have had times when tithing would certainly not be prudent but for faith. I have a dear friend, now deceased (90 yrs when she died)who use to tell me that w/ 6 children and one income the first check they wrote after payday was their tithing check; they lived modestly. She was confident that their ability to retire in reasonable security was a result of “banking” on our dear Lord. Their son went into the priesthood and one of their 5 daughters into the convent.
 
Having spent 5 years in a Word OF Faith church (ie. Copeland Hagin Avanzini, etc.) this is a very dear and sensitive subject. While i admire the woman in the above story I have an issue with the mechanical aspect of the “tithe”. What I had witnessed in those 5 years was the tithe almost becoming a order to God to make things happen just because we gave 10 %. I witnessed families who could not afford many things give up 10% because they were coerced into being tithers. Malachi 3:8 does tell us to give 10% but Corinthians also tells us to be “Cheerful Givers”. The woman you refer to had many good things happen to her could be due to her tithing it also could also be due to many other things such as a humble spirit and a bold prayer life. Now dont get me wrong I believe we all need to give and give alot but each according to what we can afford. For some I hope you can give more than 10% for others give what you can.

I get a little leary at the word tithe.
 
Peace Pilgrim:
I am a new Catholic with questions. :confused: Would you kindly share your thoughts on this “touchy” area?

Specifically:

Do you or do you not tithe? Nope

Why or why not?** I do not agree with all things that our Parish does with these funds. I take my 10% that I would tithe to the Church and give it to the charities directly!**
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I am a student and don’t work for most of the year, but I have various income sources. I give an amount to the church that I think is good. All up it is probably more than 10%, but I don’t actually add it up or anything, as I don’t think that Catholics don’t have to make sure we give exactly 10%. (Our church asked for 2.5% once, they never mentioned that we owed a tithe, or any quotes from the bible. The first time I heard about tithing was from Protestants, so I assumed it was probably not correct).
 
I do not tithe, but I give generously according to my means.

Catholic parish churches would love it if all in the assembly tithed - let’s be clear on this point. However, priests don’t stress it as much Protestant ministers do. Although we do need to support God’s work through his priests and Church, I think that there are other ways of doing this in addition to money contributions. I have a problem with donations of 10% off one’s income being “compulsory”, especially if it’s not a mortal sin as in breaking the one of the ten commandments.

I also don’t agree with Catholics not giving generously when they do have the means. There has to be a happy medium here - as Aristotle would say. Catholics should donate generously out of their own good conscience - because they want to out of love for God’s Church and the work of love She brings to the Her people through her holy priests, religious, and lay ministers. To make it a compulsory 10% is just a legalistic Old Testament thinking. Remember what the *new * covenanant is all about.

Also, not every pastor has the gift of “governance” in a parish; money is squandered sometimes. It’s a good thing my parish pastor doesn’t.

Plato
 
Titheing does not mean giving all of your tithe to your parish. If I did not trust my parish I would give even less there but I do think giving my share just to keep the lights on in such a case is valid. We give to pro-life causes, feeding/housing causes, seminary/convents, etc. I appreciate the comment re: “the mechanical” aspect and I am aware of such interpretations w/ my explanation; like a business agreement. It is one of those things that I would say, “hear what I mean not what I say”.
 
I do not tithe, but I do give more than 10% in total charity and church contributions.
 
We don’t give that much to our parish, but we give to other charities and causes that we like and that are faithful to the Magisterium.

I would tithe at least 10% if my husband was open to it.

He isn’t so I give as much as I can get away with.
 
Yes I give money weekly and Holy Day’s of Obligation, try giving nothing at the local store, and see how much they’ll let you have for free. :nope:
 
Our custom here has been 5% to your favorite charities, 5% to the Church. It seems to work very well.
 
Tithing I think can be a trap by setting a number - it can lead us to a sense of “good enough” at 10% if are means allow us to give much higher and a moral sense of “not good enough” if it is not within our means to give 10%.

For some, it is well within their means to give 50%, 70%, or even 90% and live a comfortable lifestyle. These people should not be called to tithe but to strive for moral excellance in giving their *first *fruits to Christ.

Do I tithe? I have the ridiculously low income of a full time college student. I give what I can when I can but will not concern myself if it is over or under 10%.
 
Yes, I tithe. With moneys and time, to the Church, to charities and to family.

The spirit is to help God’s work, through His Church or through men of good will, but always to help our neighbors, even those one calls family.

:blessyou:
 
I am curious that the OP suggests that this is a touchy subject. Why touchy?

Yes. It’s biblical.

I give 10% of my net income plus “extras” on Holy Days and for the Archdiocesan Assessment in addition to contributions to my University, to disease-research charities, and other secular charities.

I am seriously cranky about the level of giving in my parish. People complain that we don’t have this and don’t have that, but the average level of giving is about 1% of our demographic. If the average contributor raised his pledge to just 5% of the average net in our area we would (duh) quintuple our revenues and could have a free school.
 
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mercygate:
I am curious that the OP suggests that this is a touchy subject. Why touchy?
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The only thing touchy about it is when well-to-do adults place a $1 bill in the collection basket. What’s this, just got the weekly allowance for ice cream? 😃

:blessyou:
 
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Augustine:
The only thing touchy about it is when well-to-do adults place a $1 bill in the collection basket. What’s this, just got the weekly allowance for ice cream? 😃

:blessyou:
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Mm. This $1 phenomenon often travels along ethnic lines. Some of the most pious groups of people (by nationality) are notoriously poor givers. I guess you can’t have everything.

I believe this stems from the fact that in many Catholic countries, the Church is subsidized by the government, so people just don’t “get it” that here in the USA WE are the subsidizers.
 
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Augustine:
Yes, I tithe. With moneys and time, to the Church, to charities and to family.

The spirit is to help God’s work, through His Church or through men of good will, but always to help our neighbors, even those one calls family.

:blessyou:
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LOL! So true! But hey, can’t say anything about it.

Plato
 
I am so glad to see this topic addressed. I really believe that it would be best to tithe 10% (or more when possible).

My husband are right now considering it and praying about it. It is scary for us as we have been struggling financially; however, in addition to loving God and the Catholic church and really wanting to increase our giving, I have heard such testimonials to how it is a great way of improving finances.

It’s interesting to read all of the varying opinions. I have a feeling we will start tithing soon (as we do believe it is biblically based), we are just getting ready to make that leap of faith.

Amie
 
Ya know I was just thinking. A lot of young people these days don’t really give at all. With some of them, they say they would rather concentrate on doing other good things. Well I have thought up a reply. It’s much easier to open your wallet than to open your heart - so if you can’t do the first thing, then why do you think you can do the second thing?

Like for me. I manage to keep my wallet pretty well open, while my heart is only slightly ajar to let a little light in.
 
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Flopfoot:
Ya know I was just thinking. A lot of young people these days don’t really give at all. With some of them, they say they would rather concentrate on doing other good things. Well I have thought up a reply. It’s much easier to open your wallet than to open your heart - so if you can’t do the first thing, then why do you think you can do the second thing?

Like for me. I manage to keep my wallet pretty well open, while my heart is only slightly ajar to let a little light in.
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Mmm. Good thought. And almsgiving has always been considered a way of making reparation for sin.
 
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