How do you decide how much to contribute?

[YADA]

There are several threads where the Church and/or priests are accused of ‘selling’ sacraments or harrassing their parishioners about using envelopes, etc. Many other posts discuss how we are not required to ‘tithe’ but only contribute "what we want or can’ etc. Even more pots discuss why we should not judge others etc.

So how does you [your family] discern how much to put in the collection each Sunday? Do you use the envelopes? If you give only once a year, how do you expect your parish to pay the expenses each month? If you do not pledge annually, how do you expect your administrative council to plan for the maintenance, upkeep and parish programs?

In our archdiocese, the last figures I saw reflect an average of $6.00 per family per week.

In my parish [whch has over 2000 families] our last financial report indicated that:

35% of registered families either did not give at all or did so without using envelopes or checks.

5% gave lless than $1.00 per week
25% less than $5.00 per week.

9% gave over $30.00 per week.

Given that 1% of our state’s minimum wage equals $3.00 per week [Oregon minimum wage is $7.50 per hour] and I live in an affluent community…

How does the average catholic reconcile their parish support with the reality that all we are and all that we have been given comes from our Creator. God provides the gifts we employ to make our way through life. Our weekly contribution in support of His church is an expression of our gratitude.

Do we ask our self:

What has God give me?

How greatful am I for these gifts?

And reflecting on last Sunday’s reading…Do I offer back to God from my need [the Widow who gave te last of her flour and the widow who gave her ‘mite’ or a only tiny portion of my excess?

Trust me, I know plenty of people who struggle financially. But I hear many who say they won’t put money in the collection because they don’t like this or that. Father did [or did not di this or that…

And we send our contribution through automatic bill pay once a month. My parish priest knows we attend Mass even without using the envelopes because we are active in the parishion. We support the parish in many ways [Time Talent and Treasure]

 

[Andruschak]

So how does you [your family] discern how much to put in the collection each Sunday?

Mother Mary called me earlier this year, the date being the Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel.

As an RCIA Candidate, this is something I am going to have to think about.

I am also minded that Jesus preferred we not let others know how much we donate. AND, I am an active member of AA, and that group is not allowed to accept outside donations. AND, I may be joining another group based on living a penitential life.

That’s a lot of hands out, not to mention that once you get on any Catholic charity mailing list, you wind up on all Catholic charities mailing lists.

Give to one, a few, or many?

I have been reviewing my finances for the last few months. Should I make the decision to join BSP or CFP, and slash my lifestyle to the bare bones, it should be a snap to do the full 10% of income, provided that you mean income left over from the paycheck after all taxes and deductions are removed.

But if I do that, what percentage to BSP/CFP and what percentage to the local church and its thoroughly botched RCIA program? How much left over for AA and other Catholic Charities, all worthy and all needing money?

 

[jmcrae]

Personally, I start with the 10% and divide it as follows:

Local parish: 5%
Vocations: 2%
Pro-life causes: 2%
Bishop’s Appeal: 1%

In addition, I support three foster children in the third world, support a variety of emergency causes, and I give generously of my time and talent.

 

[InLight247]

Personally, I start with the 10% and divide it as follows:

Local parish: 5%
Vocations: 2%
Pro-life causes: 2%
Bishop’s Appeal: 1%

In addition, I support three foster children in the third world, support a variety of emergency causes, and I give generously of my time and talent.

Glad to see Catholics tithe. Even the Church does not emphasize tithing, we really ought to. Everything of ours is from God. Isn’t giving back 10% reasonable?

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse,
That there may be food in my house,
and try me in this, says the Lord of hosts;
Shall I not open for you the floodgates of heaven,
to pour down blessing upon you without measure?" Malachi 3:10

We will never out give God.

 

[mommyof4]

I am not up to the 10% mark yet, but I am trying to pay down other bills, credit cards, etc. to free up more money to give to church and other Catholic charities. At this point, I’m guessing I’m closer to 6-7%.

 

[Andruschak]

Glad to see Catholics tithe. Even the Church does not emphasize tithing, we really ought to. Everything of ours is from God. Isn’t giving back 10% reasonable?
.

The reason the Church does not emphasize tithing is that it is not part of the catechism.

10% may not be reasonable for large families caused by denial of birth control. Many families have both parents working and still struggle to make ends meet.

Even 5% may not be reasonable for families with medical bills not covered by insurance. How many Catholic families actually have some sort of health insurance?

Even 1% may not be reasonable if you have to care for an elderly relative.

OK, I can do 10%, but only because I am lucky enough to be single AND in the process of cutting back on my lifestyle. Plus a good paying job at the Post Office WITH health insurance:thumbsup:

(Well, 10% of my take home pay, after taxes and other deductions)

 

[mommyof4]

I always think that we need to be sure not to just focus on TREASURE, but our TIME and TALENT. Also. I don’t have a ton of money at this point in my life, but when they need volunteers to help clean the church, help at funeral lunches, etc., I feel that that is something I can to to help contribute, also. And besided, PRAYER costs nothing and can do so much good.

 

[YADA]

We always try to place our giving into the context of our lives. We don’t attempt to seperate pre-tax and after tax $$'s. We also try not to think of our other expenses seperate from our giving. We consider our charitable giving as important as the mortgage, utility bills etc.

We support our parish at about 5 to 6% of our annual gross income. The archdiocese receives about 2.5 %, the seminary receives about 1.5 to 2%. Our alma maters receives another 0.5 to 1%. Various other charities recieve another 2 to 3%.

One year we looked at the family tradition of weekly pizza. We tracked two months [because we don’t always eat pizza each week, though my husband loves to]. We then calculated the weekly cost, monthly cost and annual cost.

Because this is a meal we often share with friends as well as family it equated with our Sunday Eucharist. We then discussed how much we enjoy the weekly gathering at the local Round Table. The fellowship, jokes, laughter, and love.

Then we put that “communal meal” in context with the Sunday Eucharist. The meal we come to share with the family of God. The meal where we receive Jesus, Body and Soul. What does that Eucharistic celebration mean to us? How much more important is that meal than pizza? If we woud spend this much money on pizza what is the value of the Eucharist?

And yes I know that it is truly priceless! But does that mean we treat it as if it is FREE? Jesus gave his life for us to be able to come together, gather around the table [altar] and receive the heavenly bread.

 

[YADA]

One year we did our reflection using this method:

We contemplated where we were in our spiritual life and where we wanted to be. Writing down the goals for where we wanted God in our life. Then:

We wrote down all of the activities we do weekly and monthly.
Drive to work, work, eating, watching TV, reading a book, cooking, cleaning, yard work, church, etc] TALENT

We wrote down the amount of time we spent performing those various activities [cooking dinner 30 minutes, washing the car 1 hour, etc] TIME

We wrote down where we spent our money for a month. TREASURE

Then we reviewed the lists in light of where we had said we wanted God to be in our life. Where did we see our “God” goal in the three lists that represented our Talents, Time and Treasure.

This reflection helps us look at all three areas that we want to give back to Jesus.

What methods of discernment do you use?

 

[janelle]

We give 10% (pre-tax) to our parish, plus 4% to other ministries/special dioscean appeals and the like. It’s just a part of our budget, and something both DH and I have done since childhood, so it doesn’t really seem like a big sacrifice. Sometimes I wonder if it counts for anything since it’s not a big sacrifice, but that’s probably being scrupulous.

The first Christians sold all their posessions and gave everything to be shared by the church, so I think 14% is nothing compared to that. And no, we are not a wealthy family.

 

[Polish]

As a rule, I give 10% weekly to my church … unless I get in some dire financial straits, then it’s whatever I have.

Our pastor, who rarely speaks of finances, once remarked that we should contribute as much as we would normally spend on a meal out. That’s a pretty good way to estimate it .

 

[Cristiano]

I pledge 5% of my gross income, on top of that I also give close to an extra 5% of the gross for all the other collections (regular or una tantum). I have the privilege of a good salary and a frugal family. I do that through the envelopes because I want to realize that it is a constant and conscious sacrifice, and I want my son to see and learn that it is important to give back part of what we have been granted.

 

[Andruschak]

So how does you [your family] discern how much to put in the collection each Sunday? Do you use the envelopes?

Update on 18 November. Thank you for making me THINK about how I should or should not support the Church. You persuaded me to go over my finances for the next few months. Result, I really can do 10% of my take-home pay.

Yes, this involves some cutting back on lifestylre expenses, but I should be doing that anyhow. I already have $20/month to the Mary Foundation. I can afford $20/week to the local church, and $100/month to both BSP and CFP.

Again, thank you for comments that induced me to make this decision. Much appreciated.

 

[puzzleannie]

when we got married we had $26 in cash, two uncashed paychecks (for student jobs, not much) and two student loans, still 2 yrs of college to go, and within a month, a baby on the way. No insurance, needed an $1100 down payment to doc and hospital paid in full by delivery date. our first Sunday in our new parish, Cleveland inner city, pastor gave the $ sermon. He said 10% so DH, being mr. Joe Catholic, followed the recommendation and from that time on we give 5% after tax to the parish, 1% to diocesan and special collections, 1% to Bishops Relief Fund and 3% to missionaries and charities. We decided early on that all donations would be to Catholic institutions that we know something about. Our United Way tithe was sent to Catholic Charities (not possible to opt out in our jobs at the time). We also pledged, as pastor asked, an hour a week of service.

We have done this for 40 years and plan to keep doing it. The discussion that led to this decision years ago was based on the premise that we would dedicate our marriage, family, lives, jobs, education to God for his greater honor and glory (DH went to a Jesuit school) and the rest follows.

We have never lacked for essentials for ourselves and our children although we have, by deliberate choice, done without a lot of non-essentials. We have also saved and equivalent amount, although with kids savings get wiped out periodically by events, so by the time kids left home we had nothing in the bank. Hard work, planning, and luck, aided by God’s grace helped us have enough to retire early (to a very modest lifestyle) and be able to work in jobs in service to the church and community.

 

[Jaypeeto4]

Jesus said that the woman who only put a penny into the Temple Treasury gave more than all the others who gave large donations, because she gave out of what she had to live on, and not out of her surplus.

I believe that we should make freewill offerings out of our surplus (if we have any surplus these days !! ) but our offering to our parish should be out of what we have to live on, however large or small it is.

Love,
Jaypeeto4 (aka Jaypeeto3)

 

[mommyof4]

We just got the “Time, Treasure, Talent” sermon today at mass. Our priest suggested that we take a look at our family budgets, and if our cable bill is higher than our offering to the church, our priorities might be misplaced. I think that might mean us.

 

[Andruschak]

We just got the “Time, Treasure, Talent” sermon today at mass. Our priest suggested that we take a look at our family budgets, and if our cable bill is higher than our offering to the church, our priorities might be misplaced. I think that might mean us.

Sunday, 19 November 2006: Today I was informed by my RCIA Instructor that candidates and catechumans are not expected to contribute to the Church yet, since we are not full members of the Church. Which is why our dismissals are BEFORE the collection.

Until then, I guess I’ll just donate to BSP and CFP:thumbsup:

 

[mommyof4]

So you are joining both organizations?

 

[Andruschak]

So you are joining both organizations?

I don’t think that is allowed. :tsktsk:

What I am doing is investigating both organizations. I have already started BSP. I am not allowed to start CFP until Lent. I have 4 years ahead of me to decide IF I want to go through with this, and if so which group might be better for my needs.

But right I am just exploring. As such, I see no reason not to financially support both groups, until such time as I make the final decision. If I am doing this wrong, I’m sure it will be brought to my notice.

 

[mommyof4]

I don’t think that is allowed. :tsktsk:

What I am doing is investigating both organizations. I have already started BSP. I am not allowed to start CFP until Lent. I have 4 years ahead of me to decide IF I want to go through with this, and if so which group might be better for my needs.

But right I am just exploring. As such, I see no reason not to financially support both groups, until such time as I make the final decision. If I am doing this wrong, I’m sure it will be brought to my notice.

I have looked into both organizations a little bit, but I can’t tell that there is much of a difference between them. What have you found out?