Offertory by debit card

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crenfro

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Hello.

I have money deducted electronically for my $$$ offering so when offertory comes round during Mass I always look like Scrooge.

Should I quit giving the $$$ by this way?
 
You should keep doing what you’re doing if it works out best for you.

But OTHERS should stop judging their fellow Christians at Mass. We have no right to think someone is a “Scrooge” because they don’t reach into their pockets and pull out a donation for the offering. In the same way, we have no right to think someone is showing off because they do reach into their pockets and pull out a donation for the offering. We should not try to do the Holy Spirit’s work.
 
This is very common. I tell you this as someone who has worked for a Church database software company. Our credit card/debit card add-on feature was very popular.

I wouldn’t worry about how you look. You are NOT the only one who is paying via some kind of online banking system or parish generated debiting feature.
 
crenfro said:
Hello.

I have money deducted electronically for my $$$ offering so when offertory comes round during Mass I always look like Scrooge.

Should I quit giving the $$$ by this way?
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Why do you care what other people may or may not think about you?
 
If you are on “parish pay” you can go to their website and they have little coupons that you can put in. I didn’t do this, at first, because I thought it was just a waste of paper. Then it occurred to me that I am in a somewhat visible position in the church, and that people may be looking to me to set the standard when it comes to giving. So now, instead of seeing me giving each of my kids a dollar to put in, I also include my envelope stuffed with my trusty “We lovingly made our donation through Parish Pay” coupon. 👍
 
It doesn’t matter if they think or call you a scrooge. You know you’re giving your part, the Parish knows, and most importantly, God knows. Remember, we don’t give the offeratory to show off how much we’ve got to give.
 
It’s a sad reality that people do judge and people do feel judged in this matter. So much so, in fact, that one couple who attends both the anticipated Mass and the Sunday morning Mass have requested and are using two sets of envelopes so that they can be seen dropping something in at both Masses.

The reality also is that I’ve struggled with judging what people donate based on what I know of their income. I have to keep reminding myself that while I may have a good idea what their income in based on where they work and what they do, I have absolutely no idea what their financial commitments are. The couple making $120K may have less disposable income than their neighbour making half as much due to having children in university, more recent mortgage, family commitments, etc.

In our parish we only give envelopes to those who request them and a majority of families don’t use them.
 
crenfro said:
Hello.

I have money deducted electronically for my $$$ offering so when offertory comes round during Mass I always look like Scrooge.

Should I quit giving the $$$ by this way?
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Is that what you think? That others are thinking you are a Scrooge. Most people are well aware of the automatic withdrawals. I agree with the others do what works for you and don’t worry about what you think others may think. Number one it may not be true and if it is true…it’s really nobody’s business anyway. As far as I know the parishes prefer the automatic withdrawal method of giving.
 
Our parish has adopted the use of cards (picked up from a basket as you come in) that say, “We donate electronically”, so that the kids of the families that do so have something to put into the basket, and understand that their family gives, too. When the collection is taken up, even the pastor puts his in.

Electronic giving has several advantages to the parish. It lowers their paperwork load. Also, they know they can plan on your donation…they are not at the mercy of your memory or your vacation schedule. Many people who continue to pay rent or mortgage, utilities, and so on while they are out of town for some reason think that their parish does not also continue to have bills to pay in their absence. I’m sure you can think of more.
 
Our church is about to start collecting money this way, but there was a note in our bulletin that envelopes will continue to be mailed to us so we can “symbolically” give when the collection at mass is done. Maybe you could ask if this option is available to you.
 
“But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” - Matthew 6:3 (Sermon on the Mount)

In the end, I think it is better for our humility to give to the church without being concerned what others think (and it prevents temptation to think we are wonderful because others can see us dropping an envelope in the basket when others at the pews give nothing or only a buck).

I agree that direct debit contributions to the Church are best - they really do prevent one from forgetting to bring your donation one week or skipping donations to your home parish when you visit another Church.
 
1ke said:
Why do you care what other people may or may not think about you?
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Exactly. I help with the collections every week. I never think good nor bad if someone puts something in the basket or if they don’t. I can assure you that no one is concerned about whether you are putting anything in or not.
 
1ke said:
Why do you care what other people may or may not think about you?
Click to expand...
Though, ideally, we should not, we are all often uncertain and self-conscious. I think the scenario described by the OP is fairly common. He should not be judged for simply having very human reactions.

There is a very human tendency to form a negative opinion of someone based on our own perception of their actions; thus, I love the idea of the little pieces of paper, indicating an electronic offering. Our parish does not yet do this, but I often schedule an electronic payment from my bank when we are traveling. Catholic Charities has long offered the electronic option - I love it!

Perhaps as just about everything moves to a paperless economy (I personally almost never have cash, using a debit card instead) this will become less and less of an issue.
 
There are also those of us you write one check a month rather then weekly. Others might contribute on a yearly basis, or bi-annually You don’t know. And besides like others have already pointed out no one should judge folks by what it looks like when they pass the basket.
 
EasterJoy said:
Our parish has adopted the use of cards (picked up from a basket as you come in) that say, “We donate electronically”, so that the kids of the families that do so have something to put into the basket, and understand that their family gives, too. When the collection is taken up, even the pastor puts his in.

Electronic giving has several advantages to the parish. It lowers their paperwork load. Also, they know they can plan on your donation…they are not at the mercy of your memory or your vacation schedule. Many people who continue to pay rent or mortgage, utilities, and so on while they are out of town for some reason think that their parish does not also continue to have bills to pay in their absence. I’m sure you can think of more.
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I really like this concept. I know it would save the parish a good deal of money to cut down on the envelope thing.

Funny, I thought about it this morning as I was writing my check into my register and realized that the last 5 checks there are all to the parish - everyone else gets paid on-line now!
 
kristie_m said:
If you are on “parish pay” you can go to their website and they have little coupons that you can put in. I didn’t do this, at first, because I thought it was just a waste of paper. Then it occurred to me that I am in a somewhat visible position in the church, and that people may be looking to me to set the standard when it comes to giving. So now, instead of seeing me giving each of my kids a dollar to put in, I also include my envelope stuffed with my trusty “We lovingly made our donation through Parish Pay” coupon. 👍
Click to expand...
Hmm. Does the parish enroll first? Not sure how this works . . .
 
dixieagle said:
Though, ideally, we should not, we are all often uncertain and self-conscious. I think the scenario described by the OP is fairly common. He should not be judged for simply having very human reactions.
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As I am keeper of the checkbook, I generally “do the envelope.” When we go to different Masses, my husband ALWAYS winds up putting $20 cash into the basket even though he knows I’m going to be putting the check in later.

On the other hand, when we go to Mass in another parish I always write them a check and sometimes forget to also make up the difference at my home parish. So maybe the extra cash weeks even things out.🤷
 
NHInsider said:
Hmm. Does the parish enroll first? Not sure how this works . . .
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Yes, the parish must first be enrolled in Parish Pay. What’s nice about it, is you can put in x dollars weekly, x for special collections, x for Christmas and Easter…you can have it come out of your checking account, or put on your credit card. The only time it gets confusing for me is if we have more than one special collection in a month. Then I have to figure out who I’ve already donated to, and who I still need to write a check to. But you could remedy that, by doing a regular donation thru Parish Pay, then just write a check for the second collections whenever they occur.

It’s better for the parish, since they don’t have to worry about collections dropping when you go on vacation, and it worked out great for me as I do music ministry and am usually occupied at the time of the offereratory…more than once I’ve forgotten to drop my $$ in. :o
 
the diocese out here gets a lot of casino chips in the donations. so many that they have to have someone go around once a month to all the casinos to cash all the chips. because the banks won’t take them. I heard they pick whoever is free at that time because it takes all day just to cash them all in.
I also heard the lucky priest is referred to as the Chip Monk. :rolleyes:
 
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