Parish demanding donations

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yessisan

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I had never heard of a parish asking for money, more like, demanding money. I always was suprised when people said otherwise, but now I have lived it myself. The parish I belonged to never demanded money from the parishoners. The monetary issues were always on the bulletin and it said whether or not there were deficits, but never demanded more money.

But this new parish has the financial committee actually stand in front by the altar and give a speech on how parishoners aren’t contributing enough. That those who have envelopes should give more money, and those who have an EFT automatic deduction from their accounts should at least give $5 each Sunday. I was angry at the fact that they are demanding people to give more! How can they do this? I’m pretty sure people give what they can afford, maybe some can give more, but how dare they scold everyone and demand more money? I’m still a member of my old Parish and was thinking of switching to this one, but I don’t think I want to after this. It sounds just like the JWs demanding for money!

I cannot believe this woman acted this way in the middle of Mass. I mean, they even passed around a paper with the expenses, donations, and shortages during Mass. Yes, it’s our duty to give, but how can they demand we give more. What if we can’t afford to?? I’m outraged! :mad:
 
Perhaps their approach was not the most tactful way to appeal to the parish for increased donations.

However, it sounds like your parish needs more funds to operate. The parish’s utility bills, salaries, insurance, maintenance and repairs, and general administrative costs (office supplies, PSR supplies, missals, candles, etc) rise too, just like a family’s expenses rise. People tend to forget to “give a raise” to the parish over time.

If you truly cannot give more at this time, you don’t have to! And you don’t have to explain yourself to anyone; although you could talk to your pastor if you feel it would help for him to know you are not ignoring the situation, but just cannot give more at this time.
 
I am very sorry, but I disagree with you, only because I was once very much if not more like you. We are to give what we can, of course, but most people today will prefer to give their money away to something silly and worthless then preparation for “Alms Giving”. Mary and Joseph, it’s been told to us, through Santa Maria’s Agreda story, and let’s remember they did not have very much, gave to the poor a portion, about 1/5 of their earnings to the poor, maybe it was more, via donations to the temple, for almsgiving. We, today, have soooo much, we prefer to spend $5.00 to chocolate, cokes, cigarettes rather then give it to the church, and honestly, that’s not very much, it’s a cheap donation. Please, don’t say to me, “Oh how dare you talk to me like that?”, but I am because these sweet little things in the forum won’t have the heart to tell you the truth. For those that can give, almsgivings is a sure way to catch God’s eyes, don’t forget his son, Jesus, cared for, tended to and loved, the poor. Tell me, does your home pay bills on it’s own, or do you have to work to ensure there are funds to pay the expenses? Wake up, our pastors WORK FOR GOD< MEANING THEY ARE WORKING FOR US, we are the ones to help them with their expenses. Sure go back to the church that did not say anything to you, but do you think they would say NO to a donation? I am sorry, I don’t mean to be upset with you, but are we not Christians, are we not to make sense of these things? I use to give my change before, now I try harder, a twenty dollar bill or a cheque, money is easier as bank charges are ridicolous, if you want something to complain about, complain about that!! God knows it all, if we, are not giving enough, we will have to answer to Jesus himself, almsgiving is a must, especially to us Catholics. I’m not saying give all your money away, but don’t be afraid to donate some of it, do you not trust the Churches? Don’t judge lest we all be judged. Forgive me, as I have judged you, prayer will be my penance and hope that we can look at our catholic faith for what it’s doing for all souls around the world. Our churches need upkeep, we must help them, God will award us on judgement day, and you will be grateful you did. The laiety people helping out are a few in many, thank God for all their help, the pastors and churches need them. Good luck, God Bless you, may the Immaculata be with you always, and please forgive me, Alda Maria 🙂 👍
 
yessisan said:
I cannot believe this woman acted this way in the middle of Mass. I mean, they even passed around a paper with the expenses, donations, and shortages during Mass. Yes, it’s our duty to give, but how can they demand we give more. What if we can’t afford to?? I’m outraged! :mad:
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If this is done once a year in the way of a financial report, I don’t see a problem. Parishioners, after all, need to see what the income, expenses, and shortages are. They should be invited to donate a perceent of their income, whatever they wish.
Parishes can’t exist on good will alone.
 
I agree with the idea of a Church tax, like they have in certain European countries 🙂
 
yessisan,

I completely agree with you that parishes should never badger their members into giving. And sometimes they certainly seem to!

But at the same time, I can see where most parishes are coming from. Many Sunday donations are a couple of dollars, which just isn’t going to be enough for them to pay their expenses. Sure, if someone can’t afford more, they should not feel guilty. But there are many people who can afford more and just don’t seem to understand how expensive it is to heat a large, drafty building all winter long. It never hurts to let those people know EXACTLY how much it does cost.

Really, asking for $5 each Sunday seems completely reasonable of your parish. Most people could afford that and those who cannot should never feel that they must.
 
yessisan said:
I cannot believe this woman acted this way in the middle of Mass. I mean, they even passed around a paper with the expenses, donations, and shortages during Mass.
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I don’t think during Mass is the best time to give financial talks either. I will tell you it used to happen with our former pastor (who was 100% honorable and honest especially with money). The parish business manager did a once-a-year-during- Mass financial report. After all, giving the talk before Mass would cut out late arrivers and after Mass cuts out those who leave early. I really believe that pastor wanted to make people aware of the financial state of their parish. With our new pastor, there is never and financial information given, other than collection amounts. The new fund raising efforts he started are kept quiet too. The secrecy makes him suspect around these parts. 😦
Maybe mention to your pastor, or one of the priests how you felt about the tone of the talk at your parish.
 
I would venture to say an average parish would need from 15.00 to 25.00 per week from each family or parishioner.
 
My parish asked for an increase also. The financial person said that everything has gone up, cable, phone, rent, and people still put in $1 in the basket on Sunday. And that people roll up the bills and it takes them time to unravel the money in the basket. People may be ashamed to put in only one dollar so roll it in a ball. I did make an increase from $6 to $7 and my husband also made a weekly increase. I don’t know how the church runs with the deficit they show in the bulletin every week. Maybe that’s why churches are closing. I love my parish and have no issue with this. The parish I go to for daily mass in NYC has a collection every day; maybe my regular parish should do that at the weekday masses to help out.
 
I’ve been told at my parish of more than 7,000 families (including single person households like me) that about 1/3 of the registered people give the money and do the volunteer work to keep it all running. Sad thing, but not surprising. I personally appreciate the annual financial report (delivered during mass after the homily and published in the bulletin). I hope that it reminds people that the lights and A/C don’t stay on for free, especially in Texas. Our parish spends millions just on electricity, so they really need people to make a monthly stewardship pledge and then pay it on time.

It is amazing what can happen when people really dig deep. Our permanent buildings cost a little over 16 million in 2001. (Yes, we are a huge parish.) We had to have a large percentage of that before the diocese would even let us break ground. The whole shebang got paid off a few years back and we are onto another capital campaign for a major renovation of space for various ministries. This time around it has been harder to get it paid off with straight donations, so I suspect I know how we will have to use the profit from the annual carnival this time. I guess some people don’t feel like they get any use from ministry space while everyone goes to mass at least once in a while in the actual church.
 
Several years ago, I served on the parish finance committee. In getting ready for my presentation, I obtained the average donation per family from the parish and the same number from an extremely large parish in a distant major city. The numbers were about fifty cents apart.

Just for kicks, I got the donation information from a small, working-class Baptist church and from a large Baptist church in an affluent area of town.

Here’s the shameful shocker. The Baptists donated nearly four times as much per person as the Catholics did per family. That number applied both to the “haves” and “have nots.”

Think of the good our Church could do if we returned to God just a little more of the abundance He has bestowed upon us. If we gave even half what the Baptists give, no priest would ever have to ask for money and I think God would be beaming from ear to ear.
 
geezerbob said:
Several years ago, I served on the parish finance committee. In getting ready for my presentation, I obtained the average donation per family from the parish and the same number from an extremely large parish in a distant major city. The numbers were about fifty cents apart.

Just for kicks, I got the donation information from a small, working-class Baptist church and from a large Baptist church in an affluent area of town.

Here’s the shameful shocker. The Baptists donated nearly four times as much per person as the Catholics did per family. That number applied both to the “haves” and “have nots.”

Think of the good our Church could do if we returned to God just a little more of the abundance He has bestowed upon us. If we gave even half what the Baptists give, no priest would ever have to ask for money and I think God would be beaming from ear to ear.
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Geezer,

In the book “Why Catholics Don’t Give” it shows that poorer Catholics give more as a percentage of income than do wealthier Catholics. It is a shame.

Catholics give less than 1.5% of gross income. Baptists and others are around 7% of gross income.
 
Sad thing, most of the Parishes that struggle have lots of luxury cars and huge SUVs in the parking lot.

Of course, growing up Evangelical - I am amazed how little asking for $$ the Catholic Church does. Go to your local Evangelical Church - there will be a “stewardship” sermon at least every couple of months and you are taught that giving less than 10 % is a sin!
 
I’m not saying it bothers me to know that the parish needs money, by all means, ask for it, but not do it in the way they did. I know the amount I give is reasonable and I could probably give more, even though the financial situation at home isn’t doing too great, but as a poster said here about cutting down on unnecessary things, well, I don’t buy anything I don’t need. I don’t like candy, I hate chocolate, I hate to buy myself things. I feel guilty if I spend money on myself, something my parents yelled at me for, so I don’t like to buy myself things. Last time I bought clothes, shoes or undergarments was maybe last yr, and forcefully because DH made me buy me something new.

But if I had the ability to spend $15-20 a wk for the parish I’d do it. Sometimes I give $15, sometimes $20 but I write cks. The days I come with cash are at least $5, but I shouldn’t even have to discuss this w/anyone. It’s no ones business how much money I give. The problem here is that they are demanding it in a mean way instead of being nice about it and not feel as though we’re not good enought for the parish. I support the parish i belong to because it’s going thru many renovations, as well as this other one I’m attending now.

I think the matter shoul’ve been handled differently. I know many can’t give more than they do, and I know some just give their spare change. I just don’t know how a poster dares to judge me when he/she doesn’t know who I am, or my financial situation, or why I’m even posting here. The only reason was that I was uncomfortable at the fact that the message was delivered harshly instead of lovingly.
 
I agree that parish money appeals should be done in a straightforward, matter-of-fact manner. Present the financial situation. Ask that families make parish stewardship a normal part of their life.

If Baptist churches can ask for 10% of income (which is the biblical tithe) and get it, why can’t Catholics do the same? Perhaps the focus should not be so much on the money as on the theology of money.
 
I cannot be one to point a finger at anyone’s contribution. For a long time I was one of those $1 a week types.

I increased my giving a little bit last year and intend to increase it next year - as well as making a point of using each envelope provided to me, be it for the weekly collection, repairs, Peter’s Pence, etc.

I’m sure some wealthy Catholics are generous and some are cheap. Same goes with the middle class and working class Catholics.

I sometimes feel bad that I don’t give more. I do contribute to the church downtown (not my parish) that has Daily Mass - I give them a $20 check each month, so even if I’m not there every day I can still contribute a little bit.
 
I’m sorry you were hurt by the bluntness of the spokesperson for the finance committee. If you have time, maybe you can tell the priest at that parish why it upset you. The people on the committee are volunteers, and maybe they need to be guided into a better presentation next year. His response should tell you whether or not you should go back to the old parish.

I’ve come across parishes where they are extremely rude about money, to the extent two of them expected us to bring our checkbook for their inspection; one was a priest, the other was a committee that “greeted” new parishioners. I reported them both to the chancery. The priest had to stop asking to see people’s checkbooks, and the committee could make an appeal, but not look at people’s checkbooks.

Our parish has a lead-in week or two, where people are asked what they would like to see happen in the parish, what groups do they think would do some good, etc. Then, there is a week where people are encouraged to join a committee (time and talent) as well as decide how much they will pledge to contribute (treasure), either by percentage or a set amount. Everybody is encouraged to give 5% to the parish, and 1% to the diocese- but nobody demands it. This gives the finance committee an idea aproximately how much will be coming for the year. Parishioners are encouraged, but not required to put their name on the pledge card.

We are also presented with charts that show how much we took in, how much we spent, and how much giving is done by the families who belong to the parish in an anonymous format, groups and percentages. Sadly, the giving chart showed that 35% gave $100 or less per year (less than $2 a week), while only 1% gave $1,000 or more a year (about $19 a week or more).

Father did say last year that a good rule of thumb to consider is at least the price of a meal out for the family, depending on where a family liked to dine out. A McDonald’s meal is easily $5 per person. How much more valuable, he said, to receive the banquet of Jesus really and truly present! So, you would be about $5, given that your hubby is a JW.🙂 But if these people are nasty about money, and the priest doesn’t give some sort of explanation, then consider going to the other parish with your contribution.
 
Perhaps you should encourage your parish to become a Stewardship Parish. We are all Stewards - everything we have comes from God and we need to give back to God.

Once a parish internalises the spirituality of Stewardship the contributions flow - whether the contributions be Treasure or Time and Talent.

My poor parish became a Stewardship Parish in 1995. It was amazing. There is no need to “demand” more contributions. People give generously of their time, their talent and their treasure.
 
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