Question about Mass today

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WaltLove

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Hello:

This is a question I have regarding Mass that I attended today. This isn’t meant to offend anyone. I am just looking for clarity. I am always uncomfortable when money is being brought up during the Mass. It always reminds me of Jesus in the temple knocking over tables. Today after the Gospel, our priest invited another priest from the Archdiocese to speak about the annual appeal. This other priest even had a tape recording from the Cardinal. After the speech, the ushers passed out envelopes for everyone to fill out in order to pledge their donation. All this right in the middle of Mass! People taking out pens and filling out envelopes. There was no homily whatsoever. Now I am aware that the Archdiocese needs money and I am all for giving it…don’t get me wrong but is there a better way to ask for donations than right in the middle of Mass? It is extremely distracting when I am trying to listen and reflect on the Word of God. Am I just being picky? Should I write the Cardinal? Or talk to my pastor? Any advice would be great and if I am in the wrong feel free to let me know as well.

Thanks and God Bless!
 
I don’t like this either. The time for filling out envelopes is before or after Mass. If this is bothering you, I would speak with your pastor and just let him know that it bothers you and why it does. Perhaps suggest that after Mass would be a more appropriate time for this activity and an announcement could be made about it during Mass.

In Christ,
Rand
 
Rand_Al_Thor said:
I don’t like this either. The time for filling out envelopes is before or after Mass. If this is bothering you, I would speak with your pastor and just let him know that it bothers you and why it does. Perhaps suggest that after Mass would be a more appropriate time for this activity and an announcement could be made about it during Mass.

In Christ,
Rand
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If such a collection is needed, my pastor will mention it after Communion before the dismissal. Then we can fill out envelopes after Mass and put them in baskets held by ushers by the doors of the church. Or he will mention that there will be a second collection the following week.
 
The church needs money to support Her Missions. You do realize the Catholic Church feeds more starving and poor people than all other charities added together…Right?
 
Experience has taught them, that if they do the announcement before or after Mass, they will get little. If they do it, after the gospel, and pass the basket, they will get much more.

Is it about money? Of course it is. They need money to operate the dioceses, which has many programs which, help the church, the poor and to educate the faithful.

Jim
 
yes that bothers me too. i do understand the church needs money to operate, and the diocese needs money to fund programs, and help the poor, feed the hungry. all understandable. all good. however it does cheapen the mass so to speak by doing this right in the middle. it takes away from the spirit of the mass in my opinion which is supposed to be the consecration and eucharist. now i’m sure they get more money by doing it mid- mass but does that make it right?? i don’t know. not in my humble opinion. you should talk to your pastor first. follow up with a letter if you wish and then a letter to the bishop with the letter to your pastor attached. definitely don 't go right to the cardinal. i think if this bothered you, you have a very healthy respect for the mass and that’s a gift from God
 
lak611 said:
If such a collection is needed, my pastor will mention it after Communion before the dismissal. Then we can fill out envelopes after Mass and put them in baskets held by ushers by the doors of the church. Or he will mention that there will be a second collection the following week.
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The is what our priest does too, or he will give his homily then give a short talk about what the second collection is going to be, or if it is a diocese or parishwide annual appeal (time, talent and treasure) he will use a few minutes at this time for the congregation to fill out forms then they will be collected during the collection.
 
Any “non-Mass” discussion is held after Communion and before Dismissal in our Parish. Financial issues, blessings on CCD teachers, or expectant mothers, etc…

Also, I thought it violated Canon Law to use any kind of recordings during a Mass?
 
We did the same thing in our archdiocese today too. However, if you listened to the Cardinal’s taped recording, the first part reflected on the gospel and the readings…so instead of getting a personal homily by the attending celebrant or deacon,our Cardinal gave a taped one. However, I wish there was a better way to get people to give their donations. Apparently it is effective, since they have done it this way for perhaps 3 or 4 years.
 
Here is my take …

If we take our christian baptismal promises to heart, our priests [and Bishops] would never have to ask for money … not before mass, not during mass and not after mass … they would have more than enough money for operating costs, education and charitable causes … but als this is not the case …

Instead we are like the young rich man, who asked Jesus what he needed to do to get into heaven … follow the commandments which the young man did … then Jesus said he needed to divest himself of is worldly goods, give to the oor and follow Jesus … the young man went away sad … unable to part with his material assets …

We complain about using envelopes [it is not fathers to know how much I give that is between me and God] …

We complain about the priests always asking for money …

We complain about the chrage for a wedding [selling sacraments! even though what we want is a special, exclusive use of the chruch for the service]

I have heard this “Tithing … that is so Old Testament … We are the New Testament Church , we just have to give according to our hearts” [or what we want to or what we have left over from our material wants … ]

Well, if the jewish people were God’s Chosen People. And as such were given Moses, The Law and the Prophets … and were required to tithe [first fruits to God, suppport the reliegious leaders and give 10% - monetary funds, crops, etc … observe jubilee - free slaves … Sabbaths … etc]

What are we … the New Testament Church … We are God’s Chosen People, we have a Royal PRiesthood, we are given Moses, the Law and the Prophets, Jesus, God Incarnate, Lord of Lords and King of Kings, the Passion and Sacrifice of the Cross, the Church, the Eucharist [Bread from Heaven, Christ’s Body and Blood], the Sacraments, the New Testament [Gospel - Good News of Salvation], and we are required to give in accordance to what we receive, from our hearts and we start at … less than 10%!!! we think we can start from zero percent?

Statistic on giving show catholics ive less than their protestant brethren. We give from our excess [and very little of that excess].

If we don’t want the mass derailed [though we are called to be Christ to the world and that takes resources of time, talent and funds - a proper message to hear at mass] then we need to respond and support our leadership … when we meet that challenge, you will not hear the recorded plea …

And as an aside: if we show up for mass on time and leave when it is concluded [as in Father is to “be the last one to enter into the Church at the start of Mass and the first one out at the end of Mass” quoting Fr. Rock] then you can fill out the pledge card before or after Mass and not during … as long as a high number arrive just before the Gospel and leave immediately after receiveing communion … then the middle of mass is the only option …

Challenge: It is tax preparation time … a good time to look at your annual income and charitable support for 2007 …Think 10 percent plus for 2008 … for 10 percent think: 5-6% parish, 1% diocesan and 4-6% other] encourage others …
 
At least in MY archdiocese…

It’s no coincidence that the appeal fror money from the Cardinal comes on the day that the Gospel speaks of Jesus calling the first disciples.

Most parishes have their annual appeal for PARISH donations back in November. If the parish has a rough ideal of how much people will be giving on a regular basis then the staff can budget for the following year. (How much for candles, how much for hosts, how much for music, how much for sacred wine, can the facilities be lighted and heated and provided with plumbing, how much must be charged for weddings and funerals to cover facility costs, etc.)

The Sunday where Jesus calls his disciples is an appeal to the laity to follow Jesus by looking beyond the home parish. It is a call for budgeted money to help the parishes/schools/programs in the archdiocese other than those in the parishioners’ own parish. Every parish (at least every parish with the equipment to do so) hears the same recorded ‘homily’ from the Cardinal.

(The previous week, most parishes heard a visiting priest descibe how this particular appeal has changed the situation in a particular parish or school.)

You can write to the Cardinal if you like, but the Cardinal does have the responsibility to ask for your money and he’s probably of the opinion that this is the method that works best.
 
Sounds like here with the CSA appear. Last year, I saw the TV set up and walked right out and went to the Benedictine Monastery close by the next day (Sunday) for Mass.
 
I actually saw an interesting one at Christmas.

The money from the collection was actually brought up to the altar with the bread and wine at the Offertory. Along with the usual prayers, 'Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation … ’ was an additional prayer mentioning the gifts of money as a symbol of our willingness to support the Church or some such.
 
I think it is unfair to compare a collection for the diocese/poor/unborn/etc… to the moneychangers in the Temple. The Temple money changers were there for profitting off of a religious mandate: the sacrificial offering of animals in the Temple. Many Jews would travel a long way to participate in this event, and they could not take their own animals. So, they would buy animals sold in the Temple so they could perform their religious duties to God as prescribed in the OT. Many would bring currency from other lands, and would need to convert the money before purchasing.

What many theologians say is that Jesus was not condemning this practice of providing the animals for sacrifice, but rather, that these men were trying to profit from it (and some say, profit heavily at the expense of the poor).

A more apt comparison might be a Catholic bookshop in the entryway of a Church where they are selling for a nice profit.

Collections are more of an opportunity for you to help the poor, not an opportunity for profiteers to soak the laity.
 
Why are you offended by having your offering brought to the altar? Didn’t you offer it to God?
Since it is a precept of the Church that we donate to the support of the Church, a homily on the projects being funded by our donations is certainly not out of place. The filling out of envelopes and putting in money, etc. is taking place in a transition from the Mass of the Catechumens and the Mass of the Faithful (I know that we don’t call it that any more, but que faire?) It is not interrupting the Mass.

Matthew
 
Ah, yes, the annual “United in Ministry” fund raising drive… with the “kick off” dinner being held with the bishop in attendance next week. We’ll have the parish coordinator of this taking over the podium during the homily time at least three times during Lent to bring us up-to-date on how well (or how badly) we’re doing on our pledges, bringing up how much smaller parishes have been getting “rebates” back after their parish goal for the diocese is met (sometimes up to $10,000), and how we’re still paying off our goal from last year, etc.

First off, that tactic (St. X’s parish only has 100 families and THEY got $8,000 back from the diocese because they exceeded their goal…) works about as well as it did when your parents pointed out how YOUR BROTHER always ate his vegetables, cleaned his room, got straight As, etc. Second of all, I can understand how the diocese needs the funds, but I don’t see it going to catechesis, missionary work, and building funds. The individual parishes seem to be doing that with their “rebates” while the diocese is planning the annual Anniversary Mass for couples married over 20 years (complete with corsages for the ladies, and a sit-down dinner) and 3-day “liturgical planning” retreats, complete with meals (how long does it take to say “follow the GIRM”?)

For the past few years, we’ve saved our pledge amounts and given OUR PARISH the donation for the repair of the sacristy, the addition of the adoration chapel, and the Bible study class our deacon was leading. My husband and I are celebrating our 20th anniversary this year–we’ll have Father offer Mass for us and our son will take us out to dinner and my husband can buy me a corsage. The diocese can take that money they would have spent on us and help pay for a seminarian’s books or repair the plumbing in some parish’s rectory.
 
LilyM said:
I actually saw an interesting one at Christmas.

The money from the collection was actually brought up to the altar with the bread and wine at the Offertory.

That’s normally done in any parish I’ve been in, and it’s absolutely within the rubrics UNLESS it was put on the altar.

Along with the usual prayers, 'Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation … ’ was an additional prayer mentioning the gifts of money as a symbol of our willingness to support the Church or some such.

I’ve heard that kind of prayer said as the priest accepted the money from whoever carried it up but I don’t see that it’s licit where you say it was.
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WaltLove said:
Hello:

Now I am aware that the Archdiocese needs money and I am all for giving it…don’t get me wrong but is there a better way to ask for donations than right in the middle of Mass? It is extremely distracting when I am trying to listen and reflect on the Word of God. Am I just being picky?

Thanks and God Bless!
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#1 Come up with a better idea for asking for donations, one that really works.
#2 Get involved with your parish, and promote your ideas for asking for donations
#3 Yes IMO your being picky.

And YADA great response:clapping:
 
The same thing happened at my parish. I’m sorry, but videos have no part being played in Mass. It is not appropriate. My husband and I were in the back, so we got up and left. Yes, I know that’s a mortal sin and I will confess it, but we couldn’t support that. Mass is about Jesus and what He did for us, not who some person wants us to give our money to.
 
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