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mjdonnelly
Guest
I don’t like it. Playing on their pride to have a “front row seat”
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stinkcat_14
Guest
Just think of how much they could have raised if they auctioned off the back row 
This does appear a bit troubling though.
This does appear a bit troubling though.
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Rob_s_Wife
Guest
A body has to wonder…
**Should Mother Mary, St. John, or the others have been charged for the honor of being in the front of the crowd watching Jesus die on the cross? After all, there were many crucified before that day too, but this may have been the only time they’d shown up to witness it. And just think how the temple could have benefited from the proceeds!
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**Should Mother Mary, St. John, or the others have been charged for the honor of being in the front of the crowd watching Jesus die on the cross? After all, there were many crucified before that day too, but this may have been the only time they’d shown up to witness it. And just think how the temple could have benefited from the proceeds!
**
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davy39
Guest
You know, if they sold seats at most churches, Catholic or not, the seats would sell first at the back. Then the late-comers would have to have seats in the front. It’s just the opposite at sporting events.
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Lurch104
Guest
Looking at their parish website, you must contribute $300 annually to even be considered a member of the parish. While I am sure that most contribute more, I guess poor people are not welcomed into this community.
I would find another parish ASAP!
I would find another parish ASAP!
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Dandelion_Wine
Guest
Rob’s Wife said:
That’s it for me exactly. If you’re rich enough, you can sit there. Nice.
I thought that was one of the nice things about Mass - rich and poor treated exactly alike.
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Eireann
Guest
Agreed, I think it’s a disgrace.
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TPJCatholic
Guest
Everyone must make a choice. We either serve God or money.
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ABalch
Guest
After reading the article, and seeing that the expressed reason for the fundraiser was to support tuition costs at their school, my first thought was that instead of selling the pews, the pastor of that congregation should be talking more about stewardship in his homilies. For about two months now, our pastor at my parish in Portland, OR (Holy Redeemer for all familiar with Portland:wave: ) has been bringing stewardship up at least a little in every homily. It seems to be having an effect, since the bulletin has been showing an increase in contributions, and it seems more than the usual increase around Advent. Our pastor has begun to include in the bulletin information on what our congregation gives to charitable organizations, like our regular collection for Saint Vincent DePaul Society.
When I read that this parish was selling pews to raise money for their school tuition program, I wondered why the congregation isn’t willing to support the school just for the satisfaction of knowing they are supporting the school. Myself, I have no children, being single. That doesn’t stop me from supporting the parish school with a regular donation in a seperate offertory envelope each month. My parish’s bulletin weekly let’s everyone know how generous the parish has been in the normal collection, the educate-a-child collection, St. Vincent DePaul, and recently the collection taken up for the retired clergy. Now, it is true that our parish does some events to raise money, outside of the regular collections for these different things. Recently, a seminarian from Notre Dame came out to our parish, and as a fundraiser for our parish to assist a few people we had “adopted” from New Orleans, the pastor of our parish and this seminarian had a boxing match in our school’s gymnasium. $10 for general, $15 bucks for reserved seating, and I believe that even after the costs to rent a boxing ring, the parish made over $1500 off of that fundraiser.
I just get an icky feeling about paid to reserve seating in a mass. It hearkens back to some of the comments, I believe in 1Corinthians about the people lording status over others that were at the mass. I say, if these people really wanted to help the school, and not show everyone else their “esteem” of being able to buy the pew, they would give the money, but when they showed up, they would insist in not sitting in the pew they reserved, but instead give up their position to the elderly, the infirm, or to a perfect stranger who walked in off the street.
When I read that this parish was selling pews to raise money for their school tuition program, I wondered why the congregation isn’t willing to support the school just for the satisfaction of knowing they are supporting the school. Myself, I have no children, being single. That doesn’t stop me from supporting the parish school with a regular donation in a seperate offertory envelope each month. My parish’s bulletin weekly let’s everyone know how generous the parish has been in the normal collection, the educate-a-child collection, St. Vincent DePaul, and recently the collection taken up for the retired clergy. Now, it is true that our parish does some events to raise money, outside of the regular collections for these different things. Recently, a seminarian from Notre Dame came out to our parish, and as a fundraiser for our parish to assist a few people we had “adopted” from New Orleans, the pastor of our parish and this seminarian had a boxing match in our school’s gymnasium. $10 for general, $15 bucks for reserved seating, and I believe that even after the costs to rent a boxing ring, the parish made over $1500 off of that fundraiser.
I just get an icky feeling about paid to reserve seating in a mass. It hearkens back to some of the comments, I believe in 1Corinthians about the people lording status over others that were at the mass. I say, if these people really wanted to help the school, and not show everyone else their “esteem” of being able to buy the pew, they would give the money, but when they showed up, they would insist in not sitting in the pew they reserved, but instead give up their position to the elderly, the infirm, or to a perfect stranger who walked in off the street.
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spiritblows
Guest
OK, I’m going to give another opinion here. Our Parish did this as a fundraiser for a renovation for Easter I believe. It’s a purely symbolic gesture. The only thing I find questionable it that everyone will know who made the donation.
The truth of it is, as my pastor has mentioned more than once, Catholics traditionally don’t like the front pews. The church fills from the back. So, these are actually the least desirable seats. They aren’t ‘selling’ seats, they are reserving them. It’s a fun sort of thing and very ironic that folks are paying for seats that no one else usually wants.
The truth of it is, as my pastor has mentioned more than once, Catholics traditionally don’t like the front pews. The church fills from the back. So, these are actually the least desirable seats. They aren’t ‘selling’ seats, they are reserving them. It’s a fun sort of thing and very ironic that folks are paying for seats that no one else usually wants.
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TPJCatholic
Guest
spirit,
The bottomline is they are selling seats in the house of God. Jesus knocked over tables and chased people out of the Temple for similar actions.
The bottomline is they are selling seats in the house of God. Jesus knocked over tables and chased people out of the Temple for similar actions.
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spiritblows
Guest
If they were auctioning the coveted back row seats, there would be a very angry 88 yr old Italian lady at my Parish, but front row seats are a safe bet. I put it on par with Bingo. I’m not going to lose sleep over it, personally…
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mommyjo2
Guest
It’s a great idea! And so thoughtful to put the seats right up front, so everyone in the church will know who spent what to give to the Church! Who cares about that stuff about don’t let your right hand know what your left is doing… those pesky scriptures get in the way of the real money! Maybe they could make those little buttons with a contribution thermometer… I’ve given XXX’ dollars, only $10,000 to go!
If it costs $300 to get the parish rate in tuition, I wonder what it costs the heathens?
tongue planted in cheek,
mommyjo2
If it costs $300 to get the parish rate in tuition, I wonder what it costs the heathens?
tongue planted in cheek,
mommyjo2
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ABalch
Guest
I know it is the stereotype that Catholics don’t like to sit near the front of the church, but myself, that is exactly where I prefer to be.
Even when I leave it up to my niece that comes with me every sunday, she also always chooses to be as close to the front as she can. And I love that she does, too, because I always find that she is better behaved, and pays more attention to the mass the closer she sets to the front. When i usher, and she stays at the back of the church with me, she is constantly fidgeting, wandering around, asking what’s going on, etc. She loves to sit up front, so she can see the whole goings on while the priest is consecrating the gifts. And, she has even mentioned to me once or twice that when we are toward the back of the church, that too many people are talking around her when she is trying to pay attention. I notice that myself–the farther back one sits, usually the more idle conversation is going on, or kids are playing with toys, or fidgeting. The farther forward you walk in the church, you suddenly notice more people are praying before mass, respectfully paying attention, and the better behaved their children seem to be.
Even when I leave it up to my niece that comes with me every sunday, she also always chooses to be as close to the front as she can. And I love that she does, too, because I always find that she is better behaved, and pays more attention to the mass the closer she sets to the front. When i usher, and she stays at the back of the church with me, she is constantly fidgeting, wandering around, asking what’s going on, etc. She loves to sit up front, so she can see the whole goings on while the priest is consecrating the gifts. And, she has even mentioned to me once or twice that when we are toward the back of the church, that too many people are talking around her when she is trying to pay attention. I notice that myself–the farther back one sits, usually the more idle conversation is going on, or kids are playing with toys, or fidgeting. The farther forward you walk in the church, you suddenly notice more people are praying before mass, respectfully paying attention, and the better behaved their children seem to be.
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CatholicCid
Guest
I thought the moneychangers were doing it for personal gain, not to help a school?
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mjdonnelly
Guest
The $300 might be instead of tuition. It says for all school families.
That way, the money is tax deductable, where tuition is not.
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Karin
Guest
Many churches and schools that they are affilated with or that they support require parishoners to give “X” amount to qualify for the Parishoner school rates. These rates are usually GREATLY less than non-parishoner rates. They the School and the Church want to make sure that you actually “help” & “contribute” to the parish in some way to qualify for the parishoner rate.
Here is an example…
Non-Parishoner rate: $3500
Parishoner Rate: $2000 plus $300 (Sunday Collection Plate)= $2300 in tuition.
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Nohome
Guest
There are two tests to make a contribution tax deductable: The charity must have 503(c) status, that is not for profit and no consideration of value is given in exchange for the donation. I think the IRS would challenge that people are getting something of value (discounted tuition) and rule that it is not tax deductable.
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Rob_s_Wife
Guest
I have never sat anywhere but the first 2 front pews with all the kids and dh in tow - and would be more than a little ticked at having to pay for those seats. I even get there early to make sure it’s empty enough all of us can fit in the pew.
Second, shouldn’t the goal be to make the front of the church a more desirable place to be - rather than tacking a fee to it so it is even less appealing?
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TAS2000
Guest
Wow! This thread is full of interesting stuff!
One of the very old (no plumbing, even today) small churches in our area used to have “pew dues”. Mind you this was YEARS ago. A family “bought” a pew with their dues and that was where they sat every week. I think there was even something like the families that gave more to the church sat closer to the front. The family name was on a plaque on the end of the pew.
Also, the parish school that our daughter attends also has a similar arangment to the one described. Parents have to pay I think $400 dollars to the church, then they get the discounted “parishoner” rate for tuition.
One of the very old (no plumbing, even today) small churches in our area used to have “pew dues”. Mind you this was YEARS ago. A family “bought” a pew with their dues and that was where they sat every week. I think there was even something like the families that gave more to the church sat closer to the front. The family name was on a plaque on the end of the pew.
Also, the parish school that our daughter attends also has a similar arangment to the one described. Parents have to pay I think $400 dollars to the church, then they get the discounted “parishoner” rate for tuition.
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