Love_2B_an_EM:
Should I support their mission trips financially and help out with fundraisers (car washes, etc…). Their mission trips have been assist to the poor in Guatemala (including orphanages and preaching in schools).
Love_2B_an_EM:
Currently, we tithe 10% of my salary, 4/5ths for their church and 1/5 for mine (based upon the number of members of our family attending each church).
Both of these questions deal with internal family financial decisions. It is not possible for me to dictate to you and your wife how you should spend your time and money; I can only give you some guidelines to help in making your decisions.
If you and your wife, as parents, would ordinarily pay for your children to participate in mission trips, then it is fine for you to do so even though your children are Evangelicals. [
In the case I discussed earlier (
http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=52992) a Catholic friend was being solicited to donate to an Evangelical missionary’s trip. In this case, parents usually do help their children with mission projects. You are free to help them if you and your wife decide that it is in their best interests to help them participate.
There is nothing problematic with helping with a car wash. However, if those involved start to use such events as a pretext for seeking your conversion, you may wish to drop out in order to make it clear that Catholicism is your non-negotiable commitment.
Tithe is an Old Testament requirement that is no longer binding upon Christians. For Catholics, the requirement is to support the Church according to the best of their ability, be it in time, talent, or treasure. Giving ten percent of your income is a good thing, but it is not required.
That said, if your children are of an age to go on mission trips, they are of an age to give of their own income to support their church. At least in part for the sake of teaching children personal responsibility, you and your wife may wish to reconsider the percentages. As this is the contribution of you as a couple, a 50/50 split seems fairer to you.
If you and your wife agree to keep the donation splits at the present rate, that is a valid decision. If you wish to give more to the support of your own Church, you can do so through volunteer work with your parish or local Catholic charity. Perhaps your wife and children might be asked to help out with parish fundraisers, as you are helping out with their church’s fundraising events.
Recommended reading:
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The Catholic Answers Guide to Family Finances (
http://shop.catholic.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online-store/scstore/p-CB025.html?E+scstore) by Philip Lenahan
