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Roger12345
Guest
What is the Catholic church’s doctrine towards tithing/stewardship? Are you required to donate a certain percentage of your income, and if so is it a mortal or a venial sin if you don’t?
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fermat
Guest
You are only required to give what you can. There is no set amount that church prescribes as a required amount.
You should give something, but one cannot make a blanket statement as to the sinfulness, or lack of, without a specific example. Even then it is difficult.
You should give something, but one cannot make a blanket statement as to the sinfulness, or lack of, without a specific example. Even then it is difficult.
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Roger12345
Guest
My minister (not catholic) is saying you have to tithe 10% of your gross income. If you get behind you can’t just start from scratch you have to pay it back. If you do not the Lord will “withrrawl his umbrella of protection” from you and you might loose your job, get in a car wreck, or your house may burn down. In short, he’s running a cosmic extortion ring. I don’t have a problem with stewardship. In fact, I don’t even mind the idea of tithing, but the way he’s going about it is just wrong. I’m thinking about changing churches.
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Scout
Guest
That is utter nonsense. God doesn’t “remove” His “umbrella of protection” because you don’t give money, that He doesn’t need by the way, to your church. It sounds to me that this guy just wants people to give to this church and he’s finding ways to manipulate them to do it.
No where in the New Testament does it give a specific percentage. Old Testament, yes, but not the New Testastament. Paul says that each person should give what he has decided in his heart to give. And if you miss a week, you don’t have to make it up.
Tithing doesn’t bless God. He doesn’t need money. So he’s not going to hold it over us like a pendelum, threatening us if we don’t give to Him. Yes, he blesses you when you tithe, but he doesn’t stop protecting you when you don’t.
The kind of doctrine your preacher is teaching is just flat out untrue and it really makes me angry that people manipulate scripture to scare money out of others.
Yes, change churches. Run as fast as you can.
Scout
No where in the New Testament does it give a specific percentage. Old Testament, yes, but not the New Testastament. Paul says that each person should give what he has decided in his heart to give. And if you miss a week, you don’t have to make it up.
Tithing doesn’t bless God. He doesn’t need money. So he’s not going to hold it over us like a pendelum, threatening us if we don’t give to Him. Yes, he blesses you when you tithe, but he doesn’t stop protecting you when you don’t.
The kind of doctrine your preacher is teaching is just flat out untrue and it really makes me angry that people manipulate scripture to scare money out of others.
Yes, change churches. Run as fast as you can.
Scout
I
I_love_rocks
Guest
The Catholic Church has not burderned her members with requirements about tithing. That being said, God commanded us to bring Him the First Fruits of our labors. The word Tithe literally means 10%. It’s not just money. You may hear this phrase a lot - tithe from your: Time, Talents, and Treasures. (AND, not OR) There is also, in the new testament, a statement by Jesus who said to those who thought themselves to be better than the Pharisees, that they are meticulous in their tithing. They even tithed of their spices. (I’m para-phrasing) And if we, His followers, are not at least as righteous as them we will in no wise enter the kingdom of God. He did not end the tithe. The tithe does take care of the needs of the physical church, the persons in Holy Orders, which St. Paul noted that as one of them, he did have a right to have his needs cared for, but he chose to work so as not to burden them. The Tithe was never discontinued.
It is and always has been, a command by the Most High God, to bring into the store houses our First Fruits. We consecrate ourselves to Him. We tithe from our abundance, and we tithe from our poverty. There is no clause that says if you don’t have much, you don’t have to tithe. I’ve been unemployed and tithed from my unemployment, redeemed soda bottles, and change I found in the street. I’ve tithed from thousands of dollars of tax refunds, whatever the Lord has provided for me - in feast and also in famine.
The key is to give God your First, and your Best. Don’t give the Lima beans and keep the Steak for yourself. When you donate food to the local pantry for hungry families, do you give them your favorite foods, or the cans of whatever you don’t like and don’t plan on eating? You can’t out-give God. It is an act of Trustful Surrender. It is an act of purest Obedience. There is an enormous reward at taking God at HIs Word and following His command about Tithing.
We are always to tithe first, before we spend any of our income on anything else. Get paid, write your tithe check in secret and leave it in your checkbook to pull out on Sunday and bring to Mass with you. If you receive additional money you were not expecting, tithe from that as well - first. The key is give HIm first and best, always. You are also saying to God, “You are my God. Money is not my God. I trust in You to provide for all that I need.” That’s why we call Him God our Provider.
In Genesis, both sons of Adam tithed, but if you read it closely you will see that Abel tithed his first fruits immediately. Cain tithed “after a time” (when he got around to it). After he did whatever else he felt like doing first. God noticed. God notices.
Abel’s tithe was Holy and acceptable to the Lord. It was not withheld. It was not an afterthought. It was not given in a spirit of resentment or resistance. It was given with JOY to the Lord, exactly as He commanded, with Love and Trust. And when you tithe as God commanded, the 10% of your earnings / income tithed - God makes the other 90% Holy, and increases you. The “numbers don’t crunch on paper.” Is another arguement I’ve heard, to which I laugh with years of experience and the oil of gladness. Oh, Okay - they don’t crunch on paper… whatever. It ALWAYS crunches in God’s books… always.
Cain did not give his best. He did not give the tithe with joy, but grudgingly. He did it after the fact - rebellion against God’s very clear command. And when God went to speak to him about it, he said to Cain, (again, para-phrasing) - If you had done what I asked, it would have been acceptable, but you didn’t. It wasn’t that Cain’s offering was fresh produce and Abel’s was roasted meat, and somehow God prefers meat to vegetables. I’ve heard that theory and it’s just silly. God makes no distinction about the gift with the exception of whether it was YOUR personal first and best, to the best of your ability and understanding. Tithing is also an act of worship of God.
God promises to provide for all of our needs. Needs. I just wanted to emphasize the word needs… The more you tithe, the deeper you enter into God. Jesus said if you love me, you will obey me. God puts a premium on acts of obedience - physical acts, acts of the mind, acts of the heart. These three enter into a process of coming into agreement with God and trusting Him in all that He says.
When you begin to tithe, the evil one will do his best to thwart your attempts, accuse you if you mess up even in the smallest measure, to discourage you from being faithful in tithing, because he knows. He knows that if you resist him, he will flee. He knows that God is right and all that He commands is to bless us.
I wouldn’t stop tihing if someone put a gun to my head. It was not always so. I did not understand tithing when I first began. But I walked the narrow, less-travelled path with Jesus, asking for HIs help and trusting in His provision. He’s taught me about where my money was going. What was worldly and unncessary. What is Holy. What pleases Him. That He has the last say over my perceived mountains and challenges, not appearance, circumstances, fear, or deceptions from the devil. God, my savior, conquered my heart triumphantly, and one of the things He used to do it - was tithing because it taught me to prioritize Him (1st commandment), give my all to Him, give my best and first to Him. And He gives me HIs best. And that just leaves me blubbering on my knees, thanking HIm and praising Him, and walking in the sure knowledge of HIs tender love and provision for me at all times and in all circumstances.
My recommendation - always - give God the tithes. Always. First. Never withhold from Him because of fear, uncertainty, or doubt. You WILL still be able to pay the bills and afford everything you need. His provision will seem to come from out of nowhere. But it comes, right on time. Trust Him and set Him as God over yourself, and also God over your finances. You will NEVER regret it. He is trustworthy.
It is and always has been, a command by the Most High God, to bring into the store houses our First Fruits. We consecrate ourselves to Him. We tithe from our abundance, and we tithe from our poverty. There is no clause that says if you don’t have much, you don’t have to tithe. I’ve been unemployed and tithed from my unemployment, redeemed soda bottles, and change I found in the street. I’ve tithed from thousands of dollars of tax refunds, whatever the Lord has provided for me - in feast and also in famine.
The key is to give God your First, and your Best. Don’t give the Lima beans and keep the Steak for yourself. When you donate food to the local pantry for hungry families, do you give them your favorite foods, or the cans of whatever you don’t like and don’t plan on eating? You can’t out-give God. It is an act of Trustful Surrender. It is an act of purest Obedience. There is an enormous reward at taking God at HIs Word and following His command about Tithing.
We are always to tithe first, before we spend any of our income on anything else. Get paid, write your tithe check in secret and leave it in your checkbook to pull out on Sunday and bring to Mass with you. If you receive additional money you were not expecting, tithe from that as well - first. The key is give HIm first and best, always. You are also saying to God, “You are my God. Money is not my God. I trust in You to provide for all that I need.” That’s why we call Him God our Provider.
In Genesis, both sons of Adam tithed, but if you read it closely you will see that Abel tithed his first fruits immediately. Cain tithed “after a time” (when he got around to it). After he did whatever else he felt like doing first. God noticed. God notices.
Abel’s tithe was Holy and acceptable to the Lord. It was not withheld. It was not an afterthought. It was not given in a spirit of resentment or resistance. It was given with JOY to the Lord, exactly as He commanded, with Love and Trust. And when you tithe as God commanded, the 10% of your earnings / income tithed - God makes the other 90% Holy, and increases you. The “numbers don’t crunch on paper.” Is another arguement I’ve heard, to which I laugh with years of experience and the oil of gladness. Oh, Okay - they don’t crunch on paper… whatever. It ALWAYS crunches in God’s books… always.
Cain did not give his best. He did not give the tithe with joy, but grudgingly. He did it after the fact - rebellion against God’s very clear command. And when God went to speak to him about it, he said to Cain, (again, para-phrasing) - If you had done what I asked, it would have been acceptable, but you didn’t. It wasn’t that Cain’s offering was fresh produce and Abel’s was roasted meat, and somehow God prefers meat to vegetables. I’ve heard that theory and it’s just silly. God makes no distinction about the gift with the exception of whether it was YOUR personal first and best, to the best of your ability and understanding. Tithing is also an act of worship of God.
God promises to provide for all of our needs. Needs. I just wanted to emphasize the word needs… The more you tithe, the deeper you enter into God. Jesus said if you love me, you will obey me. God puts a premium on acts of obedience - physical acts, acts of the mind, acts of the heart. These three enter into a process of coming into agreement with God and trusting Him in all that He says.
When you begin to tithe, the evil one will do his best to thwart your attempts, accuse you if you mess up even in the smallest measure, to discourage you from being faithful in tithing, because he knows. He knows that if you resist him, he will flee. He knows that God is right and all that He commands is to bless us.
I wouldn’t stop tihing if someone put a gun to my head. It was not always so. I did not understand tithing when I first began. But I walked the narrow, less-travelled path with Jesus, asking for HIs help and trusting in His provision. He’s taught me about where my money was going. What was worldly and unncessary. What is Holy. What pleases Him. That He has the last say over my perceived mountains and challenges, not appearance, circumstances, fear, or deceptions from the devil. God, my savior, conquered my heart triumphantly, and one of the things He used to do it - was tithing because it taught me to prioritize Him (1st commandment), give my all to Him, give my best and first to Him. And He gives me HIs best. And that just leaves me blubbering on my knees, thanking HIm and praising Him, and walking in the sure knowledge of HIs tender love and provision for me at all times and in all circumstances.
My recommendation - always - give God the tithes. Always. First. Never withhold from Him because of fear, uncertainty, or doubt. You WILL still be able to pay the bills and afford everything you need. His provision will seem to come from out of nowhere. But it comes, right on time. Trust Him and set Him as God over yourself, and also God over your finances. You will NEVER regret it. He is trustworthy.
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1ke
Guest
This is a heretical teaching.
The Church does not teach “tithing” as that is an old testament concept and actually has to do with supporting the Levitical priesthood.
But, regarding support of the Church and charity, yes the Catholic Church teaches us we are obligated to do so. We do so through time, talent, and treasure-- not treasure alone.
How much of each is up to us through prayer and discernment. We should support the basic needs of our own parish and diocese then look at other worthy charities to support in the community or around the world. Some can give more than 10%, some less.
Whatever we give should come from the heart and help us live the virtue of charity and generosity. We should always be striving to become more virtuous in what we do.
And the Church certainly does **not **ask for any sort of proof of income, although I’ve heard of some non-Catholic groups that do so.
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AntalKalnoky
Guest
The Catholic Church does not follow The Protestant concept of ‘requiring 10%’ tithing. It Encourages 10% if Possible, for the Church’s Massive Financial, Non-Profit Missions of Clergy/Seminaries/Novitiates, and Our Massive Charities/Social Concerns even Within The Church. Policy is Voluntary Give based on Ability to. [SIGN] The Catholic Church is By far the Largest Charity in the World, to All, not Catholics only; obviously Focused on Catholics need first. [/SIGN]
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105lynne
Guest
I’ve used this example before to my Protestant friends: 2 men have the same job with the same pay. One man has 2 kids, the other has 8 kids. Do you really think God expects the same financial donation from each man? God expects these men to take care of their families as well as tithe what they can. And, like another poster said, 10% doesn’t HAVE to be financial. You could volunteer time, donate clothes, etc… I think it’s terrible that you were told that the umbrella of protection would be removed!! Scare tactics are so sneaky and underhanded in my mind.
M
Miriam1947
Guest
I have heard of a man who changed parishes because the new one he joined had no debt and therefore he no longer had to give any money.
He is not poor.
He is not poor.
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1ke
Guest
That may be his story. However, we are all called to support the Church. It is a precept of the Church. A parish may have no debt, but it certainly has operating expenses.
What a sad person he must be.
B
Bookcat
Guest
jimmyakin.org/2005/01/tithing.html
jimmyakin.org/2006/02/tithing_giving_.html
See above from Jimmy Akin of Catholic Answers
jimmyakin.org/2006/02/tithing_giving_.html
See above from Jimmy Akin of Catholic Answers
P
puzzleannie
Guest
no and no
Catholics are obligated as one of the laws of the Church to contribute to the support of their local parish, the diocese and universal Church and her mission, and to contribute to alleviate the material needs of the poor, but there is no required amount or percentage. Even where a stewardship spirituality is advocated and regular tithing encouraged there is no obligation to give a set amount
K
Kathryn_Ann
Guest
Amen, Scout! Remember the widow’s mite: to the people judging her, her “small” offering was of no import. To Christ, her contribution was seen as someone giving all she had out of great love. It isn’t the amount that counts, but the loving intent to do all she could. :harp:
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Nita
Guest
My understanding is that the charitable giving is not restricted as to where it goes. If a person decides to give 10% and his parish doesn’t need any of it, he should give it to other charitable organizations that do need it.
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Dakota_Roberts
Guest
His parish would likely funnel it to some parish related charity or store it for bad years
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Nita
Guest
Guess under those circumstances I like to do my own funnelling. Altho, I do think something should be given to the parish because it is from the parishes that the diocese receives its funding.
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Miriam1947
Guest
Actually I guess he is really cheap. He doesn’t want to give any money. So he doesn’t. Yet, he goes to Mass.
I remember when I first came into the church and starting going to daily Mass. I had my check all written out for the collection. I had no idea that it is was only 1/2 hour and that no collection would be taken.
So on Sunday I figured I have to give much more than usual because after all I had received communion all week long.
Eventually I realized my budget couldn’t quite sustain that.
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