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Bookcat
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jdipoalasr
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The Catholic Church does not mandate tithing but it is excellent guide for everyone to give as good stewards to the Church and other charities. Your parish should get 5% and other worthwhile Catholic charities 5% of net income. If you can’t live on the remaining 90% the person needs to be on a strict budget.
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LightBound
Guest
You may do as you wish, but in good conscience, I cannot give away money that, like taxes, does not belong to me, but is owed to someone else. See this post for further explanation of that on post #7 of this thread:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=599814&highlight=tithing
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LightBound
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It’s a blessing to have such an income that one can give 10%! In this economy, most of us are trying to live on a stricter budget and not have homes foreclosed on when jobs are lost. For some people, just having enough money to put gas in their ancient vehicle (if it’s up and running) to get to Mass is a challenge, along with hoping their food doesn’t run out until the beginning of the next month when their food stamp card is reloaded.
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HOLY_POOH_FAN
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I suggest we drop this topic now. We know the Bible ddoes not command 10% from Christian,s it is a gjuide for some, many cannot do that. TALENT can be given also, so we we can donate TIME if we do not have the TREASUSE . The Second Vatican Council recommended working with other Christians at home and with others overseas to help the needy which saves lots of tresasure, time and talent by avoiding multiple agencies doing the same thing.
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Puzzlelover
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I am probably going to incur some heavy criticism for this, but I completely agree withlevi86.
The problem is that, in our society, we no longer recognize what true need is. Tithing may mean I can barely pay the bills. It may affect what I buy at the grocery store each week. Really, isn’t that what love is about? We don’t give out of our excess, but rather from the BEST we have for God, and for loving our neighbor for the love of God. In my opinion, the reason the New Testament law is less restrictive is so that we do not stop at 10% but rather are willing to go over and above. There are always needs (my credit card debt, my grocery bill, my 401K, my kids’ college savings–notice that it is all about ME). The problem with “giving what we can” is that we think that we need more than we actually do, and we use it as a justification for giving far less than we should.
We are living in such an affluent society that it is almost impossible for us to fathom what it is like to not know when will be the next time we eat. And yet, that is what a good part of the world suffers every single day. We hardly know true poverty in the U.S.; our “poor” are not emaciated, and all our children have the opportunity to go to school. We need to think about those in other places and ask ourselves: Am I willing to skip a meal and donate that money to the poor? Can I give up the trip to the movies, or a vacation, so that someone else can have enough to eat for one day?
I do know a family that sees tithing as a whole. They feel that they cannot afford to give 10% of their income, so instead they give MORE than 10% of their time. Yes, that is a lot of volunteer hours, but it makes up for what they see as a shortfall in their financial contribution.
If every Catholic were to tithe a full 10% of income–and give up precious time in volunteer hours–imagine what our Church could be!
If you think that you cannot afford to give 10%, imagine that you are explaining your situation to Blessed Mother Teresa. Better yet, pray to her and ask her to show you where you can make changes for others who are less fortunate. Ask for a spirit of charity so you can give–financially and personally–without begrudging the sacrifice it entails. God will reward you for your generosity by showering you with graces and an even greater love for your neighbor.
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LightBound
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It’s a blessing to have such an income that one can give 10%! In this economy, most of us are trying to live on a stricter budget and not have homes foreclosed on when jobs are lost. For some people, just having enough money to put gas in their ancient vehicle (if it’s up and running) to get to Mass is a challenge, along with hoping their food doesn’t run out until the beginning of the next month when their food stamp card is reloaded. If you can give 10% or more, that’s great, but for those that can’t, they don’t need to be admonished because the paycheck that doesn’t cover enough to pay the rent and the beans and rice doesn’t allow then to give 10% or more.
I do agree with you on what being poor really involves, but most people here in the US haven’t encountered true poverty unless they have been on SVDP home visits to see people without stoves, fridges, or even electricity or running water. We have people like this in our parish. We also have plenty of people who are trying to find work and not have their simple home foreclosed on since unemployment benefits don’t get the mortgage paid and food stamps don’t get all the groceries covered (even a steady diet of beans and rice).
We speak of compassion about others in far away lands, but sometimes seem to forget about those in our own neighborhoods or even in our own circle of friends that can’t make ends meet. I’m not saying you are doing this, but please understand that simply “tightening the belt” with most people this day and age isn’t going to make them able to give 10%.
We’re called to be open to life…how can we convince young families to do this in one breath and then tell them they need to give 10% of their income away when most are truly struggling with living from check to check (and they aren’t taking vacations or driving new SUVs)?
The Church does not demand 10%, so people should give what they can without feeling like they have to go by a certain number. Again, if you can give 10%, that’s a wonderful thing, but no one should feel “less Catholic” if they cannot.
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Bookcat
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Mudboots
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…give to Caesar what is Caear’s and to God what is God’s…
I looked through a few of the discussions on the topic of tithing and some seem pretty heated. Wow, even the word “tithe” seems hotly debated on this forum regarding whether it is used as defined per Mosaic law or just a word used by those who lack a better word for what they give to The Church.
We “tithe” 10% of our very modest gross income, for I beleive God’s are these first-fruits and not mine to begin with. But our oldest son has expressed a desire to enter into Minor Seminary, which will have a price tag with it. The formation at this particular minor semiary is specific to the priesthood. My issue now is that there’s only so much income left to help pay for it (my wife and I have 5 children presently). Obviously there is no specific requirement to give a specific percentage of my pay, but I still can’t help but wonder if I should deduct some of his formation expenses from what I call our “tithe.”
On the other hand, if I can save for retirement, why not use that instead based on Christ’s guidance not to store up riches for ourselves. Oh, but there’s the reminder once again that we are a relatively large family open to life, so some future planning is wise.
Hmmmmm. He won’t be eligible till 9th grade to enroll, so I still have a full academic year to let God lead our family.
I looked through a few of the discussions on the topic of tithing and some seem pretty heated. Wow, even the word “tithe” seems hotly debated on this forum regarding whether it is used as defined per Mosaic law or just a word used by those who lack a better word for what they give to The Church.
We “tithe” 10% of our very modest gross income, for I beleive God’s are these first-fruits and not mine to begin with. But our oldest son has expressed a desire to enter into Minor Seminary, which will have a price tag with it. The formation at this particular minor semiary is specific to the priesthood. My issue now is that there’s only so much income left to help pay for it (my wife and I have 5 children presently). Obviously there is no specific requirement to give a specific percentage of my pay, but I still can’t help but wonder if I should deduct some of his formation expenses from what I call our “tithe.”
On the other hand, if I can save for retirement, why not use that instead based on Christ’s guidance not to store up riches for ourselves. Oh, but there’s the reminder once again that we are a relatively large family open to life, so some future planning is wise.
Hmmmmm. He won’t be eligible till 9th grade to enroll, so I still have a full academic year to let God lead our family.
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HOLY_POOH_FAN
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Great faith midboots. Seek the Kingdom first and all will be given to us. That is so true biblically and from my experience.
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mpetershat
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Nowhere in the Bible does it say to tithe money and money existed at that time. I think there are 3 mentions of tithing in the Bible. Abraham tithed once on the first 10% of his spoils from a war.
Another mention I think is the 10th animal from your livestock, so every 10th sheep that went through the gate.
The last was agricultural spices.
Like the rest have said, give as much as you can cheerfully.
Another mention I think is the 10th animal from your livestock, so every 10th sheep that went through the gate.
The last was agricultural spices.
Like the rest have said, give as much as you can cheerfully.
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HOLY_POOH_FAN
Guest
Wealth was animals for the agrarian Hebrews. They tithed, the Temple cleansing shows us they bought animals with cash for sacrfice, same idea, Catholic Christians had no law demand to tithe, it was . a free choice as family in Christ and there were various ways with which to fulfill that. Protestant Christians introduced the tithe which is a good but not required way of honoring the Lord with out fist fruits and pay for the Church’s needs and its ministries and outreach to the needy.
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