Two collections every Sunday?

[garn9173]

My parish had two collections today - regular and for the Phillipines.

Same here yesterday. The last Sunday of every a month, a reverse collection is taken for the local food pantry (hospitality ministers pass the baskets right before the announcements like they normally do for the regular collection after the creed and prayer intentions, however inside the baskets are slips of paper, you grab one or more of the slips and return the items the following Sunday).

 

[rondirect]

I didn’t say anyone here was questioning any of those things. All I did was explain how things are in my own parish.

I see the proceeds of all collections firsthand because I’m the one who secures them after the collections are completed. Perhaps because we always have two and the parishioners are used to it, the amount in the first collection is fairly constant while what ends up in the second depends upon what it’s for—some causes attract more contributions than others, and different causes speak to each person in different ways. But while I of course cannot speak for the individual parishioner, from what I have seen of the behavior of parishioners as a whole I have not observed the sort of splitting you speak of.

Unless I am misunderstanding you (and I apologize sincerely if I am), you believe adding a second collection to increase revenue is the case for all parishes. I cannot speak for all parishes, only my own, and I can tell you it is not the case here. That you and I seem to have differing opinions on this only illustrates that the motivation behind the second collection is not the same everywhere.

We’re good. I was just responding to your “I don’t think it would be fair to suggest this is the case for all parishes.” I believe it is and you understand me completely. That’s just my opinion. However, with all due respect, unless you know everyone of the parishioners and their budget in giving, how can you assume the behavior of them and observe if they are splitting or not? Good conversation.

 

[zab]

We’re good. I was just responding to your “I don’t think it would be fair to suggest this is the case for all parishes.” I believe it is and you understand me completely. That’s just my opinion. However, with all due respect, unless you know everyone of the parishioners and their budget in giving, how can you assume the behavior of them and observe if they are splitting or not? Good conversation.

Second collections are opportunities to contribute to charities other than your tithe to your parish. It is always your decision on how much and to whom you give. No one knows your budget or even questions the amount of almsgiving that you do. But guidelines are available to help people decide. And if one has pledged a certain amount monthly to one’s parish, then they should not rob Peter to pay Paul. Generally second collections are meant to be in addition to, not take the place of the main collection.

 

[UpUpAndAway]

A second collection could be a good idea, depending on how it is implemented. The parish that I sang in last weekend, had 2 collections, and the second one was for the heat and lighting costs. But this is a good way for parishioners to direct their money the way they want it to go. (Like capital campaigns). Take my mother, who is very upset that her parish is paying 4 or 5 youth ministers/directors, despite class sizes that are smaller then ever. So this way, would be a good way for a person who is not so happy about some ways the parish is spending its money while still keeping their donations up for things, like heat, lights, ac, or liturgical items (candles, incense, etc.).

Hmmm, maybe that’s why my parish doesn’t include heating and liturgical expenses in the annual budget…

We’re good. I was just responding to your “I don’t think it would be fair to suggest this is the case for all parishes.” I believe it is and you understand me completely. That’s just my opinion.

Indeed. And I have directly observed otherwise, both where I am now and in parishes past, so I simply can’t agree. Again, I have no doubt upping the take is a motivation in some parishes, but based upon my own experience I would be hard pressed to admit it’s that way for all.

However, with all due respect, unless you know everyone of the parishioners and their budget in giving, how can you assume the behavior of them and observe if they are splitting or not? Good conversation.

I thought I had covered that by saying I cannot speak for the individual parishioner. Of course I do not know everyone in the parish (23,000 people ), let alone their household budgets. Since we don’t use an envelope system—I haven’t seen such a system employed in any French parish, but of course I also haven’t attended Mass in all 38,000 French parishes—and the vast majority of contributions are made in cash, I have no way of knowing who gave what amount. I am not assuming anything. What I base my observation on is the total amount of the two collections. Since Mass attendance is relatively constant (there are seasonal variables, but those are predictable), it would seem to me that if splitting occurs on a large scale, the total of Collection 1 + Collection 2 would also be relatively constant week on week. It isn’t. Collection 1 is remains roughly the same while Collection 2 varies widely depending upon what it’s for. I’m not saying no one splits—I have no way of knowing that—but I also don’t think it’s the general practice here and I base that opinion on direct observation.

Still, it’s interesting to see the diverse approaches to a second collection as described by people who have responded to this thread. I learn something new every day on CAF

…if one has pledged a certain amount monthly to one’s parish, then they should not rob Peter to pay Paul. Generally second collections are meant to be in addition to, not take the place of the main collection.

This is how I feel as well. However, as rondirect pointed out, the household budget remains the same regardless of how many collections there are and what they’re for. It’s up to the individual to decide if (s)he has to split because there simply isn’t room in the budget to give more. We generally have wiggle room in ours, but I’m fully aware not all households are like this.

 

[KrazyKat]

Second collections are opportunities to contribute to charities other than your tithe to your parish. It is always your decision on how much and to whom you give. No one knows your budget or even questions the amount of almsgiving that you do. But guidelines are available to help people decide. And if one has pledged a certain amount monthly to one’s parish, then they should not rob Peter to pay Paul. Generally second collections are meant to be in addition to, not take the place of the main collection.

This makes sense to me. Just ignore the second collection when you have already given all you have. Amen.

 

[rondirect]

Hmmm, maybe that’s why my parish doesn’t include heating and liturgical expenses in the annual budget…

Indeed. And I have directly observed otherwise, both where I am now and in parishes past, so I simply can’t agree. Again, I have no doubt upping the take is a motivation in some parishes, but based upon my own experience I would be hard pressed to admit it’s that way for all.

I thought I had covered that by saying I cannot speak for the individual parishioner. Of course I do not know everyone in the parish (23,000 people ), let alone their household budgets. Since we don’t use an envelope system—I haven’t seen such a system employed in any French parish, but of course I also haven’t attended Mass in all 38,000 French parishes—and the vast majority of contributions are made in cash, I have no way of knowing who gave what amount. I am not assuming anything. What I base my observation on is the total amount of the two collections. Since Mass attendance is relatively constant (there are seasonal variables, but those are predictable), it would seem to me that if splitting occurs on a large scale, the total of Collection 1 + Collection 2 would also be relatively constant week on week. It isn’t. Collection 1 is remains roughly the same while Collection 2 varies widely depending upon what it’s for. I’m not saying no one splits—I have no way of knowing that—but I also don’t think it’s the general practice here and I base that opinion on direct observation.

Still, it’s interesting to see the diverse approaches to a second collection as described by people who have responded to this thread. I learn something new every day on CAF

This is how I feel as well. However, as rondirect pointed out, the household budget remains the same regardless of how many collections there are and what they’re for. It’s up to the individual to decide if (s)he has to split because there simply isn’t room in the budget to give more. We generally have wiggle room in ours, but I’m fully aware not all households are like this.

I hear you. It’s really is parish by parish thing. In our case the second collections are benefits to our own parish and specific ministries, exempt for the monthly collection for the diocese. I outlined them a few days ago. I think one collection will do the job, but we also have 2 envelopes each and every Sunday, minus Holy Days and Special masses like AW and HT.

 

[Miriam1947]

We don’t generally have second collections at my parish except for the yearly ones in the diocese (priest retirement, etc).

This past Sunday we had a second collection for the Philippines. The 5th Sunday of the month is for our St. Vincent dePaul society.

 

[SMHW]

This mostly my own curiosity…

For those of you who regularly have a second collection such that the first and second collection are designated for separate purposes,
Do parishioners usually contribute with cash, by check, or by some other means? (I’m not sure what other method there is that can be placed in a collection basket but maybe there is some way.) I know that many parishioners now contribute by bank transfer or credit card so they don’t use the collection basket at all.

I ask because in my parish the parishioners who donate, during Mass, on a regular basis would normally do so by check and/or envelope. As such their donation “target” is already specified by the type of envelope or in the memo on the check. American parishes typically track the donations of parishioners and the purpose of those donations if they have that information.

It seems to me that having a second collection is probably more beneficial if most donations are with cash.

 

[rondirect]

They use envelopes for tax purposes and record keeping. They use checks, cash and can also use the credit card online giving that we have. The second collection and cash and its benefits doesn’t fit into the equation IMO.