[Originally posted to Super(Catholic)Man.]This time of the year (Lent) brings us face to face with sacrifice.
Give to the poor.
Take care of your brother.
Do unto others.
Does anyone else want that last incredible piece of fried chicken? No? Well, it shouldn’t go to waste…
Sorry, distracted.
Anyway, I’m always amazed by the relatively small offerings noted in the church bulletin. Let’s see, 250 registered families, assume an average household income of $40K a year, 52 weeks a year, probably giving half to other charities…so maybe 5% should come to the church?
I know, funny.
That 5% would come in at $500K a year in that scenario, and the reality is closer to $200K.
And let’s be honest–we’ve all seen the basket come by with ones and fives dropped in. So that $200K is from a few folks doing heavier lifting.
I think there are a lot of influences here.
Habit keeps us doing the same thing we were doing 10 years ago (or 20 years ago). Guilty as charged. Things cost a lot more now, but I’m doing a lot better, too.
Poor planning. Most people’s financial planning is not so great. The desire to help their neighbor and support the church is there, but where will we get the money? It doesn’t grow on trees you know. As a nation last summer, we barely kept our SUV’s full of $4 gas…whew!
Punishing the church over your conflicts with the Church. Not a position I’d want to defend someday.
I have a great solution to help you out.
Give 1%. That’s right, $1 out of $100. $40K household income? $400 a year, or $8 a week. For many Catholics, that would be a little less than what we are doing now. That’s OK. Resist the temptation to pitch in a $10. Take the time to break that $10 before Mass–gum, donut for after Mass, Sunday paper.
Pitch the $8 in the basket because YOU HAVE A PLAN!
In 3 months, you sacrifice again. 2%. $16 a week. Write a check so you can get the tax deduction. The $2 you were saving in the first 90 days–heck, that offsets most of the increase. The average home has $92 in loose change tucked into drawers, sofa cushions, and change jars.
Whew, 2% is covered. Now, for some this is already an improvement, so congrats!
90 more days, and we are up to 3%. Now that sacrifice thing is kicking in a bit. But if you are used to $16 a week now, you aren’t really finding $24 now, right? Just another $8.
Let’s see. One lunch out. The usual vices, cigarettes and beer–keep those. I’m not after your vices. This should be more fun than deprivation. How about reviewing the bills and get rid of one thing you don’t really benefit from (this does not include the money you are giving to church…).
Another 90 days, and you are back to Lent 2010. 4%. Surely sometime in the past year you have gotten a raise worth $8 a week? If not, give up a little beer or scale back your Netflix to 3 movies at a time.
Last time: 15 months after you started, you are now giving 5% to your church. Our Church. Changing the face of Catholicism with your sacrifice. Father greets you at the door by name, and appreciates that you are giving $40 a week (the big leagues).
That wasn’t so hard, was it?
Be “Anonymous” if you wish: what percentage do you give to the church each week? Could you do this plan?
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I like this plan. We usually give $25 a week, which is too little. I was once part of a "stewardship" group at our parish, where a speaker said that the average church contribution is about 2 percent. If that amount could be increased by 1 percent, there would be a lot more money for a lot more good works.
Mrs. Nod and I got serious about tithing a few years back and haven't gone wanting, even with 5 kids. We aim for 10%, with a minimum of 5% going directly to the parish.Now she merely informs me every time "God gets a raise".
If I’ve done the math right, we’re giving about 6.5% (not including one-time donations for various fund raisers).
We do about 5%.
“Punishing the church over your conflicts with the Church. Not a position I’d want to defend someday.” It could be the only leverage that the layman has and it depends on the conflict. If the Church tacitly condones abortion by its cowardice, mediocrity, negligence, infidelity et. al. then that is unconscionable and should be “punished” by all means as a moral imperative.
I appreciate people putting numbers in–it helps us to get an idea of where folks are.
Several years ago, a priest suggested that 5% to the Church and 5% other causes would be a great practice to follow. Let's us give to the day-to-day mission of the Church, and still address specific causes that are important to us.
Rick>>I was particularly thinking of arguments of the "priests should marry" or "women aren't valued" slant. I can see your point though. I'll have to think it through some more. Would the money go somewhere else, like a pro-life fund?
Keep the comments coming! I'm very interested in your thoughts.
FamilyMan: The pro-life fund or organization would add poetic justice to it but there are others filling our mailboxes every day. Some of them have much better financial controls and transparency than the Church.
That’s another issue. The Church needs to update its rules and processes to prevent embezzlements. How many times have you have of clerics running away with the Church’s funds?
I also have a blog http://divine-ripples.blogspot.com/
Rick,You are right that we need to be good stewards of the resources God has given us – and to put them where appropriate in the ChurchI emphasize "in the Church" because we are required – as one of the precepts of the Church – to provide for the material needs of the Church.
"Your plan would eb difficult for me because I am bad about remembering to have money on hand or bring the envelope each week."I avoid that problem by having my donation automatically withdrawn from my checking account.
I’ve heard the 5% to the Church and 5% to other causes before. I come close to the 5% to the Church between parish contibutions and the extra collections (~$1000/yr). However, I fail to make up the other 5% fniancially elsewhere.
What do you all think about the time and talent components of stewardship? Can that substitute for a full tithe?
I teach PSR (aka CCD, RE) and decline the stipend offered to catechists (~$400). I include this in my stewardship and don’t feel bad about not tithing 10% monetarily. Although it is a goal I’d like to meet someday.
Your plan would eb difficult for me because I am bad about remembering to have money on hand or bring the envelope each week. But thatnks for the interesting breakdown and discussion.
@Ashley "What do you all think about the time and talent components of stewardship? Can that substitute for a full tithe?"Actually, I'm working on a follow-up piece along those lines–money isn't our only treasure. Curious–if you were to take the stipend, and give it right back as a donation, you could take the contribution on your taxes–either to benefit yourself, or to give you a little more $$$ to give away. Do you?