Friday, July 10, 2009
Reverse what?
Does anyone else think there's something unseemly about a parish fundraising program that promises "a chance to receive 10% back of what everyone gives"? You can read about it here.
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16 comments:
More than bingo, Monte Carlo night or blackjack at the festival?
Yes, Bob. In this case, a venerable and salutary Christian practice -- tithing -- is being used as a gimmick. While the things you cite are often done by parishes, they aren't Christian in and of themselves.
What else would one expect from Fth Waller? I notice in the you tube that the church has been butchered as well. Maybe if there was a tabernacle, Jesus might just have a greater influence on this lost soul. Indeed tithing is a long held part of the Christian faith and turning it into a lotto makes no sense at all. There will be more bad news coming out of this parish over time.
This is awful...........but no worse than those pastors who promise givers that their gift will come back to them many times over because God financially blesses those who contribute money to the Church. Like perfect and imperfect contrition, this is what I'd call (very) imperfect generosity.
Hey! It is in the book of Malachi.
I know for a fact it works.
Yes, it is far worse than those who tout God will reward those who give. I have not seen Catholic priests who say those who give will be rewarded financially in life or see that in any church teaching. But tithing is clearly rewarded in many ways here on earth and in heaven.
Somehow I do not see anything in the gospel about this type of giving going on in this parish
I am looking at a Ohio State Council of the Knights of Columbus "2009 SUPER CASH BONANZA" ticket. The top prize was $49,680. I did not win. How many festivals have gaming? As to tithing, on the average US Catholics give less than 2% of thier earnings. Who cares about tithing? If Catholics were to push the philosophy, it would take many generations to become real. Better to worry about the $250 million, that comes from your Sunday basket, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops wastes on Washington stuff. $250 million of lobbying got us the most pro-abortion climate ever. You paid part of the $250 million.
TOM " Who cares about tithing?
God cares.
If you would freely do what he asks you will get much more than 10%. It won't be in your pocket but it will returned in so many ways. why is it when we talk about our pocketbooks everyone becomes disinterested.? TRY IT YOU WILL LIKE IT!!! Read the book of Malachi.
Dear anonymous,
You should know more about US Catholic giving. US parishioners contribute 32% of the total Vatican budget. The US has 6% of the world's Catholics. We are the single largest giver to Peter's Pence. Nearly 50% of the world's contibutions to the poor nations comes from the US. After all that we pay twice, one for public one for private, for a Catholic education. The USCCB budget for 2009 is actually larger than the entire Vatican budget. etc. etc. 6% of the world's Catholics pay 33% of the Vatican budget and 47% of world's giving to the poor. The issue was Father Waller's use of the word tithing. I ask again, who cares??
I do give and I do read the Bible. Tithing, OK, you tithe I'll just give.
Tom
Tom, "We, We," ? Who cares about what everybody else does ? Once your tithe is given it doesn't matter where it goes. You gave it to our Lord. He will take care of it from there.AND he will take care of you. HE SAYS SO! Try it for 30 days money back garantee. (I too am a good Catholic) Your are not the only one.
It's very important to contribute a tithe. After all, the Levites were not allowed any farmland, so they depend on the tithe for their livelihood, just as the priests are allowed the roast meat from the Altar of Holocaust.
The idea of giving away a prize that has some monetary value, in the course of a fund-raising drive, is not at all unusual. Parishes do it all the time, from bingo games to car raffles. I'll admit this one is a bit of a twist, but contributors appeared to know in advance the terms of the deal. Thus there is no fraudulent intent, nor is it any more unseemly than any of the usual means of church fund-raisers.
David,
I'm not suggesting there is fraudulent intent. What's unusual, and unseemly in my view, is that the Christian practice of tithing itself is being distorted and manipulated. That's what distinguishes this fund-raising effort from bingo and raffles.
Well, there is an element of what I would call "verbal engineering," and coming from a parish setting, that already makes one suspicious, because it's how some people in a parish justify illicit practices. But taken by itself, the people knew the terms of their giving, and they got their parish out of the red.
It could have been worse. It could have not been enough.
I love this brochure from the PM website: Festivals Brochure
A quote: "The Lord promises that if we tithe and offer alms we will experience prosperity and blessings without measure. Therefore, our churches' economic distress is not primarily due to lack of funds but to lack of faith and of obedience to the commands to tithe and give alms. Fund-raising does not deal with the real issue. Faith-raising does. If we do not deal with the real issue, we will raise dollar after dollar, and never solve the problem. "Now thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Consider your ways! You have sown much, but have brought in little; you have eaten, but have not been satisfied; you have drunk, but have not been exhilarated; have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed; and he who earned wages earned them for a bag with holes in it' " (Hag 1:5-6). Fund-raising requires tremendous amounts of time and energy to be poured into this "bag with holes.""
Let's boost enthusiasm for the faith!
Why are we egar to trust our Lord with our lives but not our pocket books?
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