An article on the front page of the Times-Picayune two weeks ago saddened me somewhat. It said that out of all religious groups in America, the group that gave the smallest percentage of their income to their church were Catholics. While Mormons generally give the Biblical 10% we call “tithing,” and while the average churchgoer in the United States gives 2.4 %, Catholics give the lowest percentage of every other religion.
And before you think the reason I was saddened is because our church is need of repairs or because we need more money to operate, let me tell you the real reason: giving to charity shows a great reliance on God, and God rewards a cheerful giver. Ever since I began “tithing,” God has given me more blessings than I can imagine. And as He gives me more, I try to give more away.
Collections in our parish cover less than 50% of our parish expenses. With the costs of insurance, salaries, utilities and upkeep, we have a tough time. Without some generous benefactors donating at year’s end, we would be in bad shape! We’re a parish that is very generous to the poor, but we also need to be good stewards of our church and buildings that have been left to us by past generations.
Consider the following: If you give less than $5 into the collection each week, perhaps you can raise it to $5. And if you give more than $5, perhaps you can raise your contribution by 25%.
Thanks for your consideration, and THANKS TO THOSE WHO ARE GIVING MORE. Our collection was higher than a normal (non-holiday) weekend.
