The Church has needs

[Joe_in_RP]

Posted: 2:48 am

February 22, 2009

It's time to cash in on Catholic guilt.

At least that's what some parishioners think is happening at St. Luke's Church in Whitestone, Queens, where detailed breakdowns of members' weekly donations have begun appearing in the weekly bulletin.

"I don't like it," said Pat McGlinckey, 56. "It's like they're hitting below the belt to get us to give more."

"It just left a bad taste in my mouth," said a 20-year churchgoer who didn't want to be named. "What someone gives is their personal business. They shouldn't be made to feel bad that they're on the lower end of the spectrum."

Without naming names, the church leaflet two weeks ago began revealing exactly how many parishioners tossed their church-supplied donation envelopes into the collection basket at Sunday Mass - and how much cash was in each envelope.

Last week there were 661 donations totaling $8,527. One person stuffed an envelope with $175, while 21 parishioners gave only a single buck.

The most popular denomination offered was $5, with 196 donations. In second place were the $10 offerings, at 142.

The church's pastor, the Rev. Monsignor John Tosi, told The Post the new feature was to ensure financial transparency and not to shame parishioners into bigger offerings.

"The idea was to let them know where our money comes from and where it's going, which is important," Tosi said.

"We're not embarrassing anybody, we're not judging anybody," he added. And if the efforts causes a parishioner to reach deeper into his pockets, "That's not such a bad reaction, is it?"

But it's other reactions that have some parishioners nervous.

"I think it will embarrass some people a bit," said Fred Peterson, 82, a parish member since 1951. "Their names aren't on there, which would be really bad. But privately, people may be embarrassed."

The Brooklyn Diocese could not say if any other churches are using St. Luke's public-accounting methods. A spokesman, Father Kieran Harrington, said many parishes print less detailed financial breakdowns and added that fiscal transparency is encouraged.

At. St. Luke's, where monthly church expenses top $20,000, not all parishioners are up in arms.

"The church has needs," said Claudia Morelli, a longtime parishioner. "People may have given $1 for years and years. These days, what does a dollar buy you?"

http://www.nypost.com/seven/02222009/news/regionalnews/thou_shalt_not_nickel___dime__156370.htm

[Woody]

Quote:

Last week there were 661 donations totaling $8,527.

What did they do with the other five?

[Gail]

sounds like the MORMON church that looks in to you

bank records to see how much you have to they know

you can give???

Really?

[Cosmin M.]

Wow. Scary. Good thing i'm not Mormon!

[Cosmin M.]

What do you mean? (Jesus?)

[Woody]

HEY GAIL

YES the MORMON church has the right to look in your bank

records to see if you are tithing right

dgrimm60

In some ways ... the Seventh day Adventist Church does the same thing. If you desire to hold an office in the church ... any office ... they require that you are a faithful tithe payer. And they look up in church records to see if you have paid tithe. Granted ... they might not check your bank records without your consent ... but they do check with the treasurer .

[Amelia]

Every church I've been a member of has had a breakdown of tithe and offerings in the bulletin. But it was never broken down as far that that church went. I think a church can be transparent without breaking out each envelope.

When I was a member of a large Portland church, there was a big hubbub when it was found out that the pastor wasn't tithing yet taking very nice vacations. That split the church apart and was never the same after. Early on when I was first married, my ex was threasurer of a church. He had to later step down under duress because members of the board would continually ask him to fudge different things on the books. Very hard for a CCM/CPA to ethically do.

[Cosmin M.]

So you mean to talk about the RFID Chip right?

[Woody]

Every church I've been a member of has had a breakdown of tithe and offerings in the bulletin. But it was never broken down as far that that church went. I think a church can be transparent without breaking out each envelope.

When I was a member of a large Portland church, there was a big hubbub when it was found out that the pastor wasn't tithing yet taking very nice vacations. That split the church apart and was never the same after. Early on when I was first married, my ex was threasurer of a church. He had to later step down under duress because members of the board would continually ask him to fudge different things on the books. Very hard for a CCM/CPA to ethically do.

Yes, there is some controversy over whether Pastors are suppose to pay tithe. I won't get into it very deeply. But there is reason enough to doubt it in the OT . Most do it just to set a good example and I think that is right. Some churches I have attended ... actually paid a tithe on the tithe they received and gave it to other churches.

BTW ... pastors are like everyone else ... they need "nice vacations" also.

Okay ... that's enough confusion brought into this thread ...

[phkrause]

And for the rest of us, only God knows if we do!

pk

[Gerr]

Quote:

In some ways ... the Seventh day Adventist Church does the same thing. If you desire to hold an office in the church ... any office ... they require that you are a faithful tithe payer. And they look up in church records to see if you have paid tithe. Granted ... they might not check your bank records without your consent ... but they do check with the treasurer .

I've been a part of a number of nominating committees in my lifetime. I don't recall any one EVER bringing up honest tithe-paying as a pre-requisite to holding church office.

[phkrause]

Maybe it was only a rumor, but I thought I've heard that to!

pk

[Woody]

Quote:

In some ways ... the Seventh day Adventist Church does the same thing. If you desire to hold an office in the church ... any office ... they require that you are a faithful tithe payer. And they look up in church records to see if you have paid tithe. Granted ... they might not check your bank records without your consent ... but they do check with the treasurer .

I've been a part of a number of nominating committees in my lifetime. I don't recall any one EVER bringing up honest tithe-paying as a pre-requisite to holding church office.

Accoding to the:

Church Manual p. 60

"The elder can do much to encourage the church members to pay a faithful tithe, but only if he himself is a faithful tithepayer. A man who fails to set an example in this important matter should not be elected to the position of elder or ANY OTHER church office."