Money , money and asking for more money

facemelter

OK now this thread is probably going to cause a heated debate sure what the heck , ok when i used to go to mass as a child every week a basket would be passed around and the little old dears would take out their coin purses and drop in some coins , but the church is rolling on money , tonnes of it , and every week we are asked for more for the sick and retired priests of the parish , I ask why ? why must the cost of a religion be pushed upon the followers when the religion itself worships a man who aperently fed thousand with a couple of bits of bread and fish! .

qrrgprgua

Then don't give. If you want a church fund it.. If you don't then don't

The Church is us all of us. And they care certainly not rolling in it. Its not a centrally financed organisation each parish/Diocesis has its own finances.

gimmebroadband

Sigh.....another drive-by! :rolleyes:

angeleyes

gimmebroadband wrote: »

Sigh.....another drive-by! :rolleyes:

That comment is really very immature. I of course know that expenses have to be paid for the running and upkeep of churches within parishes etc.

However....... our last curate has left our parish (thankfully!) and twice we have been asked to contribute for a collection for him. This guy drives a nice Nissan Quashai and while he was in my parish paid for nothing - never donated to any charity at a church gate collection (our parish priest does for what he deems is a good cause). Last time I checked this country is suffering the effects of a recession and people are struggling and to ask people to give a fat pompous petty minded priest money for a new car or holidays abroad. This same priest could get a job on No Frontiers as he has been a lot of foreign holidays.

Mohandas

angeleyes wrote: »

That comment is really very immature. I of course know that expenses have to be paid for the running and upkeep of churches within parishes etc.

However....... our last curate has left our parish (thankfully!) and twice we have been asked to contribute for a collection for him. This guy drives a nice Nissan Quashai and while he was in my parish paid for nothing - never donated to any charity at a church gate collection (our parish priest does for what he deems is a good cause). Last time I checked this country is suffering the effects of a recession and people are struggling and to ask people to give a fat pompous petty minded priest money for a new car or holidays abroad. This same priest could get a job on No Frontiers as he has been a lot of foreign holidays.

Should we also prejudge and pigeonhole your entire town/famaily/area/country etc. by only the bad people in it and their actions ? Or should we look at it as a whole ?

Benny_Cake

angeleyes wrote: »

gimmebroadband wrote: »

Sigh.....another drive-by! :rolleyes:

That comment is really very immature. I of course know that expenses have to be paid for the running and upkeep of churches within parishes etc.

However....... our last curate has left our parish (thankfully!) and twice we have been asked to contribute for a collection for him. This guy drives a nice Nissan Quashai and while he was in my parish paid for nothing - never donated to any charity at a church gate collection (our parish priest does for what he deems is a good cause). Last time I checked this country is suffering the effects of a recession and people are struggling and to ask people to give a fat pompous petty minded priest money for a new car or holidays abroad. This same priest could get a job on No Frontiers as he has been a lot of foreign holidays.

I'll probably get shot down for saying this but anyway..

As I understand it, diocesan priests don't take a vow of poverty. But be any standards it's a pretty austere life, lifelong commitment to celibacy, often sharing a home with other priests of completely different backgrounds or ages, and loneliness, along with the fact that at any point you can be sent elsewhere. Now given all that, I don't think I'd begrudge a man a middle of the road car (especially given how much traveling the job involves these days) and an occasional holiday for that matter either. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a minority of priests may be living lifestyles that are completely inappropriate and in the instances a person should hang onto their money. And in all cases it's up to the individual how much, if any, they give.

PDN

Members of a church are asked to fund that same church's activities. Why the shock and horror?

gimmebroadband

angeleyes wrote: »

That comment is really very immature. I of course know that expenses have to be paid for the running and upkeep of churches within parishes etc.

The OP 'used' to go to Mass as a child, which indicates to me that he no longer goes to Mass.

facemelter wrote: »

OK now this thread is probably going to cause a heated debate sure what the heck , ok when i used to go to mass as a child every week a basket would be passed around and the little old dears would take out their coin purses and drop in some coins , but the church is rolling on money , tonnes of it , and every week we are asked for more for the sick and retired priests of the parish , I ask why ? why must the cost of a religion be pushed upon the followers when the religion itself worships a man who aperently fed thousand with a couple of bits of bread and fish! .

So, why should it bother him/her if others choose to contibute to the support of our pastors and parishes? It's a free Country, so no-one is compelled to contribute if they don't want to! Parishes depend on the support of the laity to help pay for the running costs.

Mohandas

All denominations I know of have to pay for their lighting, heating, maintenance, keeping of graveyards and grounds, carparks, local halls, facilities etc. While choosing to avail of these facilities, you can choose to give something or nothing.

68Murph68

Do any parishes, dioceses or orders publish financial accounts?

Given all companies, clubs and charities have to publish accounts, do churches not have to publish accounts?

Manach

AFAIK from my vague recollection of the Charities Act, there is no requirement for Charities in general to publish annual accounts?

Plowman

This post has been deleted.

angeleyes

Mohandas wrote: »

All denominations I know of have to pay for their lighting, heating, maintenance, keeping of graveyards and grounds, carparks, local halls, facilities etc. While choosing to avail of these facilities, you can choose to give something or nothing.

I have no problem with that - however, I do have a problem with diocesan priests expecting parishioners give them a life of luxury even in these recessionary times.

lmaopml

They announce every week exactly what was given in both collections and are very grateful in my Parish - in saying that the Priests themselves are worked to the bone, on call 24/7 - not an easy job I imagine - in my Parish they are particularly cheerful good people though. I don't mind contributing what I can.

The Columbian Sisters gave a talk today actually at Mass in place of the Homily, and honest your blood would run cold listening to how they live as missionaries in wore torn countries and just how difficult life is for so very many of the people they try to give hope to who die because they don't have basic sanitary conditions - Women dying in childbirth etc. It puts a lot of things in perspective - it's wonderful that truely 'good' people try to make a difference, that's what it's all about.

Hannah2011

Nuns and priests very rarely have a car of their own. If they have a car exclusively for their own use, often it is a gift from a family member. I have an aunt a nun and my mum and dad bought her a car so she can come and visit us and just to help her out.
Churches have huge expenses to run. I would certainly never begrudge giving them money - obviously if it's not your thing then you don't have to give anything.