If people don’t have money they don’t have money. Too many Catholics however are missing in action when it comes to financially supporting the Church. I always have contributed, but I take not a scintilla of pride in it. First, because I could always do more than I am doing, and second because some poor widow, just scraping by, is likely each week to be putting in the widow’s mite which outdoes everyone else.
Thought for the Day
- Donald R. McClarey
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 43 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
This happened to my parents 30+ years ago when we were in a state of borderline poverty (job loss) and as a result the contributions dried up (for the time being), the parish sent a letter taking away the parochial discount for my brother and me to attend the school (making more difficulty for an already rocky situation).
Never mind that Mom was the head of the HSA, the volunteer coordinator of the school hot lunches, and Dad was the Cubmaster and they both did a boatload of over volunteer things. My mother got mad about a few things in her time, but I think that was the only time in my life where I saw her combine blind rage with being hurt. The “meeting” she had with the pastor was unpleasant (the 12 year old me was a witness). But it served a good reminder to him that time and talent matter too.
I give selectively. Nothing to second collections if it is of doubtful moral standing (nothing for the USCCB, varied Catholic groups that are basically liberal NGO’s and, sadly, nothing for Peter’s Pence.) If the second collection is specifically for my parish, then I will give more to that than the 1st collection which bishops typically tax for diocesan use. And I’m never sure what that’s going to.
I also have heard of the Church hierarchy abusing the more generous donors.
During a campaign for a building expansion of dubious worth, a deacon and several other regular contributors were sent letters that told them how much they were supposed to give to the project. It made the project very divisive in the parish and did absolutely no spiritual good.
I think this is one of those relics of a bygone age. The parish priest used to have a lot of control – see the scandals for examples. These days I think it’s more likely for a family to drive an extra 5-10 minutes to a different parish, or stay home.
There’s also a type of selfishness that goes on in Catholic families regarding the sons. The parents influence is huge on helping or hindering the Call from God to the religious life. Be it sons or daughters.
Our priest was mentioning this not long ago.
There is fear in the “great” unknown.
Also the lineage aspect plays a role.
Grand kids? I want grandchildren.
Watching our faith community grow and nurture the call to a religious life is exciting and includes our responsibility to help support them, not just spiritually, but materially as well.
Vestments, chalices, books ect.
We must remember to contribute much more than money if God is calling us to do so.
I’ve now had 2 1/2 parishes close out from under me (1/2 because after the first 2 closings we moved around).
It’s hard sometimes to keep giving not knowing where the next shoe might drop.
(And where funds really go after the sale of a former parish property.)
My visceral reaction is that ‘Tracy Beanz’ is lying or transmitting someone else’s lie. I’ve never heard of such a thing outside of protestant sects run by charismatic founders. Radio preacher Herbert W. Armstrong (‘Worldwide Church of God’) used to extract large sums from his followers.
==
“Beanz” is a rare name and I would wonder if she’s using a pseudonym. In the 1950 Census, there were two Beanz households recorded in the United States. One was that of a middle-aged divorcee living alone in West Virginia, the other a married couple in Saginaw, Michigan with four children and time for more. If her name is her own and her videos aren’t doctored, one might wager she’s a granddaughter of that couple in Saginaw or married to one of their grandsons. (No one named ‘Beanz’ appears in the Social Security Death Index).
I think this is one of those relics of a bygone age. The parish priest used to have a lot of control – see the scandals for examples.
==
The podcaster in question looks to be about 35 years old.
==
See the Geoghan case in Boston. From the time he was ordained (1962) to the time the Archdiocese put him on ice (1992), he was never a pastor anywhere. About seven complaints were made by laymen about him during the period running from 1967 to 1992, One was never forwarded to the chancery. He didn’t have ‘control’. The chancery knew what Geoghan was about by 1980. There was just a chronic unwillingness of Cdl Madeiros, Cdl. Law, and the fellow who ran the Archdiocese in the interregnum between them to remove him from parish ministry. Cdl. Law eventually did so after the 5th occasion he’d been sent out for sunshine and pinochle at St. Luke’s. (NB, one of the complaints against him during the period running from 1980 to 1992 concerned an incident of anal rape).