All About the Money

By Fr. Jerry Pokorsky ( bio - articles - email ) | Nov 11, 2024

In the 1944 movie classic It’s a Wonderful Life, Clarence, the angel sent to save George Bailey, explains why he can’t help pay George’s savings and loan debt. He says, “We don’t use money in heaven.” George mutters, “Comes in pretty handy down here, bub.” He has a point.

Individuals and organizations need money to survive. Even Jesus entrusted Judas with the cash box. But many Catholics resent priests making fundraising appeals and add “All he ever talks about is money” to the list of all the things he ever talks about. So many priests avoid the subject. But the generosity of the poor widow in the Gospel validates the conversation and the proper use of money.

Jesus sees rich men tossing their gifts into the treasury. He also sees a poor widow casting in two brass mites [coins]. He marvels, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had.” (Lk. 21:1-4) The poor lady is generous.

With the divine imprint of the Blessed Trinity on every person, God hardwires us for generosity. St. Thomas distinguishes between the virtues of justice and charity. Justice renders unto others their due. Charity goes beyond the requirements of justice and reaches into our needs. Mother Teresa put it succinctly: “Love until it hurts.” Pastors always appreciate contributions and rarely consider motives.

The spirit of gratitude is elusive. A sense of thanksgiving drives benefactors to contribute to various charities and causes. But other motives are frequently in play. Big companies and lobbyists often donate significant funds to their favorite candidates to buy influence. An ambiguous thin line separates influence peddling from authentic gratitude, affirmation, and generosity. Our unseen intentions determine whether we are charitable or sinfully self-interested.

Self-interested donations are not necessarily evil. We donate to political parties and Internet platforms [such as catholicculture.org] that reflect our beliefs. We support our churches through self-interest. We know comfortable accommodations and edifying sacred adornments are costly.

Sometimes, self-interest is amusing, manipulative, and even disgusting. A priest friend once gave a provocative pro-life homily. After Mass, one of the benefactors of the parish approached him to complain and said he planned to reduce his contributions. (In many churches, this happens more often than you might think.) Undeterred, the priest calmly pointed to the air conditioning units: “Do you see those units? The parish pays my salary before the parish pays for the electricity to run the air conditioning.” Checkmate.

The Offertory collection of the Mass symbolizes giving our lives to Jesus in support of His saving works. Through the hands of a priest (symbolized by bread and wine, “work of human hands”), Jesus accepts our contributions and responds by giving Himself on the Cross and in Holy Communion.

Experience confirms that parishioners readily support tangible items within a church, such as altars, statues, and Communion rails. In gratitude, a pastor often places a small plaque naming the benefactor of the donated object. Over a hundred years ago, working Catholics generously contributed their labor to church construction. The appeal of financial contributions in support of construction remains. However, fundraisers—designed to offset everyday expenses, such as pay and benefits, grab less attention.

Money is the usual medium of supporting a parish. People contribute to the parish during the Offertory, in the mail, or in electronic giving. Stock donations cleverly save on capital-gains taxes. A thoughtful parishioner once remarked that she prefers writing a weekly check for the Offertory collection. She said it hurts more, and the pain helps build virtuous generosity. Internet payments are less painful than writing a check or placing cash in a church envelope. Many of us had parents who taught us when we were kids to drop a nickel in the collection basket. The number of dollar bills in any given collection suggests parents continue to teach their children to support the parish. Maybe.

Supporting the parish is a matter of justice. Like the widow’s generosity, our contributions become charitable when they eat into the layer of our sustenance—or until it hurts, as Mother Teresa says. But justice begins at home. Large families usually have severe budget constraints, even when the dad has a well-paying job. Others may be under financial duress for any number of unforeseen circumstances.

Our strategies for generosity vary. Most parishes are indebted to those who help with church flowers, decorations, clean-up, and various volunteer duties. Cultural expectations help us establish contribution criteria. Restaurant service tips are about 20% (before taxes). But the traditional tithe (certainly not a Church mandate) on income is only 10%. Catholic households typically contribute about 1-2% of their annual income to the parish’s main and second collections. Protestant households usually give around 2-3% of their income.

Other objective criteria may help distinguish between excessive frugality (well, a cheapskate) and the just support of the parish. Here are a few sample questions that may help. What do I spend on entertainment every month? Starbucks coffee? Internet? Cable TV? Lunches? In contrast, how much do I contribute to the parish?

Those who receive the contributions must spend the funds as good stewards. Years ago, a significant benefactor told his pastor that he exhausted his responsibility before God to support the parish when he wrote his contribution check. As he handed over his check, he said the pastor stands before God for spending the money as a good steward. (However, the assumption doesn’t relieve contributors from assessing the worthiness of Catholic agencies.) Expect your pastor to consult a competent finance council and to provide generally accepted and honest financial reports—at least annually.

When a priest necessarily speaks about the justice—and charity—of contributing to the parish, don’t presume his obsessive love for money. Blame that generous widow. The priest merely reminds us that our generosity reflects the selfless generosity of the Blessed Trinity and Jesus on the Cross.