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Finance - Church, Diocese and Parish
Topic Started: Monday, 16. October 2006, 23:34 (2,329 Views)
Derekap
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A long time ago I learned that parochial money collected for new schools and churches was pooled by the diocese. Instead of each parish having insuficient money for their project the diocese used the money from all the parishes to achieve something in one two parishes sooner than they would otherwise have done. The decision would be very difficult and the lucky parish would owe and collect the outstanding balance obviously to help other parishes.
Derekap
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Rose of York
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I have heard from people in three dioceses, and read in the newsletter of a parish in the North, about dioceses increasing the percentage levy on parishes, in some cases by huge amounts and in addition telling parishes to pay fixed sums towards the Catholic schools.

Is this happening nationwide?
Keep the Faith!

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Deleted User
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So far, there have been increased levies here Rose but one would have to say that although controversial they are proportionate. Haven't heard of the schools element.


John
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Rose of York
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When will we see the end of scandal about the Church? In the past on matters not financial we have heard Cardinals saying "we did not fully understand" "lessons will be learned" "procedures are now in place" (after the horse has bolted).

The Vatican Bank is under investigation regarding money-laundering allegations that led to police seizure of £19.25m in September. The Institute of Religious Works (Vatican Bank) say the transactions in question can be explained, and were down to faulty record-keeping! With long experience of both accountancy and book-keeping to my credit I would not expect incompetent people to be given responsibility for keeping records of sums of that magnitude.

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=8552

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/vatican-bank-allowed-clergy-to-act-as-front-for-mafia-2158692.html

An English bishop fired his trustees because, under his predecessor, the diocese had got into such a financial mess that auditors forecast that without drastic action it would go into liquidation within six years.

My opinion? There are many parts in the Body of Christ. The bishop is not a crime investigator and the cardinal is not a financier, whatever their pre-ordination careers, if they had them. At parish level we have laity who like to take on as many of the priest's pastoral responsibilities as they can, while the priest gets on with doing non spiritual tasks for which he has not been trained.
Keep the Faith!

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Penfold
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Rose of York
Tuesday, 14. December 2010, 01:48
My opinion... At parish level we have laity who like to take on as many of the priest's pastoral responsibilities as they can, while the priest gets on with doing non spiritual tasks for which he h...as not been trained.
A reasonable observation Rose and one which many diocese are trying to redress but who do you appoint. a willing volunteer who is offended and takes it personally if the parish do not want what they offer or do we dip into the parish purse and pay someone to administer the temporal goods of the church?
Personally I was very fortunate in the quality of my volunteers but I was lucky many of my colleagues can give a long list of problems.

I would point out though that for a bunch of armatures it is amazing how the church has managed to open and run hospitals for the benefit of its patients while many governments have failed to provide a decent free at the point of use health service. It should also be remembered how many schools, universities, scientific institutes and a host of other secular activities run by the church survive, in-spite of all things human.
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Rose of York
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Penfold2
Tuesday, 14. December 2010, 14:05
Rose of York
Tuesday, 14. December 2010, 01:48
My opinion... At parish level we have laity who like to take on as many of the priest's pastoral responsibilities as they can, while the priest gets on with doing non spiritual tasks for which he h...as not been trained.
A reasonable observation Rose and one which many diocese are trying to redress but who do you appoint. a willing volunteer who is offended and takes it personally if the parish do not want what they offer or do we dip into the parish purse and pay someone to administer the temporal goods of the church?
I would suggest we adopt the practice common in the C of E, of parishioners being required to register their membership, and I also say it should be a diocesan requirement for every parish to have a census, updated at set periods, to establish what skills and available.

Quote:
 
I would point out though that for a bunch of armatures it is amazing how the church has managed to open and run hospitals for the benefit of its patients while many governments have failed to provide a decent free at the point of use health service. It should also be remembered how many schools, universities, scientific institutes and a host of other secular activities run by the church survive, in-spite of all things human.

It does not amaze me that " the church has managed to open and run hospitals for the benefit of its patients". Religious orders make a point of getting the best from the gifts and talents of the members of the Order. Those with potential to take on responsibilities are properly trained and educated. They are amateurs only in the respect that they are not paid the rate for the job. Consider the bee-keeping monks, the nun art critic, the printers in monasteries. None could truthfully say the produce is amateurish.
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but who do you appoint. a willing volunteer who is offended and takes it personally if the parish do not want what they offer or do we dip into the parish purse and pay someone to administer the temporal goods of the church?
If a person volunteers for something they are incapable of doing properly, hard luck if they go into a sulk. Humility is a virtue. Incompetent volunteers can cost more in the long run that paid staff. Anyway most parishes do have competent people, they need to be identified.
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Rose of York
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http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=8739

Catholic Culture
 
Report: Pope to reform Vatican bank structure
RSS Facebook December 29, 2010

Pope Benedict will issue a document on December 30 that reforms the Vatican banking system, the Vatican has confirmed.

Shortly after the appearance of a German press report that the Pope would move to adopt new European banking standards, the Vatican press office announced that a motu proprio will be released on December 30, imposing new regulations to combat the possibility of money-laundering and fraud. The Pope will set up a new Financial Information Authority to "prevent and combat illegal activities" in financial affairs. The new rules respond to criticism that unnamed officials have used the Vatican bank to mask illegal transactions.




email from Vatican Information Service.
 



Quote:
 
MOTU PROPRIO ON ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES IN THE FINANCIAL SECTOR

VATICAN CITY, 30 DEC 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the text of the Pope's
Apostolic Letter "Motu Proprio data" on the prevention and countering of
illegal activities in the financial and monetary sectors:

The Apostolic See has always raised its voice to exhort all men and women
of good will, and especially the leaders of nations, to commit themselves to
building - also through just and lasting peace in all parts of the world -
the universal city of God, towards which the history of peoples and nations
progresses [Benedict XVI, Enc. Let. 'Caritas in veritate' (29 June 2009), 7:
AAS 101/2009, 645]. Unfortunately, peace in our time and in an increasingly
globalised society is threatened by various causes, among them the
inappropriate use of the market and the economy, as well as the terrible
destruction of terrorist violence, which causes death, suffering, hatred and
social instability.

Quite rightly, the international community is increasingly equipping
itself with juridical principles and instruments that enable it to prevent
and contrast the phenomena of money laundering and the financing of
terrorism.

The Holy See approves this commitment and intends to adopt these rules in
its own use of the material resources it needs to carry out its mission, and
to carry out the tasks of Vatican City State.

In this context, also in implementation of the Monetary Convention of 17
December 2009 between Vatican City State and the European Union, I have
approved for Vatican City State the publication of the Law of 30 December
2010 concerning the prevention and countering of the laundering of proceeds
from criminal activities and of the financing of terrorism, which is being
promulgated today.

With this Apostolic Letter in the form of "Motu Proprio":

(a) I decree that the abovementioned Law of Vatican City State, and its
future modifications, is also valid for the dicasteries of the Roman Curia
and for all Institutions and Entities dependent on the Holy See, when they
undertake the activities defined in article 2 of the said Law.

(b) I establish the "Autorita di Informazione Finanziaria" (AIF), as
indicated in article 33 of the Law concerning the prevention and countering
of the laundering of proceeds from criminal activities and of the financing
of terrorism, as an Institution connected with the Holy See in accordance
with articles 186 and 190-191 of the Apostolic Constitution "Pastor Bonus",
conferring thereon public juridical canonical status and Vatican civil
status, and approving its Statute which is attached to this Motu Proprio.

(c) I decree that the "Autorita di Informazione Finanziaria" (AIF) is to
exercise its functions in relation to the dicasteries of the Roman Curia and
in relation to all the Institutions and Entities mentioned in paragraph (a)
above.

(d) I delegate the competent judicial bodies of Vatican City State to
exercise their penal jurisdiction - only as concerns the crimes conjectured
in the abovementioned Law - in relation to the dicasteries of the Roman
Curia and in relation to all the Institutions and Entities mentioned in
paragraph (a) above.

I order that what has thus been established is to have full and stable
validity as of today's date, notwithstanding any dispositions to the
contrary, though worthy of special mention.

I decree that this Apostolic Letter in the form of Motu Proprio is to be
published in the "Acta Apostolicae Sedis".

Published in Rome, from the Apostolic Palace, 30 December of the year
2010, sixth of the Pontificate.
MP/ VIS
20101230 (590)


Quote:
 
COMMUNIQUE OF SECRETARIAT OF STATE ON POPE'S MOTU PROPRIO

VATICAN CITY, 30 DEC 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the English-language text
of a communique issued by the Secretariat of State regarding the new
legislation for the prevention and countering of illegal activities in the
financial and monetary sectors:

(1) Today, in implementation of the Monetary Convention of 17 December
2009 (2010/C 28/05) between Vatican City State and the European Union, four
new Laws were adopted:

- the "Law concerning the prevention and countering of the laundering of
proceeds from criminal activities and of the financing of terrorism";
- the "Law on fraud and counterfeiting of Euro banknotes and coins";
- the "Law concerning the size, specifications, reproductions,
substitutions of and withdrawals from use of Euro banknotes and concerning
the implementation of measures to be taken against the irregular
reproduction of Euro banknotes and the substitution of and withdrawal from
use of Euro banknotes";
- the "Law regarding the face, unitary value and technical specifications,
as well as the copyright of the designs of the national faces of the Euro
coins destined for circulation".

The process of drafting the above-mentioned Laws was conducted with the
assistance of the Mixed Committee, established in Art.11 of the Monetary
Convention, composed of representatives of Vatican City State and of the
European Union. The European Union delegation is composed of representatives
of the Commission and of the Republic of Italy as well as representatives of
the Central European Bank.

The Law concerning the prevention and countering of money laundering and
of the financing of terrorism is published together with this communique,
while the others will be published on the website of Vatican City State, at
www.vaticanstate.va

(2) The Law concerning the prevention of money laundering and of the
financing of terrorism contains the following in a single piece of
legislation:

- specification of criminal activities which comprise the laundering of
money, self money-laundering, and the so-called "predicate crimes" (that is,
the criminal activities which generate incomes, that are subsequently
laundered), for which penal fines are foreseen;
- specification of activities with a more administrative content related to
international co-operation, but also to prevention, for which pecuniary
administrative fines are foreseen.

The above Law is based on the following main obligations:

- "adequate verification" of the counterpart;
- registration and conservation of data concerning ongoing relations and
operations;
- reporting of suspicious transactions.

The structure of this Law, while taking into account the specificity of
the Vatican legal system into which it is inserted, conforms to the
principles and rules in force throughout the European Union and is therefore
in conformity with the norms of other nations which have more developed
rules in this regard. This is seen in the provisions concerning, among other
things, self money-laundering, the controls on cash entering or leaving
Vatican City State, the obligations regarding the transfer of funds, and the
heavy administrative sanctions that are applicable not only to legal persons
and entities but also to the physical persons who act on their behalf, by
means of the binding recourse action.

(3) In conformity with what is found in the most recent norms of the
European Union, the Law on fraud and counterfeiting responds to the need to
adopt a solid network of legal protection of Euro banknotes and coins from
counterfeiting. This requires procedures of withdrawal from circulation of
counterfeited banknotes and coins, the reinforcing of penal sanctions, as
well as various forms of European and international cooperation.

(4) The Laws concerning the Euro banknotes and coins contain the following
for those Banknotes and coins:

- norms for the protection of the copyright of the designs;
- rules regarding size, technical characteristics, circulation and
substitution;
- the prospective application of administrative pecuniary fines for
violation of any of these Laws.

(5) The drafting of the Laws that are adopted today does not involve
Vatican City State alone. The Holy See, which is legally distinct from
Vatican City State and which directs entities and institutions active in
various areas, has adopted as its own the "Law concerning the prevention and
countering of the laundering of proceeds from criminal activities and of the
financing of terrorism". The adoption of this Law was accomplished by means
of the "Apostolic Letter in the form of a Motu Proprio for the prevention
and countering of illegal activities in the area of monetary and financial
dealings".

With that Apostolic Letter, which is also published today and signed by
the Supreme Pontiff Pope Benedict XVI:

- it is also established that the Law of Vatican City State and its future
modifications apply as well to the "Dicasteries of the Roman Curia and for
each and every institution or entity dependent on the Holy See", among which
the Istituto per le Opere di Religione (IOR) is included, so as to confirm
the latter's firm intention to operate according to principles and criteria
which are internationally recognised;
- the Autorità di Informazione Finanziaria (AIF) is established, an
autonomous and independent body with the specific task of preventing and
countering the laundering of money and the financing of terrorism with
respect to each subject, both legal and physical, entity and institution of
whatever nature, of Vatican City State, of the Dicasteries of the Roman
Curia and of all the other institutions and entities dependent on the Holy
See;
- the competent judicial authorities of Vatican City State are henceforth
delegated to exercise penal jurisdiction in regard to the above-mentioned
institutions, in the case of crimes related to money-laundering and the
financing of terrorism.

The Apostolic Letter is published on the Holy See's website, at
www.vatican.va

(6) The AIF, whose President and members of the Governing Council are
appointed by the Pope, is charged with the task of adopting the complex and
delicate norms of implementation which are indispensable in ensuring that
the subjects of the Holy See and of Vatican City State - from 1 April 2011 -
will respect these new and important obligations aimed at countering the
laundering of money and the financing of terrorism. On 1 April 2011, the
"Law concerning the prevention and countering of the laundering of proceeds
from criminal activities and of the financing of terrorism" will enter into
force.

(7) Experience will help to refine and integrate the new norms concerning
the prevention and countering of money-laundering and the financing of
terrorism in accordance with the principles and the standards in force in
the international community; such need might derive from the Holy See's and
Vatican City State's openness to deal with competent international instances
in countering both money-laundering and the financing of terrorism.

(8) These new Laws are part of the Apostolic See's efforts to build a just
and honest social order. At no time may the great principles of social
ethics like transparency, honesty and responsibility be neglected or
weakened (cf. Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate, 36).
SS/ VIS
20101230 (1150)


Quote:
 
FR. LOMBARDI'S NOTE CONCERNING THE MOTU PROPRIO

VATICAN CITY, 30 DEC 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a note written
by Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. on the Pope's
Apostolic Letter "Motu Proprio data" on the prevention and countering of
illegal activities in the financial and monetary sectors. Fr. Lombardi's
note is entitled "Transparency , honesty and responsibility".

Today's publication of new laws for Vatican City State, for the
dicasteries of the Roman Curia and for the Institutions and Entities
dependent on the Holy See, is an important normative development, but also
has far-reaching moral and pastoral significance.

As of today, all organisations associated with the government of the
Catholic Church - and with the Church's "support": Vatican City State -
have, in a spirit of sincere collaboration, become part of that system of
juridical principles and instruments which the international community is
creating with the aim of guaranteeing just and honest coexistence in an
increasingly globalised world; a world in which, unfortunately, economy and
finance is not infrequently a field for illegal activities, such as the
recycling of the profits of crime and the financing of terrorism, true
threats to justice and peace in the world.

Speaking plainly, the Pope affirms that the "Holy See approves such a
commitment" on the part of the international community, "and intends to
adopt the rules" the community uses "to prevent and combat" these terrible
phenomena.

Illegal activities have always shown an extraordinary ability to
infiltrate and contaminate the world of economy and finance, but their
growth at the international level, and the use of new technology, have made
them increasingly insidious and capable of concealment. Thus, by way of
protection, it has become vital to create mutual control and information
networks among the authorities charged with contrasting such activities.

It would be ingenuous to imagine that the perverse intelligence of the
people who control illegal activities would not seek to exploit certain weak
spots which sometimes exist in the international systems that defend and
oversee legality, in order to penetrate and violate them. For this reason
international solidarity is of vital importance in order to safeguard those
systems, and it is right and understandable that national watchdogs and the
competent international organisations (the Council of Europe and, in
particular, FATF the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering) should
look favourably upon the States and organisations which offer the requested
guarantees, and impose greater limitations on those which fail to conform.

Naturally, this also holds true for Vatican City and for those
ecclesiastical organisations which undertake economic and financial
activities.

Thus the new norms respond both to the need to conserve the effectiveness
of the organisations that work in the economic and financial sector at the
service of the Catholic Church in the world and, - more importantly - to the
moral requirement of "transparency, honesty and responsibility", which must
always be observed in the social and economic field (Caritas in Veritate,
36).

The implementation of the new norms will certainly require great
commitment. A new Financial Information Authority must be set up, new
obligations must be respected, new functions exercised. But this cannot but
be of benefit to the Church. Vatican organisations will be less vulnerable
in the face of the continuous risks that inevitably arise in the handling of
money. Those errors which so quickly become the cause of "scandal" for
public opinion and the faithful will be avoided. In the final analysis the
Church will be more "credible" before the members of the international
community, and this is of vital importance for her evangelical mission.
Today, 30 December 2010, the Pope has signed a document of a type a little
unusual for him, but one of great courage and of great moral and spiritual
significance. This is a good way to conclude the year: with a step towards
transparency and credibility!
OP/ VIS
Keep the Faith!

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Derekap
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I wonder if Fr Lombardi is now going to add sequels to all the Pope's announcements.
Derekap
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Rose of York
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http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=18818

Independent Catholic News
 
Methodists become first major denomination to pay Living Wage

Methodists become first major denomination to pay Living Wage | Methodist Church,Living Wage
People who work for the Methodist Church will be paid at least the Living Wage from now on. The Methodist Church is the first major Christian denomination to implement this policy in Britain.

From 1 September 2011 all people employed by the Methodist Church will be paid at least the Living Wage (currently £8.30 per hour in London and £7.60 elsewhere). This is the hourly wage that will enable someone who works full time to live and participate in society (for example, by having time and some money to spend with family, being able to pay for children’s school clothes and some school trips). The Living Wage rate is reviewed annually and recommended by Church Action on Poverty, an independent charity. The legally enforced Minimum Wage ranges from £3.64 per hour for school leavers to £5.93 for those over the age of 21.

“The majority of people living in poverty are from a working household and low pay is one of the major drivers of poverty in the UK,” said the Revd Leo Osborn, President of the Methodist Conference. “As Christians we care deeply about justice and fairness. A long-hours low-pay culture can be found up and down our nation. The reality of low-paid work for many is very long hours and multiple jobs, leaving little time for family, community or leisure. In a fractured society where family and community matter more than ever, paying the Living Wage is one practical way of showing a commitment to these aspects of life.”

The UK Living Wage was founded after concern that community and family life suffer when adults in a household need to work long hours and multiple jobs to afford a basic standard of living. It allows a person to work 40 hours a week in return for a decent standard of living.

Commenting on the practical implemention of the policy, Director of Development and Personnel, Ms Carmila Legarda said: “We have encouraged our churches to pay staff a Living Wage for a number of years and we finally made it our policy after extensive research to ensure it would be affordable and deliverable. But equally we know that throughout the Connexion much work and some difficult decisions have needed to happen over the last year. We have been happy to work alongside churches introducing the Living Wage over the last year and will continue to do so as long as it is needed.

"Justice for our workers was the key reason for this policy, but another major factor was our understanding that by paying church workers a decent wage we would be helping them to be more effective employees. There may be added costs but we believe that it’s money well spent.”

Church Action on Poverty are strong advocates of the Living Wage within the faith sector and welcomed the Church’s commitment: “We are delighted that the idea of the Living Wage is gaining momentum within Churches and faith groups and this step from the Methodist Church is a clear endorsement of that. We now hope that other denominations, charities and employers more generally follow the example of the Methodist Church in signing up as Living Wage employers,” said Niall Cooper, Coordinator of Church Action on Poverty.


Article quoted in full, with permission.
Copyright conditions complied with.
Keep the Faith!

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CARLO
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Rose of York
Tuesday, 23. February 2010, 00:36
I have heard from people in three dioceses, and read in the newsletter of a parish in the North, about dioceses increasing the percentage levy on parishes, in some cases by huge amounts and in addition telling parishes to pay fixed sums towards the Catholic schools.

Is this happening nationwide?
I don't know Rose but I am aware of Catholics who give money to their Parish Priest for Parish purposes on the specific condition that it is NOT to be sent on to the Diocese.

Others give to Catholic Charities instead of the Parish collection.



Pax


CARLO


Judica me Deus
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Rose of York
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I came into a little windfall, and decided to give some benefit to the parish. I told the priest how much and asked him what he would like me to buy direct from my own bank account. He laughed when I told him the diocese can hardly impose a levy of x% of a material object.
Keep the Faith!

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CARLO
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Rose of York
Tuesday, 6. September 2011, 19:35
I came into a little windfall, and decided to give some benefit to the parish. I told the priest how much and asked him what he would like me to buy direct from my own bank account. He laughed when I told him the diocese can hardly impose a levy of x% of a material object.
Hope you agreed on something worthwhile Rose.

Pax


CARLO
Edited by CARLO, Sunday, 11. September 2011, 22:12.
Judica me Deus
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PJD

"I don't know Rose but I am aware of Catholics who give money to their Parish Priest for Parish purposes on the specific condition that it is NOT to be sent on to the Diocese.

Others give to Catholic Charities instead of the Parish collection.
Pax
CARLO"


Seems highly irregular to me.

PJD
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Deacon Robert
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"I told the priest how much and asked him what he would like me to buy direct from my own bank account. He laughed when I told him the diocese can hardly impose a levy of x% of a material object."

Response:
Ahem;
Rose, nice little church you have there....shame if something should happen to it. Not saying anything, but things get broken.
The burden of life is from ourselves, its lightness from the grace of Christ and the love of God. - William Bernard Ullanthorne

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Rose of York
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Deacon Robert
Tuesday, 13. September 2011, 21:34
"I told the priest how much and asked him what he would like me to buy direct from my own bank account. He laughed when I told him the diocese can hardly impose a levy of x% of a material object."

Response:
Ahem;
Rose, nice little church you have there....shame if something should happen to it. Not saying anything, but things get broken.
Deacon Robert I am not sure what you mean. In your quote the first sentence is absent.
Rose of York
 
I came into a little windfall, and decided to give some benefit to the parish.
My donated gift of comfortable chairs for people with disabilities was in addition to my weekly offertory contributions. The items were much needed and they are still in good condition after a few years daily use. I consulted the priest, he told me what would benefit the parishioners, so that is what I bought. Good fortune had come my way, so I gave the parish some benefit, that's all I did.

Nothing is likely to happen to our church, it is a well constructed brick building not in need of major repairs. The parish has no difficulty paying for general maintenance.

Our diocese has a very high capital sum, and gives little or no assistance to small parishes in need, so I chose to limit my gift to the benefit of the parish rather than swell the coffers of a diocese that is not in need. If the diocese were in need of money I would not resent a reasonable percentage levy on parishes.
Keep the Faith!

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