Bishop Tobin on Giving to the Church

"So, a man died and went to heaven. He was met at the pearly gates by St. Peter who led him down the golden streets. They passed stately homes and beautiful mansions until they came to the end of the street where they stopped in front of a rundown cabin. 'This is where you'll be living,' St. Peter said. But the man protested and asked St. Peter why he got a simple little hut when so many others were living in mansions. St. Peter replied, 'I did the best I could with the money you sent us.'

"It seems that the topic of giving money to the church always evokes a variety of emotions - humor, angst, piety and pride. And questions too. Why should I give to the church? How much should I give? What does the church do with all that money? Why do some members stop giving to the church?

"First, let's state the obvious. Every religious denomination depends on the free will contributions of its members to survive, to carry-out its mission. Where else would the church derive its financial resources? At least in this country, the government doesn't subsidize churches. (Although sometimes the government will enter into a contract with a church to deliver a particular service - affordable housing, or refugee resettlement, for example.)

"But the church needs money and we shouldn't apologize for that. While the church exists for spiritual purposes, it doesn't run on love alone. It lives and functions in the real world and it needs money to do so."
In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on reasons why people or don't give to the Church and on why it is important to do so..
To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit:
Without A Doubt: Let’s Talk About Giving to the Church (25 JAN 18)