Support of the Pastor and of the Church

Catholics are bound under pain of sin to contribute to the support of their Pastor and of his assistants.

In this country there is the obligation, likewise, to contribute to the building and maintenance of church and school.

Whatever means are adopted in the parish to this end, Catholics must be willing to do their share, whether it be by paying a fixed amount of dues, pew-rent, seat-money, or by contributing to certain collections and entertainments, and making certain customary offerings in receiving the administrations of religion.

Who are obliged to contribute to this support?

All members of the parish who have an income of their own, whether they are married or single, whether they have families or not, whether they live with their families, board, or live for themselves. Moreover sons and daughters who pay their board, and have the balance of their income for their own use, are bound equally as well as their parents, to contribute to the support of Church, school and Pastor.

Those who have no children to send to church or school, must not think that they have less obligation to support the two institutions. Such a policy would be business, but not religion. On the contrary, the greater the means, the greater the obligation to support both church and school.

Servants and others having small salaries, must be willing to pay such dues as are fixed for them by their Pastor, as well as contribute to other sources of church-revenue.

Persons not able to pay the fixed dues, either through continued poverty, or for the time being, are bound to make their circumstances known to the Pastor, or be considered delinquents. To neither pay nor make any excuse to the Pastor, is considered either pure neglect of duty, or obstinacy.

Parties failing both to pay for their pews or seats, and to give an explanation p. 64for it, should remember that they forfeit their right to them. It requires no notice on the part of the Pastor to such, in order that he may be justified in disposing of their pew or seat in favor of others.

Whatever misunderstandings may exist between pew-holders and ushers, clerks and others, should be reported at once to those in charge, or to the Pastor himself.

Parties failing to report in due time, cannot expect their grievances to be adjusted afterwards to the discomfort of innocent parties.

Pay your dues or pew-rent at the appointed time and place, and see that you receive credit for it. Do not expect the Pastor or anyone else to carry the pew-book about with him. If through your neglect of these rules, and through your own awkwardness, you find that you have not been credited for your payment, you will have yourself to blame.

Parties unwilling to take part in church-entertainments or unable to attend them, should at least do their share by purchasing tickets or otherwise contributing to their object. If the character of such entertainments be not always to one’s taste, the object of them, at least, should always be.

If you have been accidentally overlooked at a regular church-collection, either at one that is taken up within the church itself, or at a house-to-house collection in the parish, bring your contribution nevertheless, to the Pastor or to those in charge. Do not take advantage of such an oversight, when you would otherwise have contributed. Such conduct is too “small” for anyone calling himself a Catholic.

The duty of Catholics to support the Parochial school in particular, is put forth by the Bishops of this country among other urgent admonitions in the following appeal:

The laity should give a sufficient and generous support to the schools. They must, therefore, unite their efforts, so as to be able to meet all the necessary expenses for the Parochial school. The faithful must be reminded, be it in pastoral letters, be it in sermons or in private interviews, that they offend grievously against their duty if they neglect by every possible effort and expense to provide for Catholic schools.

This should be more especially brought home to the minds of those Catholics who are popular by their wealth and authority. Parents should, therefore, promptly and willingly pay the little monthly contribution which is exacted for each child.¹1This sentence has reference to pay-schools. The other members of the parish, however, must not be unwilling to establish and increase any fund that may be necessary or reasonable for the maintenance of the schools. All, then, whether parents or other heads of families, or young people who have means of their own, should be ready to give their name to any institution, by which they may help by regular contributions, however small they may be, to support the schools, or to make them, if only in part, at least, free schools. The existence of such an institution in every parish is greatly to be recommended. Many of such have been established, and have been signally blessed by the Sovereign Pontiff. If all the faithful do their share towards this most sacred object, the result will be, improvement in the internal excellence as well as the external appearance of the school, increase of teachers on the one hand, and fewer children in the multiplied classes on the other, and consequently better grading throughout; all of which will wonderfully tend to raise the standard of our schools. (Acts and Decrees of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, No. 202).