When it comes to giving, Protestants beat Catholics - Page 3

KP3243 · #31 Jan 14, '13, 12:28 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebecca123

Yes, and that would be different from the priests , how? Where I live the priests have homes in gated communities, drive luxury cars, go on cruises (to offer Mass of course). I've heard at least two of them say during at various times that they do not take a vow of poverty. Which they don't. That's true.

Might not be as extensive as Joel and others of this type, but I would definitely wonder why any church leader needs to be living more extravagantly than many people in his parish.

I live in a very Catholic area, I know of only one priest who doesn’t live in the rectory right next door to their parish and the one priest I do know that owns his own home, only owns it because there is no rectory at either of the two parishes he takes care of. I have also never seen a priest drive a luxury car in my life. If it is any consolation the Pope is not allowed to have a bank account or any assets. One of the first things that happens when elected Pope, is they close their bank accounts if they have one - the past two Pope’s never had bank accounts.

benjohnson · #32 Jan 14, '13, 1:59 pm

One must also consider the effectiveness of the charity too... Catholic charities tend to be very frugal and very effective with money.

For myself, I stopped giving to various secular charities a long time ago and give most of my money to the Lutheran Malaria Initiative - where they basically can save a life for $10.

gus · #33 Jan 14, '13, 7:49 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by benjohnson

I would also consider that raising good children is a form of charity.

As a Lutheran, I would say that my three children will be my legacy in this world - and by teaching them to be faithful, charitable, and wise, I hope that they will be able to help others and their families much better than I could by giving mere money away.

It's not about the money - give time, talent and, if you can, treasure. Buy raising good children, not only are you helping children but you're helping the future.

Like my mother always said Charity begans at home

wondrousgnat · #34 Jan 15, '13, 5:52 am

Seen many priests and I never saw any of them living that well except for one ex-priest. I once saw the bedroom of the priest of my former parish and it was little different from a jail cell. And that economy car he drove was not overly impressive either.

Cathryn · #35 Jan 15, '13, 2:59 pm

Since protestants tend to give more to their home church, it is easier for their pastors to pay the bills, and heat their churches and keep the lights on. Maintaining our big churches is expensive. Many Catholics think nothing of spending $20 on a pizza, while putting $1 in the basket. Twenty dollars a week from 200 families would be a dream come true for our parish.

livingwordunity · #36 Jan 15, '13, 3:15 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cathryn

Since protestants tend to give more to their home church, it is easier for their pastors to pay the bills, and heat their churches and keep the lights on. Maintaining our big churches is expensive. Many Catholics think nothing of spending $20 on a pizza, while putting $1 in the basket. Twenty dollars a week from 200 families would be a dream come true for our parish.

There are probably many Catholics who only put $1 in the collection basket at Mass but then donate hundreds to the Red Cross and/or other non-Catholic charities. This can make it look like non-Catholics do more than Catholics for charity. That's why I decided long ago that I would only give to Catholic run charitable organizations. And I try to make sure that the Catholic organization I'm giving to is orthodox.

CaptFun · #37 Jan 16, '13, 4:40 am

If the counsel of this scripture is applied per "giving" ... how will anyone know who gives more?

Matt 6:1 "(But) take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.

2 When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.

3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,

4 so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

I know the original poster took this in another direction (see post 1) ... but from the headline ... it looked like a contest being monitored.

And that would have been
a bit at odds with this scripture if that were the case.

GaryTaylor · #38 Jan 16, '13, 5:02 am

Who gives more is evident by Love, thus Love Your Neighbor, the mission of the CC also is largely rooted in Matthew 25, "What you do to them, you do to Me"

Not your Church weekly/yearly contribution, not those who are easy to Love for you. Here imho is where "giving" is truly giving since it now becomes the way of the cross. And how will what you give be replenished?

KP3243 · #39 Jan 16, '13, 12:35 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by wondrousgnat

Seen many priests and I never saw any of them living that well except for one ex-priest. I once saw the bedroom of the priest of my former parish and it was little different from a jail cell. And that economy car he drove was not overly impressive either.

Same here. The one I saw was like a 1950s dorm room it had a bed, a desk, a lamp and three books on the desk he also drove a very beat up car.

gus · #40 Jan 16, '13, 5:18 pm

The celibate parish priests are the most overworked clergy.
We have 40,000 parishes and slightly fewer priests.
The ratio of priest to parishioner is 10 times greater than a Protestant church
The Catholic priest brought the gospel almost everywhere on earth.Even in US the earliest pioneers were following trails blazed by Catholic Priests.
My point is Catholics are spoiled

SaintPatrick333 · #41 Jan 16, '13, 7:53 pm

Priests live a harder life than any protestant "minister". Hands down. Priests are working 24/7. Protestant ministers are ministers on sundays and the occasional day during the week. For them it is a job, not a vocation.

KP3243 · #42 Jan 18, '13, 1:31 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaintPatrick333

Priests live a harder life than any protestant "minister". Hands down. Priests are working 24/7. Protestant ministers are ministers on sundays and the occasional day during the week. For them it is a job, not a vocation.

To be fair to a devout Protestant I think would disagree with you as far as they understand the vocation or the calling to serve God. We as Catholics, understand it to be very different.

Geist · #43 Jan 18, '13, 3:04 pm

I belong to a wealthy parish, they help a lot of smaller Catholic and non-denom agencies in the area. Money doesn't automatically preclude a Catholic entity from serving God and community.

SaintPatrick333 · #44 Jan 18, '13, 4:15 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by KP3243

To be fair to a devout Protestant I think would disagree with you as far as they understand the vocation or the calling to serve God. We as Catholics, understand it to be very different.

My point exactly. To the protestant, being a minister is a "job". To a Priest, it's a calling from God. It's a way of life.

GWright · #45 Jan 23, '13, 10:28 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Okie

I have heard this criticism of Catholics for years

Hi Okie

If anyone ever boasts that they 'give more', or criticises another based on what charity they give, remind them of Matthew 6:2 -

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew 6:2 (Douay Rheims)

Therefore when thou dost an alms-deed, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honoured by men. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.

The point is, of course, that boasting about giving is hypocrisy, as it reduces the giving to something the person has done to glorify themselves. The point should always be about helping the needy, not building a reputation for ourselves.

I would also point out the record of the Catholic Church - not in boast, but in defence of a groundless criticism.

In a recent speech to a medical faculty in New Zealand, Cardinal Pell set out that:

1) The Catholic Church provides 26% of the worlds total healthcare provision. (This translates into 117,000 hospitals and medical centres globally). Millions of people, (including many non-Catholics), who would otherwise go without, depend on the Church as their only source of healthcare.

2) The Catholic Church is the largest non-Governmental educational body in the world. Millions of people, (including many non-Catholics), who would otherwise go without, depend on the Church as their only source of education. (In places like Sudan, the Catholic Church is the only organisation which provides girls with their right to be educated - the muslim population does not educate women).

3) The Catholic Church, through its global network of relief agencies, (CARITAS), distributes approx. $2 billion every year to help the poor and needy.

(All this is funded by Catholic people, of course.)

There is no protestant organisation with a record in the same universe as this, never mind the same ballpark.