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- Path: sparky!uunet!olivea!spool.mu.edu!tulane!mintir!elendil
- From: elendil@mintir.new-orleans.la.us (Edward J. Branley)
- Newsgroups: bit.listserv.catholic
- Subject: Re: contributions
- Keywords: money
- Message-ID: <2R4PwB3w165w@mintir.new-orleans.la.us>
- Date: 2 Jan 93 00:12:48 GMT
- References: <1992Dec31.200208.14184@compu.com>
- Organization: Minas Tirith BBS (Public Access Usenet for New Orleans)
- Lines: 72
-
- fr@compu.com (Fred Rump from home) writes:
-
- > elendil@mintir.new-orleans.la.us (Edward J. Branley) writes:
- >
- > >Fred, my wife normally mails our check in. I normally stick a dollar in on
- > >own because that's all I've got in my wallet <g>.
- >
- > That happens, but the exception is not the rule. Most people are still
- > donating as folks were in the 50s.
-
- Shoot, who's got cash on them anymore? No wonder collections are off. Maybe
- parishes ought to go to Visa or bank drafts or something...
-
- >
- >
- > >I'd love to see some demographics on just who is giving the money. In paris
- > >that have schools, I'll bet you see increased donations in families as their
- > >children approach school age, plateau for the eight years the kid is in scho
- > >then the figure tapers off as the children leave the parish school for high
- > >school.
- >
- > The wealthy typically don't donate as well except for special purpose project
- > when they can be depended upon to help. They need to see results and don't
- > like to throw money into the bottomless pit.
-
- Sounds like an enterprising pastor and parish council could do things like
- regularly publish a financial report in the weekly bulletin. Make people
- realize that the weekly collection does indeed go for concrete things.
-
- >
- > The bulk of the money really comes from people who really sacrifice. They are
- > hit at again and again. It is that silent middle class that struggles against
- > income and property taxes while having to support charity by government and
- > the Church. The school parents have it the toughest as they are expected to
- > make a reasonable donation in order to earn the low tuition that most parishe
- > have.
-
- Actually, the situation you describe doesn't happen down here. Our property
- taxes are essentially non-existent on homeowners (<$50 /year on homes less than
- $150k in value). Of course, public schools in New Orleans really suck...
-
- >
- > Donations also increase by age as more disposable income becomes available.
-
- True. My folks have more money now that they've rid themselves of their
- dependents.
-
- >
- > Churches in Florida and other retirement communities are especially lucky to
- > have access to an older population that seems to rally around the Church as a
- > center of activity if it's available. Those churches that offer a sense of
- > community, besides the religious aspect of becoming older and closer to the
- > gates, have no real problem with funds. Communication is normally the key tha
- > ties people together. The standard in most areas of the country is a faceless
- > mass at mass. Some churches have learned a little about marketing and
- > communications. They are full and financially secure. Sadly that is not the
- > norm as computers have yet to reach any real impact in the Catholic Church.
- > Those that I know of that use the tools of technology are also bubbling place
- > where the doors are always open and religion is not just the Sunday mass.
- >
-
- Well, my parish makes use of computers, as do a few others. What keeps them
- full, however, is really the schools. Parents go, if not for themselves, for
- their kids. Older folks go because they want to. Others go because they want
- to. I s'pose we're fortunate.
-
- Anyway, hope 1993 is good for y'all, Fred...
-
-
-
- |Edward J. Branley elendil@mintir.new-orleans.la.us|
- |Seashell Software, Metairie, LA +1-504-455-5087|
-