When the Son of God established His Church, He likewise had to have a plan for its continual existence. To deny this would be an insult to divine wisdom. There is a plan for God’s Church’s survival in its worship buildings and expenses. God had to have a plan for its physical existence in brick, stone, and wood. Early on, the Church leaders saw this plan in the Scriptures. It is mentioned 46 times in the Bible; twice in the New Testament. (For example, Matthew 23:23. In Luke’s Gospel we have the same reference.) The Bible refers to this plan as TITHING. No other plan is mentioned.

The work of God goes begging when the system of Church support relies on raffles, ticket selling, and bingo, or even capital fundraising campaigns. These means of meeting church and school debts have sent many a pastor to an early grave and have often brought the blast of criticism rightly on the heads of our Catholic leaders. The Catholic Church and bingo had almost become synonymous; and bingo played with the motivation to have a self-win rather than the spiritual motivation of “giving to God.”

We have been using the technique of always asking, of having appeal overlapping appeal, with the result that people resent going to church and hearing a weekly “money sermon.”

Professional fundraisers (laymen) are doing a tremendous business. There are a number of these organizations throughout the country. They send a campaign director to your parish who stays for the duration and directs the program. It amounts to a parish drive for a specific period of time. These companies profit from the campaign — their “cut” of the take. The reputable ones work on a fixed sum, not a percentage. We don’t think professional fundraisers are in God’s original plan for the support of His Church. God’s plan is in the Bible 46 times. The pastor simply needs to preach the Word of God on Church support.

These are the solid facts about Catholic tithing. First, there is motivation that God is first in our lives and deserves far more than the leftovers. Secondly, the Church should not depend on a few generous souls, but everyone should participate to the degree of what they earn. Thirdly, there is the answer to the commonly asked question: How much should I really give to God? Five percent to the parish and the other five percent to all other charities, spells out clearly, rather than the broad interpretation of the Church’s precept that one must contribute to the support of one’s parish. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has gone on record to encourage the 5 percent/5 percent plan of tithing.

Tithing to God is as old as the Old Testament and very much into the New Testament, with Jesus saying the tithing of the Pharisees is what they should do. Also, it is the only method mentioned in the Scriptures that God has given us as His plan to support His Church in terms of brick, mortar, and the support of the clergy along with the other natural outreaches of charity that cry to the Church for help.

Today, in the 21st century, the needs of the Church continue to grow; with the education of our youth in the Catholic faith, through Catholic schools, and youth ministers trained to organize and rejuvenate the faith that the secular world tries to take from them.

Spreading the faith in our century also means supporting the airwaves with streaming from our own parishes and supporting Catholic radio, and the incredible Catholic TV network started by the famed Mother Angelica. The Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) is the Catholic (global) network that has a viewing capacity of 300 million, and every Catholic has their favorite EWTN program as we all pick and choose TV programs on all the networks. From where is the financial support for Catholic television, for the hundreds of employees, and rent on the satellites? This becomes part of the tithe. It is “money given to God.”

Look for the next chapter, “Motive for giving,” in the March/April 2025 issue.