How do we apply God’s law of tithing to the individual Catholic? The tithe is: 10% of one’s salary given to God. Everything is clear in that definition. We should explain the phrase “given to God.” The interpretation is: that money given to the parish church and to all other charities is money given to God. American Bishops recommend 5% to the parish church. The other 5% could be given to tuition for Catholic education, donations for special collections during the year, and donations to charitable organizations. Money spent on a Catholic education is very definitely given to God. It is given simply because of a person’s belief in God — a desire to please God by having his/her children learn about God. Charitable organizations which feed and clothe the poor, and care for orphans and the aged are doing God’s special work. So is money given to support Catholic radio (local or national) and Catholic television (EWTN); all is money given to God. That makes up the other 5%.

There are two excuses people use for not tithing. The one excuse is that they do not earn enough, and the other is that they earn too much.

For the person who claims they do not earn enough, that person might discuss the issue with the pastor, or maybe a luxury or two are taking the place of what God claims belongs to Him.

For the person who claims they earn too much, I would like to submit this narrative of the farmer who took in a tremendous harvest three years in a row. The pastor went to visit him and reminded him that his contribution to the church was so very little. Farmer Brown answered him and said: “… but I have taken such a great harvest now and 10% of that would be too much.” So the pastor asked him to kneel down and pray with him. As the pastor prayed:  

“Lord God, bless Farmer Brown. He is not able to give You Your fair share of his earnings; he has simply taken in too much. Please lessen his yearly harvest so that what he now gives to the church will be 10% of what he has taken in.”

The farmer jolted a bit and finally accepted the message.

Tithing in a few parishes is erroneously known as the 5% plan because in most cases it is 5% to the parish on Sundays.

There are two ways to have the people give the 5% on Sunday. The one way is just another scheme for fundraising with telling the people the needs of the parish and having a yearly parish drive for 5% of their earnings. It entails the promise of no other fundraising activities and only one collection on Sunday. In starting a new parish especially, it gives the people the feeling that they own part of the parish. It is their church and school since they financed it outright, and not through the mediums of bazaars and raffles. Naturally, this has a great parish unifying force.

The second way to collect 5% for the parish is through using God’s own plan of tithing. It has all the advantages of the first way — and far more. It gives them the great rewards God has promised to those who tithe. Tithing makes the parishioners spiritually better people and that should be a pastor’s main interest. Tithing is to express our faith, trust, and love of God; it reminds us that we are only stewards of material things, and all our possessions come from God. He can take it back anytime He wishes.

A person might give God His fair share but wonder how he’ll pay all the bills. God is and always will be all powerful. People who give the first 10th of their earnings won’t have to worry about unpaid bills. God has promised to open the floodgates of Heaven with blessings in abundance on them. And God isn’t a liar! We may not be able to upgrade our car or our house, because God wants and deserves the first part of what we earn. But God will honor our faithfulness and bless us.  

It is sad when we only give God the leftovers. A Catholic high school student recently wrote this in a composition on tithing: “Our parents don’t give us the leftovers, the crumbs from the table. God doesn’t give us the leftovers. He has given us His own Flesh and Blood. How can anyone dare give God the leftovers?’’

Some may have to gradually “work up to” the 10%. However, we need to be aware of how close we are to giving God His Fair Share, the first 10th of what we earn, and strive to reach it.

In some cases, when a parish church is being built it might move a bit toward 6% to the parish and 4% to other charities. It could move down to 3% or 4% for the parish because Catholic education has taken up to 6% or 7% of the income.

Experience has proven that more people will cooperate with the tithing program rather than any other way, simply because tithing is so biblical. It is GOD’S PLAN TO SUPPORT HIS CHURCH.

Look for the next chapter, “Rewards and Benefits,” in the September/October 2025 issue.