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doris
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| Posted: Oct 16 2006 at 4:32pm | IP Logged
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Here's my question of the day. When I was a Protestant, we were taught that we should literally tithe ie give 10% of our take-home income to charity. So we did.
Now we're Catholic, there doesn't seem to be such clear guidance -- or maybe there is? My dh's view is that he already gives 40% of his income to charity (in UK income tax!). So we do still give to charity, of course, but less than 10%.
If you don't mind sharing, what do you think/do?
Elizabeth
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Dawnie
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| Posted: Oct 16 2006 at 6:04pm | IP Logged
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Elizabeth,
The way I understand it (which may not be right) is that giving 10% of our gross income is a suggestion. The percentage might be lower or higher depending on a family's circumstances.
On our parish church's tithing envelopes, it is suggested that we give 5% to the church and 5% to other charities we feel called to give to.
We usually give 10% of our take-home income and split it up between our parish church and other charities...we give most of it to our parish church, though I'm not sure of the exact percentage. I try to write our tithing check first.
My dh's paycheck is directly deposited into our checking account, so I don't know what our gross income is. However, when we do our tax return every year, somehow the percentage of gross income that we give to charity alwyas comes out to about 10%. I guess sometimes we give more than 10% of our take-home?
This year, though, I doubt we'll reach that 10% mark. Things have been very tight and there have been months where I had to reserve the money we usually would give to the Church to buy groceries or pay bills. So, if I can't give the whole 10%, I try to give something, even if it's only $10 or $15.
HTH,
Dawn
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Michaela
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| Posted: Oct 16 2006 at 7:04pm | IP Logged
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Our envelopes also suggest 5% to the church and 5% to other charities.
DH and I never sat down to figure out exactly what 10% would be. We gave what we thought we could.
A few months ago, I noticed a couple of things at our parish. DH and I agreed we should increase our tithe because we were in a better position financially than we were when we pledged what we would give. We give our parish 10%.
There is no way that would've been possible before DH got this job. We barely made it paycheck to paycheck then. Our parish asks if you cannot give financially to give time & talent.
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Rachel May
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| Posted: Oct 16 2006 at 8:17pm | IP Logged
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In Kimberly Hahn's More Precious than Jewels she talks about tithing. I seem to remember that she said God lets you keep 90% of what you make (I don't think she specified before or after taxes), but that you should also give alms above the 10%. I've also read that tithing should be time, talent and treasure. I would say that I agree with all those things as a standard to shoot for.
In our family's situation, we are able to give 10% gross income in the collection plus to charities on occasion. Money always seems tight, but we always have enough which is such a common refrain among tithers! We definitely do not give in the talent and time part which is not good IMO.
I will say that because of our income level and the number of kids we have, we don't pay income tax anymore which obviously helps.
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Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
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JennGM
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| Posted: Oct 16 2006 at 8:20pm | IP Logged
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Rachel May wrote:
| In Kimberly Hahn's More Precious than Jewels she talks about tithing. I seem to remember that she said God lets you keep 90% of what you make (I don't think she specified before or after taxes), but that you should also give alms above the 10%. I've also read that tithing should be time, talent and treasure. I would say that I agree with all those things as a standard to shoot for. |
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Not to diminish that it's a good standard, Kimberly did come from a protestant background, so that would account for a 10% tithing idea.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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MicheleQ
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| Posted: Oct 16 2006 at 10:53pm | IP Logged
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Michaela wrote:
| Our parish asks if you cannot give financially to give time & talent. |
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Our parish asks for all three. Time, talent and treasure.
To "tithe" literally means to give 10%. We have always been taught it's 5% to the parish, 4% to other charities of your choice and 1% to the diocese (we have a yearly lenten appeal).
It's not easy to give that whole 10% but I can firmly attest that you cannot out give God!
God bless,
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Michele Quigley
wife to my prince charming and mom of 10 in Lancaster County, PA USA
http://michelequigley.com
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Almsgiving
