Reply With Quote
nuns take a vow of poverty
I don't get something. I know of a local convent for retired nuns here in San Antonio...Their heating system is a total basket case and there is no "cheap" way to fix it...I mean...it's beyond "rigging", it's dead.
They are giving me this story that it is a "poor" parish, they don't have any money, the poor old nuns are cold, etc...
Whats up with that? It's not like the Catholic Church doesn't have any money...
Don't they give a about these retired nuns?
nuns take a vow of poverty
Thats what I don't get about the church near my house. They make loads of money(they post the collection numbers in the bulletin). But every summer, the AC is out and they start a collection to repair it, and every winter the heater doesn't work, so they ask for another collection. I'm all for donating money, but not to buy the preacher another car.
Ah yes, that is a question I wrestle with whenever I docent at the Vatican exhibit in town. There are diamond encrusted challices and sapphire rosaries and a tiara with one of the world's biggest emeralds - yet, there are so many des utely poor Catholic parishes in the world ... it makes no sense to me.
Parishes are pretty autonomous as far as administration and finances and things like that. There is no "central Church bank" or anything like that above the parish level. Offices above the parish are maintained through a "tax" (gee, sounds like our government) on the parishes by the diocese.
If the convent is actually attached to the parish, then for the most part its upkeep is indeed dependent on the resources the parish itself is able to give it.
Now, one thing the parish could do is make an appeal through the archdiocese for donations from other parishes. (This is not all that uncommon...half the Masses I attend seem to have a "second collection" for some specific purpose).
I believe most of the money is ear-marked for legal settlements.
So...merely a hypothetical question; I'm looking for a fight...
Do you believe that the Catholic Church could end poverty as we know it if it sold off every asset of worth and donated the money thus raised to the myriad of organizations that help the des ute in the world?
So you are implying that the Catholic Church does not help the des ute in the world currently?
Absolutely not! However, the argument Jekka is using has in the past been used to imply that. (I am not saying she is making such an argument)
Do you mean worldwide poverty? If that's the case then no. Speaking as a confirmed-but-now-disillusioned Catholic, I would love to see the church do some good with all of that stuff, but given that there's a number of global agencies putting billions every year towards ending poverty I don't think the Vatican holding a garage sale is going to be enough to completely turn the tide.
I don't think it's the Catholic Churches responsibility to "end poverty"...I just think there is a definite lack of basic care and compassion for these retired nuns...they took the vows of chas y etc. and dedicated their life to the church and now these little old ladies have no family but the "church" to take care of them...
Well CC, looks like to me that the parishioners of their church could come up
with a few bucks to pay for repairs. Or as Travis says, let some of the
other churches support them through their "taxes". The merchant/repair
person shouldn't have to foot the bill, nor should the merchant/repair person
overcharge. Both parties should try to be honest in their relationship.
hmmm...I made a professional recommendation that they go with a totally different system where I wouldn't be involved in the work, but as Travis picked up on, this is a "poor" parish on the southeast side..they probably can't come up with the 30-40K that would be required within that church...but what got me was the at ude...it was like..."well..they are too old to work anyway..."
I pretty much agree with this - I don't think that "the Vatican holding a garage sale is going to be enough to completely turn the tide" - for one, the likelihood of actually getting what those artifacts are worth is pretty slim. Those things are pretty priceless (believe me, I'm sick of businessmen at that exhibit asking OVER and OVER and OVER again, "how much do you think this would be worth today? No, really, how much?"). In lieu of the exhibit, if nothing else, I think that the profits from it should be going to the poorest parishes (they may already be, but I haven't asked where the money is going. As it is run by ClearChannel, I had assumed that they would be benefitting the most ... since they're ClearChannel.). Also, a "Vatican garage sale" wouldn't be a lasting solution.
It's just difficult to stand in a room with that much wealth and think, "the nuns down the street can't afford to get their heater fixed."
the Catholics killed my ancestors
Looks like they missed one.
You might want to narrow it down. The Catholic church's history has a variety of people's blood in it.
your epidermis is showing
Nice job Travis.
I've learned to just be Catholic and leave it at that.
Believe and let believe.
I worked for a Parish for several years.
Somethings have no monetary value.
Don't forget about history and psychology with the Church. Remember that the chapels are supposed to be the house of God, and as such were decorated with as much value as possible (this exhibit came from chapels, yes?) and many of these things were not commissioned by the Church (or individual parishes) but were donated by private families/individuals (for a variety of reasons, some less noble than others).
So they want people to walk in and know what Heaven will be like (please remember, I'm talking about the Pre-Reformation Church, Dark Ages to Renaissance). And it's not like they could really sell those items to give money to the poor . . . because who would the buyers be? The people with money who gave them in the first place.
Also, Jesus said, Blessed be the poor . . . so while the Church wants to make certain people have food and water, they are not likely to go about ending poverty when the center of their faith wasn't opposed to it.
Not sure I agree with this statement. I believe that if the Church found a way to eradicate poverty, they would do it.
It's like a country that is rich but small cities within it still rely on their local economy for most of their expenditures.
hmmm...so a having a Parish is kinda like having a McDonalds franchise?...It all about location.location,location?
One thing I seriously would love to read about, is a study that analyzes the donations in churches within "rich" areas of town, and churches within "poor" areas of town.
I would foam at the mouth. The results would be pretty insightful, I bet..
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
