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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Support of the Church	Gary	Saturday, August 18, 2012
Question: Dear Brother Ignatius, One of the six precepts or commandments of the church states that we are to support the church. Would it be a mortal sin not to comply with one of these precepts? What I usually do is give money to a local monastery and not my parish. Would this fulfill the requirement of supporting the church or would do I have to give money to my parish every sunday during mass?
Question Answered by Dear Gary: According to Canon Law 222 §1, "The Christian faithful are obliged to assist with the needs of the Church so that the Church has what is necessary for divine worship, for the works of the apostolate and of charity, and for the decent support of ministers." This mean that we have an obligation to support our parish and diocese. The diocese is the local Church, the parishes are neighborhood extensions of the local Church. No specific percentage of income is mentioned. But, the typical advice is to decide how much you plan on giving to all organizations. Then 50% should go to the parish, and 50% to any apostolates, ministries, charities that you wish. That is only a suggestion. What is not a suggestion is that we are obliged to support our parish and diocese. To quote from the material on beginningcaatholic.com: The Precepts of the Catholic Church are a description of the absolute minimum actions required of Catholics regarding the Church. The Church uses these precepts remind us that Christian life requires a commitment to prayer and active participation in the liturgy and sacraments. If we fall below this bare-minimum level, we can't rightly consider ourselves to be in full communion with the Catholic Church. Each of these precepts of the Catholic Church is a requirement. Together with the Ten Commandments, they represent the minimum level of moral living. Intentional violation of the precepts or the Commandments is agrave matter, meaning a mortal sin. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Support of the Church

Gary

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Question:

Dear Brother Ignatius,
One of the six precepts or commandments of the church states that we are to support the church. Would it be a mortal sin not to comply with one of these precepts? What I usually do is give money to a local monastery and not my parish. Would this fulfill the requirement of supporting the church or would do I have to give money to my parish every sunday during mass?

Question Answered by

Dear Gary:

According to Canon Law 222 §1, "The Christian faithful are obliged to assist with the needs of the Church so that the Church has what is necessary for divine worship, for the works of the apostolate and of charity, and for the decent support of ministers."

This mean that we have an obligation to support our parish and diocese. The diocese is the local Church, the parishes are neighborhood extensions of the local Church.

No specific percentage of income is mentioned. But, the typical advice is to decide how much you plan on giving to all organizations. Then 50% should go to the parish, and 50% to any apostolates, ministries, charities that you wish. That is only a suggestion.

What is not a suggestion is that we are obliged to support our parish and diocese.

To quote from the material on beginningcaatholic.com:

The Precepts of the Catholic Church are a description of the absolute minimum actions required of Catholics regarding the Church.

The Church uses these precepts remind us that Christian life requires a commitment to prayer and active participation in the liturgy and sacraments. If we fall below this bare-minimum level, we can't rightly consider ourselves to be in full communion with the Catholic Church.

Each of these precepts of the Catholic Church is a requirement. Together with the Ten Commandments, they represent the minimum level of moral living. Intentional violation of the precepts or the Commandments is agrave matter, meaning a mortal sin.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum