Monday, February 28, 2011

 

Together in Taxation

Yes it has been awhile. I am at Facebook most of the time. However, I am one of my "moods" today; a mood that was set off yesterday by the Archdiocese's annual Together in Mission campaign.

Once again, the complete story behind the program is not being told to parishioners in some (all???) parishes. But before I get to what is being left out, let's take a look at what the program aims to do.

There are many struggling parishes and parish schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. So, Cardinal Mahony started a program where each parish would be given a target donation amount that parishioners were to pledge to meet. It is up to each family to decide how much to give. In the sense that we should help the less fortunate, it is a great program in that all the money goes to the parishes and schools that need it, and none of it is redirected anywhere else.

However, what we are not told is that our parish does meet the target amount, the pastor must cut a check in December for the balance due from the parish's savings account.

So, the idea that charity should come from the heart (as well as the wallet) is completely undercut! The now retired Cardinal has created a program that is more akin to a tax-the-parishes program than to a charity drive. As such, until the truth is told, I will continue to find other financially struggling Catholic organizations to receive my donation directly thus bypassing this tainted structure.

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