Tithing And Income Needs

[Anastasia13]

So a person should pay 10 percent in tithing if they have a paycheck, right? What if the person's expenses, say medical, gas, and a little for food, cost more than a person's regular income? Should the person just take more out of savings to cover those?

[philothea]

Catholics don't have any set standard for tithing. It would depend, in my opinion, on why your expenses are high. If they're high because your income is low and you have unavoidable expenses, I would not necessarily dip into savings to tithe. What would you do once your savings run out? Stop paying bills?

If, however, you just bought a bunch of stuff, or had a vacation, or something else like that, then it might be reasonable.

[Lil Red]

+J.M.J.+
my parish does a 5% to a charity of your choice, 5% to your parish for a 10% total. the diocese sends out a pamphlet every year, encouraging you to 'up' your percentage every year. it's really neat. it shows if you donate 1% of your income, how much that would be every day/week/month/year, so that way you know what you can afford (depending on if you get paid weekly/monthly).

[CatherineM]

We have a very low income (compared to what many people here receive), and we do the best we can. When I had more money, I donated more. When I have less, I try to up my donation of time. I will say though, that I have never run short of money by giving to the church. We have upped our weekly donation each year of our marriage, and yet, we never have financial issues because of it.

[cmotherofpirl]

[url="http://newadvent.org/cathen/14741b.htm"]http://newadvent.org/cathen/14741b.htm[/url]

From EWTN:
The Church asks and has the right to ask that we offer some form of material support to the Church, and this should be considered obligatory for all Catholic adults who are able to do so. There is no set amount, however, nor is there a specific percentage of a person’s income.
Tithing was an Old Testament obligation that was incumbent on the Jews under the Law of Moses. While Christians are dispensed from the obligation of tithing ten percent, they still have the obligation to help the Church.

In 1 Corinthians 16:2, we read: “On the first day of the week [Sunday] each of you should set aside whatever he can afford”; in 2 Corinthians 9:5-8, we see: “So I thought it necessary to encourage the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for your promised gift [donation], so that in this way it might be ready as a bountiful gift and not as an exaction. Consider this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work."

You might also read the Catechism: 2041-2043.


I think it is more important to give the Church our time and the use of our talents, whatever they may be, than to worry about 10% of income. If you can afford it fine, but to me our time is infinitely more valuable.