Types of Funds
Regular Collection and Holy Day Collections
These contributions provide the funding needed to support our numerous ministries and programs as well as cover our normal operating expenses and, on occasion, provide the funds needed for special, one-time projects.
Building Collection
Donations to this fund provide for the routine maintenance and repairs needed to operate both the Cathedral and the church office and grounds.
School Collection
While students attending our grade school pay tuition, additional funds are needed to support the educational efforts, as well as maintain the school building and grounds. While the school receives some grants and educational assistance from outside sources, the Cathedral parishioner support is critical to the school’s budget.
Msgr. J. Carson LaCaze Tuition Assistance Fund
This fund was established for Cathedral families in honor and in recognition of Msgr.’s love of Catholic schools. Msgr. LaCaze was an adamant supporter of Catholic education helping build and maintain strong Catholic schools throughout north and central Louisiana.
Flower Fund
The beautiful flowers that adorn our altars and church areas are made possible through parishioner contributions to this fund. In addition, donations for the gorgeous displays at Christmas and Easter help to commemorate loved ones, living and deceased.
St. Vincent de Paul Society
This is an international Catholic lay organization offering person-to-person service to those in need including financial assistance, food and consultation. Donated funds help to support the Cathedral’s two conferences: St. John Berchmans and St. Catherine’s.
One Life Group
The ministry efforts of this organization focus on all aspects of Pro Life, from birth to natural death. The largest current expenditure is for the billboard located on Kings Highway, close to the abortion clinic, which has caused many mothers to choose life over the death of their babies and has changed the minds of some of the abortion clinic workers. All donations made to help defray this cost are greatly appreciated.
40 Days for Life Group
40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign with a vision to access God’s power in a spirit of unity through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil to end abortion with the purpose of repentance, to seek God’s favor to turn hearts and minds from a culture of death to a culture of life. 40 Days for Life takes a determined, peaceful approach to showing local communities the consequences of abortion in their own neighborhoods, for their own friends and families. It puts into action a desire to cooperate with God in the carrying out of His plan for the end of abortion. The 40-day campaign tracks Biblical history, where God used 40-day periods to transform individuals, communities and the entire world.
Organ Fund
Our wonderful organ, inaugurated in Oct. 2011, was made possible through the generous support of many of our parishioners who realized the beauty and magnificence that this instrument would bring to our liturgies. Now that the organ debt is paid in full, funding is still needed for the periodic tuning and maintenance of this fine instrument.
Cathedral Capital Projects 2035
In “building on the tradition” of previous generations, we continue renovation and expansion of our church and school facilities that will position us to serve the needs of our ever-growing parish community now and into the future. Donations and pledges to accomplish this ambitious project are greatly needed.
Second/Special Collections
Catholic Schools
This collection supports the Catholic Schools within the Diocese of Shreveport exclusively.
The National Black and Indian Mission Collection
Since 1884, proceeds from the Black and Indian Missions Collection (BIM) are distributed as grants to dioceses supporting and strengthening evangelization programs, which would otherwise be in danger of disappearing among the Black, American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleute communities of the United States. For more information please write: The Commission for the Catholic Missions Among the Colored People and the Indians, 2021 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-4207 or visit the website. or call (202) 331-8542 for more information.
Catholic Relief Services (Rice Bowl)
The Catholic Relief Services Collection supports Catholic Church organizations that carry out international relief and solidarity efforts. Programs include relief and resettlement for victims of persecution, war, and natural disasters; development projects to improve living conditions for the poor; legal and support services for poor immigrants; peace and reconciliation work for people suffering from violence; and advocacy on behalf of the powerless. In keeping with the theme “Help Jesus in Disguise,” the funds collected through the CRS Collection support vital Catholic programs that share in the Catholic mission of promoting the sacredness of human life and the dignity of the human person.
In a press release dated September 11, 2013, the U.S. bishops stated their full support of CRS:
“The U.S. Catholic bishops stand firmly behind CRS in its commitment to promote and defend human dignity and the sacredness of every human life from the moment of conception until natural death, and at every moment in between.”
Funds acquired from the CRS Collection are distributed to these six organizations: Catholic Relief Services: For international relief and development; Migration and Refugee Services: For refugee resettlement; Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc. (CLINIC): For immigration legal services; Department of Justice, Peace, and Human Development” For advocacy; Holy Father’s Relief Fund: For emergency relief; Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church: For evangelization and ministry.
Holy Land (Good Friday)
In the words of Paul VI, the Collection for the Holy Land is “not only for the Holy Places but above all for those pastoral, charitable, educational, and social works which the Church supports in the Holy Land for the welfare of their Christian brethren and of the local communities.” Paul VI, The Church in the Holy Land (Nobis in Animo) (Rome: March 25, 1974) in The Pope Speaks (Washington, D.C.: TPS),19: 1, pp. 5-11.
Church Vocations
This collection supports the religious development programs within the Diocese of Shreveport exclusively.
Home Mission Appeal
The bishops’ Subcommittee on Catholic Home Missions is a grant-making agency. It offers financial support to missionary activities that strengthen the Catholic Church in the United States, and in its territories and former territories. Through its annual fundraising campaign, Catholic Home Missions educates American Catholics about mission needs and invites them to assist fellow Catholics in the practice of the faith. The Appeal primarily supports home mission dioceses, that is, those dioceses in the United States that are unable to offer their people the basic pastoral ministries of word, worship, and service without outside help. It may also give grants to other dioceses in the U.S. for particular projects, and to organizations and religious communities engaged in missionary work. The Subcommittee funds a wide range of pastoral services. However, it principally focuses on (1) evangelization activities, (2) religious education, (3) ministry training for priests, deacons, religious sisters and brothers, and laypeople; (4) support of poor parishes across the country.
Retired Priests’ Fund
This collection supports the retired religious priests within the Diocese of Shreveport exclusively.
Catholic Communication Campaign
This is a way that each of us can follow the call to enter into the world of news media and digital networks. Pope Francis emphasized the importance of this endeavor during his first audience with members of the media on March 16, 2013, saying: “Be assured that the Church, for her part, highly esteems your important work.” The Pope has given us an example of witnessing through new media, by his tweets and his daily homilies. Through Internet, television, radio, and newspapers, the Catholic Church uses media to spread the gospel message both locally and nationally. Half of all donations collected in our diocese stays in our diocese to support your local communications needs.
The message for this year’s 48th World Day for Communications emphasizes the importance of human relationships within social networks. Pope Francis reminds us that “communication is ultimately a human rather than a technological achievement”. “When we join in these networks as authentic witnesses of our Christian faith, we bring the light of Christ to others.” The Catholic Communication Campaign helps us to grow in faith, worship, and witness.
Peter’s Pence
In his address of March 20, 2013, Pope Francis spoke of our responsibility before the world and creation. “There is much that we can do to benefit the poor, the needy and those who suffer, and to favor justice, promote reconciliation and build peace,” he said. The Peter’s Pence Collection unites us in solidarity to the Holy See and its works of charity to those in need. Your generosity allows the Pope to respond to our brothers and sisters who are suffering as a result of war, oppression, natural disaster and disease.
Hispanic Ministry
This collection supports this ministry within the Diocese of Shreveport exclusively.
Aid to Church in Latin America
This campaign highlights the faith of Latin America and the many opportunities we have to share faith with them. We also recognize the tremendous benefit of having them in the Church and the revitalization their fervor brings to the faith. In addition to offering our help and support to the Catholics of Latin America, we have much to learn from them. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops invite you to aid our faithful brothers and sisters in the Catholic Church of Latin America.
Aid to Church in Central and Eastern Europe
The countries in Central and Eastern Europe have faced many years of hardship. They have been oppressed by czars, radical communism, horrendous crimes against humanity, and revolutionary, civil, and world wars. Under communism, organized religion was opposed in favor of atheism to overthrow the power of the Russian Orthodox Church. Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union in 1991, Central and Eastern European countries have been working to rebuild political structure, social welfare and their economies. The USCCB Subcommittee on the Church in Central and Eastern Europe funds projects in 28 countries to build the pastoral capacity of the Church and to rebuild and restore the faith in these countries. The funds collected in the Collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe are used to grant monies to support seminaries, social service programs, youth ministry, pastoral centers, church construction and renovation, and Catholic communications projects.
The Catholic University of America Collection
The Catholic University of America, located in Washington, D.C., is the national university of the Catholic Church. Founded in 1887, CUA offers students an excellent education in a faith-filled atmosphere that is grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition. The Collection for The Catholic University of America underwrites scholarships to assist financially deserving students in completing their education at CUA in over 50 disciplines.
World Mission Sunday
By Baptism, all Catholics are called to participate in the mission of the Church, called to share their faith as missionaries. World Mission Sunday gathers support for the pastoral and evangelizing programs and needs of more than 1,150 mission dioceses in Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and remote regions of Latin America. The funds gathered on World Mission Sunday are distributed in the pope’s name by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith—a Pontifical Mission Society.
Campaign for Human Development
This annual national collection is the primary source of funding for CCHD’s anti-poverty grants and education programs. These programs enable low-income people to join together to identify problems, make decisions and improve their communities. For over 40 years, CCHD has funded organizations that address the root causes of poverty, providing lasting solutions for the future. CCHD brings the Gospel message to issues of social justice. The projects funded by CCHD focus on long-term solutions to poverty. This complements the work of direct-assistance programs like Catholic Charities and pro-life activities. Twenty-five percent of the proceeds from each CCHD collection stay in each diocese to fight poverty and foster liberty and justice at the local level. CCHD uses the national portion of the collection to fund projects across the country through grants. These grants fund community efforts to promote human dignity and fight poverty. Many of the funded projects focus on health care, immigration, community safety, political participation and environmental justice. More information about the Catholic Campaign for Human Development is available at http://www.povertyusa.org/. For collection materials and other resources, visit http://www.usccb.org/ and search “CCHD Collection Resources.”
The Retirement Fund for Religious
The Retirement Fund for Religious (RFR) distributes grants to religious institutions for the retirement needs of senior religious priests, brothers, and sisters. A lifetime of prayer and service unites nearly 34,000 senior sisters, brothers, and religious order priests who benefit from the Retirement Fund for Religious. These religious often ministered for little pay, resulting in today’s shortage of retirement savings. Your gift to the Retirement Fund for Religious helps provide prescription medications, nursing care, and more.
Infirm Priests’ Fund
This collection supports this ministry within the Diocese of Shreveport exclusively.
U.S. Archdiocese for Military Services
This collection is taken up every three years, 2014, 2017, etc. Currently, 285 Catholic military chaplains provide pastoral care to over 1.5 million Catholics on ships, in combat, on bases and in 153 VA hospitals. This collection will fund their Co-Sponsored Seminarian Program, which identifies vocations within the military and is now educating 30 men for the priesthood and subsequent military chaplaincy.
FAQs
How does the Catholic Church collect money? ›
The Holy See generates revenue from Peter's Pence, the 8th-century term for donations that are received from Catholics all over the world. 2 From individuals to dioceses, the Holy See collects the donations through a special department. The Holy See also gains revenue from interest and investments of its reserves.
What is Catholic collection for? ›Regular Collections at Mass
Each priest in a parish draws a personal stipend from the first collection for living expenses, food and housekeeping. Funds are also directed to: Priests in parishes where the first collection is insufficient to meet their stipend. The support of the Archbishop, Vicar General and Chancellor.
In many Anglican, Baptist and Methodist churches, a collection plate, basket or bag is often used during the offertory to gather the gifts of the faithful (tithes and alms) for the support of the church and for charity. These may then be brought into the chancel.
What is the money collection at church called? ›tithes; tithing; tithed
Devout church-goers usually tithe, even in years when their finances are very tight.
These funds are used to: Provide buildings or places of worship for members around the world. Provide education programs, including support for Church universities and seminary and institute programs. Support the Church's worldwide missionary program.
What is the second collection at Catholic Mass? ›The ushers take the first collection, then go right up again and take the second collection. The money received is put into two separate baskets and they are brought, one on top of the other, up with the gifts to be offered to God."
Why is there 2 collections at Mass? ›The practice of having two collections at Mass has come into being as a way of separating donations for the support of the clergy from contributions to the cost of the parish services and operations. It is common practice to have the second collection after communion.
Why are there 2 collections in Mass? ›The money from the first collection goes to support the daily living expenses of our parish priest, with the left-over funds sent to the diocese to support retired priests and religious. The 2nd collection, which includes the planned giving program, is the main source of our parish income.
Who controls the money in a church? ›In a non-profit organization, such as a church, the board is the bearer of this fiduciary responsibility and therefore should properly oversee all operations, including finances, to protect the members of the church.
Does the church give money to people? ›Churches often designate certain funds to give to those in their community experiencing financial needs. The needs may arise from issues such as unemployment, disability, natural disasters, or illness.
Who is the owner of the church? ›
Local churches are most often listed as the owner in the deed to the local church property, but the denominations nevertheless sometimes claim a right to determine occupancy, use and control on the basis of a “trust clause” added to the denominational constitution.
What percent should you give to church? ›Tithing is giving ten percent of your income to God. The church is the most common place for tithing, but some people even tithe in different ways. A lot of times, people give certain percentages or amounts they feel led to tithe to other organizations.
What is it called when you pay the church to go to heaven? ›indulgence, a distinctive feature of the penitential system of both the Western medieval and the Roman Catholic Church that granted full or partial remission of the punishment of sin.
What is a church fund? ›This is generally the gifts received by a church and used for paying the payroll salaries, program, and operating expenses of the church. A temporary restricted asset is one that is restricted to a particular use over a period of time. A church example might be a Building Fund.
Is it a sin to not pay tithes? ›While tithing 10% of your income is biblical, that doesn't mean you have to be a Christian to tithe. It also doesn't mean you're a bad Christian if you don't tithe. And guess what? God loves us when we give and when we don't give.
What's the richest church in the world? ›| Organization | Worth (billion USD) | Religion |
|---|---|---|
| Greek Orthodox | 974 (€700 billion) | Christianity |
| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | 100 | Christian |
| Sree Venkateswara Swamy Temple | 30.0 | Hinduism |
| Catholic Church in Germany | 26.0 | Christianity (Catholicism) |
Churches and religious organizations are generally exempt from income tax and receive other favorable treatment under the tax law; however, certain income of a church or religious organization may be subject to tax, such as income from an unrelated business.
What are the two types of Mass in the Catholic Church? ›In the Extraordinary Form, there are two primary types of Masses celebrated: the spoken or “Low” Mass, and the “Sung” Mass (sometimes referred to as High Mass). Low Mass is celebrated by a priest assisted by one or more altar boys.
What are the two types of Catholic Mass? ›Pope Benedict XVI classified the two forms of the Mass as follows: The Novus Ordo is the ordinary form of the Roman Rite, and the Latin Mass is the extraordinary form. Both are valid, and any qualified priest can celebrate either form.
What is the 2 main part of the Mass? ›The mass consists of two principal rites: the liturgy of the Word and the liturgy of the Eucharist.
What are the two tables at Mass? ›
Mass consists of 'two tables' from which the People of God can be fed – the Table of the Word and the Table of the Eucharist (1965 Second Vatican Council).
What is the second reading in Mass? ›SECOND READING
The Alleluia is a song of praise to God. During Lent, instead of the Alleluia, we say other words of praise, such as: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
Massachusetts laws
The statute of limitations for consumer-related debt is six years. This period applies to credit card debt and oral and written contracts.
A debt collector cannot collect more money than what is owed. For example, a debt collector cannot demand that you pay $2,000 in order to settle a debt that was originally only $500. This is considered to be an unfair practice that is prohibited by the FDCPA and RFDCPA.
How much in collections is too much? ›That all depends on how much you owe. A collection on a debt of less than $100 shouldn't affect your score at all, but anything over $100 could cause a big drop. In many cases, it doesn't even matter how much it is if it's over $100.
How much do Catholic indulgences cost? ›The going rate for an indulgence depended on one's station, and ranged from 25 gold florins for Kings and queens and archbishops down to three florins for merchants and just one quarter florin for the poorest of believers.
What does the Catholic Church do with the money they donate? ›What the church doesn't advertise is that most of that collection, worth more than €50 million ($55 million) annually, goes toward plugging the hole in the Vatican's own administrative budget, while as little as 10% is spent on charitable works, according to people familiar with the funds.
Are Catholics required to give money to the church? ›Although the Church teaches that offering some form of material support to the Church is obligatory for all Catholic adults who are able to do so, it doesn't specify what percent of one's income should be given. Remember, tithing was an Old Testament obligation that was incumbent on the Jews under the Law of Moses.
Do Catholic schools get money from the church? ›Most faith schools are funded by the state, as they are not private schools. Some schools are required to pay 10% of capital costs, however this is not always the case. Costs are sometimes required to be covered by the religious authority, or by parental donations.
What are the two types of indulgences? ›An indulgence may be plenary (remits all temporal punishment required to cleanse the soul from attachment to anything but God) or partial (remits only part of the temporal punishment, i.e. cleansing, due to sin).
Can Catholics still get indulgences? ›
The current practice of seeking indulgences
Today, Catholics may seek indulgences for dead relatives in the same way they seek indulgences for themselves. But they are then limited to praying that Christ or the saints intervene on behalf of their loved ones so that these indulgences may count toward reduced punishment.
You can get one for yourself, or for someone who is dead. You cannot buy one — the church outlawed the sale of indulgences in 1567 — but charitable contributions, combined with other acts, can help you earn one. There is a limit of one plenary indulgence per sinner per day. It has no currency in the bad place.
How much does the average Catholic tithe? ›The majority of Catholics who give fall in line with general giving patterns, but more Catholics tithe: (Source): Only 1% give no money to their churches or charities. 69% of Catholics (who donate) give between 2-5% of their income. 35% of Catholics annually give between 5-9%
What does the Bible say about donating money to the church? ›2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV) says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” What Really Constitutes A "Tithe?"
Do Catholics pay tithes? ›Some denominations require tithing -- giving 10% of one's gross income to a church -- but others encourage other forms of giving. * Catholic: Many Catholic parishes recommend that their parishioners give 5% of their income to their church and 5% to the poor and other charities.
Do Catholics pay to be forgiven? ›One option is to express sorrow for sin in private prayer. And while this is important, Catholics also have a special way of asking God's forgiveness through the sacrament of confession.
What is 10 percent tithe Catholic? ›Traditionally, we give 10 percent of our income to the Church. Bthere is not a specific percentage of our wealth we are mandated to give. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states in paragraph 2449 that the Church talks about tithing as a matter of the Old Covenant.
How much of your income do you give to the Church? ›Tithing is giving ten percent of your income to God. The church is the most common place for tithing, but some people even tithe in different ways. A lot of times, people give certain percentages or amounts they feel led to tithe to other organizations.
How much money does Catholic Charities get from the US government? ›Finances. Catholic Charities uses about 89% of its revenue for program costs. Catholic Charities is listed as an Accredited Charity by the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance. In 2010, Catholic Charities had revenues of $4.7 billion, $2.9 billion of which came from the US government.
Can a Protestant go to a Catholic school? ›It depends on the school and their policy. Some catholic schools give preference to those already catholic. My two go to a catholic school and neither of them are catholic. They asked if I was aware that they would be taught the catholic faith and if I had any problems with that.
How to get into a Catholic school if you are not Catholic? ›
SEEKING PREFERENCE of ENROLMENT at CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
The Diocesan Preference Certificate needs to be signed by a Parish Priest or other authorized agent of the Bishop. It is normal practice to make an appointment with the Priest. A new Preference Certificate is required for each child in the family.