In today's First Reading from St. Paul's second letter to the Corinthians he coins the now-popular Christian phrase, "For God loves a cheerful giver." Gus talks about a recent caller to the show who said he wasn't Catholic but attended mass regularly with his wife who is. He mentioned how putting money in the collection basket in light of the recent clergy sex abuse scandal bothered him. Gus told him that tithing is not a requirement in the Catholic Church so, if putting money in that basket rankles him, don't do it. Gus brings that question to listeners. Has the recent scandals in the Catholic Church affected their giving? And, if so, have they chosen to give that money to a charity or worthy cause instead?
Gus talks about an issue that affects many U.S. Catholics at one time or another and that's when a priest with a heavy foreign accent comes into a parish and it's difficult for people to understand his homilies. He asks listeners if they've been affected by this and how they handled it.
It’s difficult to give cheerfully to the Church right now. I think of it as a marriage or friendship or any important relationship. The trust is broken. How can we give generously when millions of our dollars were used to cover up the atrocities and heinous crimes perpetuated by the hierarchy on the Catholic Church? Like any relationship, my trust in the Church is broken. Can it be repaired? To a degree maybe, but it will never fully be what it once was. So yeah, I’m not able to give to this organization with a cheerful heart.
Thank you, Gus, for your reply. I don’t have an online description at the moment — just in my car, but someone on a Sirius help chat suggested that I contact their program specialist team to get that show. Not sure what “get that show” meant, but I will try it. Thank you again, Gus. Love your show!
Debbie,
You can listen to any show for up to a week after the show airs on Sirius XM On Demand, which is available with an online subscription. Thanks for listening!
I would like to listen to the segment about the priest with the heavy accent and the lady who was considering changing churches because she was not getting spiritually filled, due to not being able to understand the homilies, etc. I couldn’t listen to the segment because I arrived at work right when it started and I had to go inside. Please advise how I can listen to this.