I have read with keen and considerable interest the recent Directives on monies put in envelopes and offered by the laity during offertory time in Church (hereafter called “envelope offerings”). I wish to state here that I have some fundamental theological and pastoral challenges with it.
First and foremost, the Directive is right when it states that offertory (both cash and kind) is meant for the works of the apostolate and for charity as well as for the decent support of the Church’s ministers as Canon 222 stipulates. Thus, there is no question whatsoever regarding the intention of the offertory, namely, for the upkeep of the priests and for purposes of charity. This being the case, the offertory, whether cash or kind, cannot be added to the collection since the former is meant to serve a certain stated purpose, namely, charity and upkeep of the priest while the collection has its own intended purposes.
Second, we cannot take it for granted that the laity does not know the difference between the offertory and the collections they bring to Church. On the contrary, I think that they know that the offertory is different from the collections they put in the collection bowls. That is why they will put in their collections and still come for the offertory for the upkeep of their priests. We call this ‘intentionis donatoris’ (the intention of the donor) which ought to be respected.
One of the advantages that the “envelope offering” has brought is that it has encouraged many parishioners, but especially the men, who previously did not go for offertory to do so now. Consequently, my fear is that if we begin to let the laity know that their “envelope offerings” are now to be counted as part of parish collections, they may stop coming for the offertory and the Church will lose rather than gain.
Third, I have serious issues with the timing of the issuance of the Directives based on the following reasons. One, we are in the midst of the Christmas and New Year celebrations and so I think it is time to encourage the priests to prepare adequately for the Christmas and New Year liturgical celebrations so that they and the entire faithful would be renewed spiritually following the celebrations. What the Directive might inadvertently do will be to discourage the priests and dampen their spirits before the upcoming celebrations. Two, the Bishops’ Conference recently issued the 2022 Christmas Message. I would have thought that the Conference would rather encourage the priests to disseminate this beautiful Christmas Message of theirs as widely as possible rather than to throw in this Directive which might not help the priests to pay much attention to the Bishops’ Christmas Message. Three, the next NUGCDPA Meeting is just around the corner, from January 3 to 5, 2023, and
I am thinking that this issue could have been staggered and discussed at the Meeting for a resolution that would be acceptable to all and for the overall good of the Church. After all, this issue does not concern only the bishops but also the priests and the Church as a whole. As the Latin adage goes, Quod omnes tangit, ab omnibus tractari aet approbari debet, to wit, “What affects everyone should be discussed and approved by all”. For these reasons above among others, I posit that the timing of the Directive is a bit problematic.
Four, I agree with the Directive’s position that the “envelope offering” is not the personal property or money of the priest involved but I disagree respectfully that it should be counted and added to the collection for the reasons alluded to above.
What I propose could be done is for the various parishes to keep all those monies accruing from the “envelope offerings,” count them at the end of the month and use the same to take care of some of the most basic needs of the priests and the rest for purposes of charity.
So, if you asked me for my opinion on the Directive, what I have written above is my candid and humble opinion and I stand for correction. After all, I am also only human.
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Abbey-Quaye
St. Peter’s Regional Seminary, Pedu
December 23, 2022
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I seriously agree with Fr. Abbey…if the Bishop insists then we’ll either personally hand the envelop to the priest or stop
The reason why some of us give cash offertory is;
1. Appreciate God through His spoken word ministered to us by the Priest.
2. We see the offertory time as a special fertile time of sowing seeds into our lives, family and personal businesses
3. When we lined up to offer our cash offertory to the priest we do so in faith acknowledging the special ministry of the priest and sow seed offering in faith into their various ministerial callings with the expectation that God will bless us for taken care of his chosen servants in His vineyards.
4. Another reason why we the lay faithful present cash offertory is to afford the priest the opportunity to have some cash on him for his ministrial movement within the week. Also help him to take care of some basic needs necessary for his comfort.
5. Who said we the lay faithful do not know that the envelopes offertory goes directory to the priest pocket. We know very well and so our grace and lord bishop should not take us for granted.
In view of the aforementioned points I humbly submit the the Bishops directives on the envelopes offertory is misplaced and misdirected.
For a Church struggling to stir up the giving spirit among the lay faithful, leadership should be watchful not to obstruct the progress made so far.
What kind of directive is that? If I chose not to bring a kind offertory but cash in an envelope as my offertory to the LORD through the priest for his upkeep why should it be counted as part of the collection offering to the Church? If that is so then the kind offertory should be treated in the same manner.