Just Grousing About Work

[thomryng]

Today was a crazy busy day at the school. Not only did we have our Friday all-school Mass this morning, we also awarded honors certificates after Mass, held tryouts for the school talent show mid-day, and had a student-council assembly in the afternoon.

I'm pooped.

Tomorrow evening is our gala school auction, our major fund-raiser for the year. Our more casual "family" auction, held last Friday, raised almost 40% more than last year. This is utterly fabulous, and I can only hope and pray that tomorrow will bring more of the same.

It's a sad fact of life that Catholic schools need to raise money. The tuition we charge doesn't begin to cover our costs. Since most of our students are from working-class families, they're strained paying what we charge now. Over a third of our families have some sort of financial aid.

We don't get money from the State or the Feds or the Archdiocese, except in the form of grants, which are unpredictable at the best of times.

Our teachers are paid about 90% of the public school standards, although I know of at least two who have waived that and voluntarily taken lower pay. And all of them spend their own money on materials for their classroom.

So I guess what I'm saying is, please pray (or send good vibes or whatever you're comfortable with) for the success of our auction tomorrow.

Thanks.

Comments

[hyades.livejournal.com]

"It's a sad fact of life that Catholic schools need to raise money."

Can't you just have everyone pray really, really hard?

Why is it that church institutions that are supposedly so connected with Jehovah are always having to do things like hold bake sales and beg for alms?

Is it because all the manna from heaven goes to pay for the super-opulent Vatican and Ratzinger's red silk Prada slippers?

And that raises another question: Why the FLYING FUCK does he dress that way, and why does the Vatican hoard gold and money, while so much of the world is starving?

The same goes for christianity in general. Catholicism is no longer the worst offender in that regard, the award these days would have to go to Pentecostal megachurches.

[thomryng.livejournal.com]

I'm going to assume that these are genuine questions and not simply a need to shout.

It's a common myth that the Vatican is stupid wealthy. I once thought that way.

The fact is, that Harvard University has a larger endowment than the Vatican. Feel free to look it up. Vatican finances are public and audited.

Most money raised by individual parishes are spent in those individual parishes. Virtually all money raised by various dioceses never leave their diocese. The Catholic Church isn't organized like a government or a corporation. While some directives come from the top, virtually none of the money goes there. Each bishop is essentially autonomous.

As for the Vatican's vast collection of art... this is the result of 2000 years of artists, sculptors, etc. worshipping through their creative efforts. Do you expect the Church to sell them on eBay?

The Church is the largest single charity operation in the world, with hospitals, hospices, soup kitchens, and shelters in virtually every city in the world where there is a parish.

And as for why the Pope dresses that way... well, that's just tradition.

[singingbarista.livejournal.com]

They don't wear the pointy hats anymore.

[thomryng.livejournal.com]

It's true. Turns out they were really lousy at keeping out the rain.

[hyades.livejournal.com]

For 1400 years, the Vatican was the largest economic entity in the world.

Churches in the US and in most other places are not taxed. I don't think it's true specifically of Catholics (I think most of the money goes to the Vatican) but for other denominations, particularly pentecostals, many of the pastors are millionaires.

"As for the Vatican's vast collection of art... this is the result of 2000 years of artists, sculptors, etc. worshipping through their creative efforts. Do you expect the Church to sell them on eBay?"

I expect 'em to feed the bloody hungry! And I don't care how they do it.

What would Jesus have said to a "christian" church with gigantic wealth? Don't even try to deny it.

Christian churches today have far less in common with Jesus than they do with Pontius Pilate and Nero.

[thomryng.livejournal.com]

For 1400 years, the Vatican was the largest economic entity in the world.

This statement is verifiably false. It is, in fact, laughably false.

(I think most of the money goes to the Vatican

As I've explained, almost none of it goes to the Vatican. It goes to " hospitals, hospices, soup kitchens, and shelters in virtually every city in the world" as I said above. Don't take my word for it. The information is easily available. Pick up a phone book and look up hospitals.

I'll wait.

Now. How many of their names contain the words "Saint" or "Mercy" ?

Is there a St. Vincent de Paul society in your city? I thought so.

Most parishes struggle financially, and still support the poor, homeless, sick, and a host of other charities, both as a parish and in their contributions to their diocese.

Did you even read my comment? You are repeating platitudes. If you're really interested, I will point you to some resources that can set you straight.

If you're not interested in finding out the truth, and you feel more comfortable mouthing anti-Catholic platitudes, no matter how false, that's fine.

But you're not going to convince me except with facts. So I suggest you go out and find some.