Catholic Rant

Many of you may or may not know that I am Catholic.  I went to twelve years of Catholic school, was married in a Catholic church, and both of my children have been baptized as well.

I won't get into a religious debate on here, but yes, I believe in God and Jesus.  I have those beliefs, but I have some major beef and issues with the Catholic church in general.  I disagree with many things about the church, so I have been "sampling" churches in my area for some better spiritual belief. 

The most aggravating issue I have with the Catholic church is the seemingly always emphasis on money.  Sure, they don't always come out and ask for it (although they don't have a problem with that either), but some things that they charge for that you would think would be free.

Example:  My uncle just passed away.  This was my grandmother's son and she has been taking it very hard.  She went to the church yesterday and picked out all of her special masses for the next couple months or so.  Basically, she gives them the names of people who have passed away and in the "intention" part of the mass, a name is read aloud.

Kind of like this:  "In today's liturgy we remember those who have passed on before us"......and their names are read.

Okay, I say "Great grandma, that's really nice."  She picked out masses for my mom, my uncle, my grandfather, and my great-aunt (her twin sister).

Her reply:  "Yeah, and it only cost me 65 dollars."

Hold the phone here.

I said, "WHAT!?!?  They CHARGE you to have a name read aloud at mass?  They CHARGE you to ask you to think of someone in a special way?  THEY CHARGE YOU?????"

Clearly, they do.

She wasn't surprised.  I guess they normally charge ten dollars PER NAME, but gave her the five dollar discount.

I guess it's her senior discount, eh?

This really lit a fire under my a**.  I give to the church that I attend and I have no problem with tithing.  I understand that the church does have bills to pay too and they pay those with the donations they receive.  I GET that.

What I don't get is charging some to READ a name at mass.  You would think that got wrapped right in with your tithing as a member.  And for the record, my grandmother, who is on a fixed income, goes and GIVES to that church every Sunday and every holy day there is.  That includes the day Immaculate Conception (among other days) for you non-religious readers out that.  She GIVES to them more than she can afford.

Couldn't she get her shout out free of charge?

If I am wrong here or I'm just not seeing it, someone please let me know.

Perhaps it's just one more thing about this specific church that ticks me off.  Or maybe I am in serious need of a Diet Coke.

Rant over.