

Stop the Catholic Church practice of expulsion of those who do not contribute financially.


Stop the Catholic Church practice of expulsion of those who do not contribute financially.
The Issue
If you're a Catholic but due to your conscience refuse to contribute financially to the Church, you might be denied the sacraments––everything from baptism to the Eucharist and the last rites, including refusal of a religious burial.
In other worlds: you are effectively excommunicating from the Church.
All depending on the good will of your bishop and parish priest.
During the current practice, membership in the Church is determined by a person's financial relationship rather than his or her beliefs. No one–and nobody should!–gets kicked out for questioning dogma, effectively making a refusal to contribute financially a bigger offense against the Faith than violations of the tenets of Faith.
The reasons for refusing to contribute financially to the Church can be many, and many times it can be due to the failings of others in the Church.
People who in all other respects are in good standing with the Church and her teaching, will under the current practice find themselves trapped in a moral and religious dilemma faced with an ultimatum–either "pay and stay," or "don't pay don't pray."
Many, especially vulnerable people and those in most need of the Church, might find themselves forced to pay, and inn worst case victims of abuse might find themselves, at least indirectly, paying their perpetrator's salary and welfare.
Both Pope Francis and his predecessors have been silent on this matter and the harmful practice when asked directly, and instead speaking of a "Church that is poor, and for the poor" and urging for a new evangelization in the face of a “growing erosion and deterioration of faith.
The current practice is neither in line with Church doctrine nor canon law. The Catechism of the Catholic Church acknowledge the fact that we can be confronted by situations that make moral judgments less assured and decision difficult. In §1782 and 1787 it states that we always have "the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions." and that we "mus not be forced to act contrary to his conscience." Nor must we "be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters."
While the Canon Law cc. 1263-1265 gives a bishop the right to levy a tax for the needs of the diocese, refusing to pay such tax, or in any other ways not contributing financially to the Church, it is in no way a grave sin doing so. It might violate the Canon Law, but it is NOT violating the dogma or teaching of the Church, and thus it can NOT be a serious sin. A prerequisite for excommunication is that someone is obstinately persist in manifest grave sin.
Thus, the practice of denying the sacraments to those refusing to contribute financially to the Church is both morally and legally wrong.
We the People who refuse to contribute financially to the Church–for whatever reason–but in all other respects are in good standing with her, therefor ask the Catholic Church and the Pope to IMMEDIATELY
- STOP and BAN once and for all this malicious practice of denying those who due to their conscience refuse to contribute financially to the Church, and
- CHANGE the current practice to be in line with both the dogma and teaching of the Church, and the Canon Law, and
- ACKNOWLEDGE and clarify that membership in the Church is determined by a person's beliefs rather than by his or her financial relationship.
The Issue
If you're a Catholic but due to your conscience refuse to contribute financially to the Church, you might be denied the sacraments––everything from baptism to the Eucharist and the last rites, including refusal of a religious burial.
In other worlds: you are effectively excommunicating from the Church.
All depending on the good will of your bishop and parish priest.
During the current practice, membership in the Church is determined by a person's financial relationship rather than his or her beliefs. No one–and nobody should!–gets kicked out for questioning dogma, effectively making a refusal to contribute financially a bigger offense against the Faith than violations of the tenets of Faith.
The reasons for refusing to contribute financially to the Church can be many, and many times it can be due to the failings of others in the Church.
People who in all other respects are in good standing with the Church and her teaching, will under the current practice find themselves trapped in a moral and religious dilemma faced with an ultimatum–either "pay and stay," or "don't pay don't pray."
Many, especially vulnerable people and those in most need of the Church, might find themselves forced to pay, and inn worst case victims of abuse might find themselves, at least indirectly, paying their perpetrator's salary and welfare.
Both Pope Francis and his predecessors have been silent on this matter and the harmful practice when asked directly, and instead speaking of a "Church that is poor, and for the poor" and urging for a new evangelization in the face of a “growing erosion and deterioration of faith.
The current practice is neither in line with Church doctrine nor canon law. The Catechism of the Catholic Church acknowledge the fact that we can be confronted by situations that make moral judgments less assured and decision difficult. In §1782 and 1787 it states that we always have "the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions." and that we "mus not be forced to act contrary to his conscience." Nor must we "be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters."
While the Canon Law cc. 1263-1265 gives a bishop the right to levy a tax for the needs of the diocese, refusing to pay such tax, or in any other ways not contributing financially to the Church, it is in no way a grave sin doing so. It might violate the Canon Law, but it is NOT violating the dogma or teaching of the Church, and thus it can NOT be a serious sin. A prerequisite for excommunication is that someone is obstinately persist in manifest grave sin.
Thus, the practice of denying the sacraments to those refusing to contribute financially to the Church is both morally and legally wrong.
We the People who refuse to contribute financially to the Church–for whatever reason–but in all other respects are in good standing with her, therefor ask the Catholic Church and the Pope to IMMEDIATELY
- STOP and BAN once and for all this malicious practice of denying those who due to their conscience refuse to contribute financially to the Church, and
- CHANGE the current practice to be in line with both the dogma and teaching of the Church, and the Canon Law, and
- ACKNOWLEDGE and clarify that membership in the Church is determined by a person's beliefs rather than by his or her financial relationship.
Petition Closed
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Petition created on April 14, 2023