The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-02-14
TO RAISE REVENUE.

Last summer the writer was ap-
pointed chairman of a committee to
draft a plan for the financing of sew
eral far-reaching reconstruction pro-
grams, which several Bureaus under
the direction Of the National Catholic
War Council hoped to have sanctioned
by the Catholic hierarchy. One of
several plans was to drive throughout
the United States for one days in
come once year from every wage
Garner. The drive did not eventuate,
writes Father Noll.
However, in order to ascertain how
practical the proposal was, / went over
the roster of wage-earners in st. Mary
Parish, Huntingdon, Indiana, which
comprises about 175 families. The
Protestant contention that there are
two wage-earners in each family was
fully substantiated. Against each
name | wrote down what, in my opin.
ion, was the monthly income of about
$40 people, including boys and girls
who earn money. The total amount
receivable, on the basis of one days
income, was, according to my esti-
mate, about $4,000.
l called a meeting of the trustees
of the congregation, as well as about
a dozen other men, including the
young element, and proposed a plan
to raise 100000 by securing pledges of
one months income from each wage.
Garner. The proposal was unanimous
ly favored, and we stipulated that the
one months income might be paid in
monthly installments of one days in
come until the full amount would be
paid in; this would mean twenty-siS
collections, since there are tWenty-si2
working days in the month. On the
Sunday evening following we had a
Holy Name Rally and had the pledge
| cards on hand After explaining the
| details to all the men present, the
| cards were passed around, and the
| men were asked to be quite honest anC
fair in listing a full months income
| only or of invested securities also
Much to my surprise, the best feeling
| reigned at this meeting; and, Judging
from the pledges signed, the prospects
| are that the offerings will double the
amount which we expected to get.
This information is given to youl
Catholic readers to show what could
| be done by system which has all the
aDDearance of fairness.
The Methodists have been so sue
cessful because all their big funds arc
raised by a tive-year period payment
plan; the Episcopalians have a three
year period payment plan. Ours is g
twenty-siX months period payment
plan.
| The Weakness of the Catholic sys
tenn has been that the young mer
and women wage-earners have never
done their share. My discovery was
that the young people are making more
than the heads of families; and, when
they are approached at the right time
they will give more literally, partic
ularly if they have couple of years
to redeem their pledge. There is
hardly a parish which would not be
able to liquidate big debt in a couple
of years by securing contributions on
the basis of one days income each
month for limited period. Then, if
this plan were followed, it would be
a very easy matter to have pastors
continue bi-monthly one days in
come collection, retaining five of them
for regular church support, and giving
one of them for the general interests
Of the Church, to be divided into two
equal parts, one to be devoted to do
cesar needs and the other to the
needs of the Church National and Uni
versal, such as Home and Foreign
Missions, Peters Pence, the Univer-
sity, etc.
From conversations l have had with
pastors, am certain that they would
gladly take care of all extra parish
wants by one collection in order to
be relieved of the annoyance of col
lecting seven or eight times a year for
such needs. =