As you know, we have many second collections here at St. Austin. There are MANY worthwhile and worthy causes that we come to you, week after week, asking for your support. It would be wonderful if you could support all of them. But in the real world that is just not realistic. So what do you do?
Well, you could just throw a
couple of bucks in each one, and leave it at that. But Jesus tells us to be not
only “as innocent as doves” but also “as wise as serpents” (Mt 10:16). In the
case of second collections I take this to mean that we not only have to be
generous, we also have to use some discretion in our giving. There may be three
or four special causes or collections that you want to especially support, and
give more generously in those collections (say
the annual Paulist Appeal!). There may be a few that you frankly are not at
all excited about, and on these you simply pass the basket without making a
contribution. This is what I do. I would rather give more generously to causes
I am particularly concerned about, and less generously about causes I care less
about. This involves more thought and planning, but I think it is a more
involved approach than simply placing a dollar or two in the basket each time
it is passed.
So to assist you in your planning
for the new year, I am providing you with the list of collections that are
scheduled for 2016. There may be additions or date changes. If there is another
horrible natural disaster, we very well may take up a special collection for that
case. But what you see below is pretty much what the second collections will be
for 2016. I do not publish this to discourage you but to urge you to be both
MORE generous and MORE thoughtful in your giving. Be both innocent and wise.
God Bless,
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