Thursday, October 4, 2012

Offerings are for the benefit of the Church...

They themselves should remember that riches have been given to bishops as alms for the administration and advantage of the churches. As the rule says, "The benefit is given because of the office." Therefore, they cannot with a good conscience possess these alms and defraud the Church.  The Church has need of this money to support ministers, aid education, care for the poor, and establish courts, especially for marriage   So great is the variety and extent of marriage controversies that there is need for a special court, for which the endowments of the church are needed.  Peter predicted that there would be godless bishops who would abuse the alms of the Church for luxury and neglect the ministry.  Therefore, let those who defraud the Church know that they will pay God the penalty for this crime.
~BOC, PPP, 79-82

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