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“Ask a Priest: Did I Spend Too Much on Shampoo?”

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Q: I’m wondering if it was wrong of me to spend a lot of money on a liter of shampoo. The shampoo is what you would consider a “luxury” brand, and the shampoo should last for a while. To help in my decision to purchase this, I did make donations in the equivalent amount to charities. Should I return the shampoo? Was this an excessive, wasteful purchase? Can you explain what “prodigality” is? Thank you! – Kristin

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: Whether you spent too much is hard to say from this end.

But the fact that you are questioning the purchase might be a nudge from the Holy Spirit to step back and re-evaluate how you are spending money in general.

In this era it’s easy to get caught up in consumerism. It can become the air we breathe — we barely notice it, much less question it.

Rather than agonize over a liter of shampoo, this might be a good moment for you to dedicate some prayer time to see your priorities in the light of your faith.

Perhaps the Spirit is nudging you to think a bit more about the poor around you. You might be inspired to lead a simpler lifestyle.

That said, prodigality can be a hard term to pin down. What is luxury for some might be a necessity for others.

So rather than look for a convenient definition of the word, it might be good to look at our Retreat Guide The Widow’s Might, on stewardship.

It could put you in a different frame of mind and help you review your spending habits in the light of the Gospel.

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Got a question? Need an answer?

Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. AskACatholicPriest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just type your question HERE and you will get a personal response back from one of our priests at RCSpirituality. You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events… Our goal is simply to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question…

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Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest

“Ask a Priest: Why Do We Still Need a Collection at Mass?”

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Q: Why do we have the collection of money at Mass? In the early Church people gave food to the priest. Nowadays it does not make sense as people can give money by direct debit or by an app on the phone. With direct debit you can give money, for instance, once a month. I guess people who give cash every Sunday really want this strange ritual. Why do we still have this tradition? And why do we have the homily/sermon? How is listening to a priest or deacon at Mass different from doing the same thing at home on YouTube? – H.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: There are practical reasons for the collection at the offertory.

The Church, since it is “in the world,” needs financial support to keep the lights and heating on, its schools and other institutions running, and its staffs paid. Not everyone has a debit card or wants to make automatic donations as you mention. Many people simply prefer to give cash donations.

In any case the collection and the offertory of the gifts of bread and wine represent a moment when we bring something of ourselves and give it to God to be transformed.

The homily is meant, among other things, to allow the priest or deacon to explain the readings to a particular audience in a particular time. Recorded homilies can be helpful to people, but there is something special about hearing the word preached in real time.

Your question, however, seems to touch on a deeper issue: Why go to Mass if we can watch it at home?

The answer deals with the sacramentality of the Church. Jesus wants to come to us in a tangible way, through gestures, spoken words, and sacred items. We are body and soul together, and experiencing things through our senses helps us to grasp the deep spiritual dynamic going on in a Mass.

Moreover, it’s important that we worship together as a community. The Church translates the Greek ecclesia (or ekklesia) which in turn translates the Hebrew qahal, or gathering. The idea here is that we aren’t called to worship God only in the privacy of our own home. We are all brothers and sisters, and God wants to gather us as a family. This is why our physical presence at Mass is important.

We could think of a mom and her child. A mom isn’t content to send text messages or videos of herself to her child. Rather, she wants to be physically present to her child, to speak to and hug the child, to interact with the little one in a tangible way. This helps to make their relationship warm and reassuring.

Moreover, the Mass is a privileged moment when the Holy Spirit works through the prayers, readings, and, yes, the homilies to impart his grace and guidance on souls. And, of course, at Mass there is the Eucharist, the source and summit of the Christian life. We can’t get that through YouTube.

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. AskACatholicPriest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just type your question HERE and you will get a personal response back from one of our priests at RCSpirituality. You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events… Our goal is simply to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question…

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Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest

“Ask a Priest: How Could I Invest Ethically?”

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Q: I have recently become more interested in investing and trying to increase my financial literacy. I have a 401(k) at my work, IRAs, and other taxable accounts that I want to begin putting more money into. However, I recently came across a few articles that gave me pause. They talk about how “many investors are surprised to learn what activities they are profiting from and supporting through the companies they own in their investment portfolios.” The articles go into more detail about how the abortion, pornography, etc., industries get into your investment portfolio. I do not hate my job, but it is not something I want to be doing until I am 67. I am trying to develop the financial freedom to not be reliant on a 9-to-5 job. While I am aware of various types of degrees and kinds of cooperation with evil — formal vs. material, mediate vs. immediate, and proximate vs. remote — my knowledge is not perfect on the topic. Would investing in 401(k), IRA, other investment accounts that contain these broad index mutual funds that follow the stock market (i.e., Total Stock Market Index, S&P 500 Index, etc.) be acceptable? – J.H.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: There aren’t too many easy-to-draw boundaries as regards what isn’t and isn’t acceptable in terms of investing.

That you are concerned about unethical investments shows that you have a conscience and that you are aware of the moral pitfalls out there.

A quick suggestion is to see the U.S. bishops’ conference webpage on responsible investment guidelines and then take matters to prayer.

You might want to keep a bird’s-eye view, too. Instead of focusing on how you can tiptoe through a swamp, it might be better to look for a fresher body of water altogether.

If you are worried about investing in a company that does dicey things, then you might want to seek out funds that intentionally invest in firms that espouse products and services that are compatible with Christian beliefs. One example is Ave Maria Funds.

Perhaps you can network with other faith-filled people to learn about the options out there, and to inform others. Or you might consider ways to join with others to persuade companies to forgo questionable practices.

Some of this might seem like a long shot. But unless we try to get a countercurrent going, the culture around us could continue to go downhill.

And along the way, as you focus on the moral dimensions of the economy in a positive way, the attraction of financial security – which can be an illusory goal — won’t be such a key issue. “Seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

For an overview of Catholic teaching on the economy, see Chapter 7 of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.

You mention about not wanting to stick with the same job until you are 67. It’s not bad to plan prudently, but it can be dicey to try to plan too far ahead. We simply don’t know what lies in the future. Remember the parable of the rich man who wanted to build bigger barns.

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. AskACatholicPriest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just type your question HERE and you will get a personal response back from one of our priests at RCSpirituality. You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events… Our goal is simply to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question…

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Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest

“Ask a Priest: What If Some People Think the Church Has Lots of Money?”

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Q: I work in the construction industry and have heard this phrase a few times concerning construction projects that are owned or financially backed by the Catholic Church. Often, non-Catholics involved in the project, when discussing payment, will state: “Oh, we’ll get paid. They’re Catholics. They have all kinds of money!” I want to be able to defend the Catholic Church and provide a good response to others when I hear this. What do you think? – L.H.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: I’m not sure whether there is a simple answer that would change their attitudes.

When people say that “The Catholic Church has a lot of money” they are often thinking that there is one centralized economy. The Church, in fact, doesn’t have one centralized bank account. Each entity — parish, school, diocese, monastery, etc. — has to pretty much fend for itself.

Some dioceses and parishes are wealthier than others. Many parishes live week by week, depending heavily on the collection basket. Communities of religious orders run the gamut from poor, simple ones in rural or inner-city areas to those attached to amply endowed institutions such as universities.

The Church does have a lot of property, but it uses that property in its work of ministry, education, health care, and aid to the poor.

In general the Church often struggles like anyone else to meet its expenses. Over the past 20 years especially there has been a lot of downsizing as parishes and schools were closed, chancery staffs reduced, and properties sold off. Whether your companions would be persuaded by any of this is another issue.

Perhaps the better approach is to look for opportunities to share your faith or to bring up moral issues in conversations.

Be prepared for skepticism, though. If people are critical of the Church, hear them out. And don’t be afraid to affirm them when they say something accurate. The Church has a human dimension which is all too fallible. There is no denying that.

Still, if we are willing to admit the Church’s mistakes, people might be open to us when we speak about its good points, such as its works of charity to the poor.

With this and your own example charity you might start a dialogue and open up the hearts of your companions.

Try to see your work as a place that you can evangelize. It’s a venue where you can share your faith and engage in fruitful discussions.

What might help is to pray for your co-workers each day. And keep up those acts of charity, especially through a habit of speaking well of others. All this will give the Holy Spirit something to work with.

Keep learning more with Ask a Priest

Got a question? Need an answer?

Today’s secular world throws curve balls at us all the time. AskACatholicPriest is a Q&A feature that anyone can use. Just type in your question or send an email to [email protected] and you will get a personal response back from one of our priests at RCSpirituality. You can ask about anything – liturgy, prayer, moral questions, current events… Our goal is simply to provide a trustworthy forum for dependable Catholic guidance and information. So go ahead and ask your question…

“Ask a Priest: What If Some People Think the Church Has Lots of Money?” Read More »

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Alex Kucera

Atlanta

Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.

In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.

Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.

From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.

Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!