A point of frustration.
The Catholic Catechism is quite explicit in stressing the importance of charity, even relative to other virtues:
1826 “If I . . . have not charity,” says the Apostle, “I am nothing.” Whatever my privilege, service, or even virtue, “if I . . . have not charity, I gain nothing.”103 Charity is superior to all the virtues. It is the first of the theological virtues: “So faith, hope, charity abide, these three. But the greatest of these is charity.”104
But Parish bulletins, which ought to be a wonderful place to learn about opportunities to give/volunteer/donate/contribute are almost always devoid of such opportunities, unless it’s, say, ministry to the sick. Don’t get me wrong; these things are important. But there always seems to be room to write about outreach opportunity, films and picnics, and so on. The same goes for bulletin boards and catholic websites.
My own experiences have taken in three parishes in my current neighborhood (Uptown, Chicago), but I’ve also found this to be true as a general trend when I’ve gone to church in Flint and New York.
What I wonder is, given the stress on the unique importance of charity as a virtue, why aren’t churches working harder to provide information on opportunities to give?