if i recall, the church was demanding that we gace (i think) 1/3 of our weekly pay for the collection plate..I might have been 13 when I saw the ruse of everyone sacrificing until it hurt except the preacher.
Stopped going as soon as I was old enough to not be forced.
i seem to VIVIDLY recall my late dad saying, "those bastards get what I CAN AFFORD to give them, not a penny more"
so when i would go to church by myself, he'd give me a quarter in the collection envelope to hand them ONE TIME, god, those bastards passed that collection plate something like 4 times during a ceremony.....
but i only had that one envelope..
in later years, mom and dad tried to get me into a catholic school.....
priest downright told my folks, (paraphrasing it here....)
"well, i can see that you did not put enough money into the collection plates...."
dad, mom stormed out, nearly pulling my arm out of it's socket....
screw'em......i can honestly say, the catholic religion is among the BIGGEST bunch of hypocrites on the face of this earth....