Cyber-tithing growing, Check with your parish!

At Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, more than 200 families won't offer even a dime when the collection plate passes them this weekend.

And church officials couldn't be happier.

That's because those families have already paid their weekly contribution electronically. And while they represent only 10 percent of the Anderson Township church's 2,300 givers, those families typically donate 20 percent of the $200,000 monthly collection.
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"(The churches) know when that money's going to be there, and they can plan for that and spend accordingly," Zeck said. "If a family goes on vacation or can't get to church that Sunday, the church still gets its money.''

And if things get tight at the end of the month or towards the end of the year, it's much more difficult to stop or change a "cyber-tithe" than to reduce the size of or omit the check.