"It wasn't very long after this that that church started posting the names of those who (in the priest's opinion) did not pay full tithe."
Help me out here - I didn't know that tithing was a requirement in Catholic churches. I'm a practicing Catholic and I've never heard of tithing as either a doctrine or a practice.
All I could find in a quick peek at the Catechism is this, "From the very beginnings Christians have brought, along with bread and wine for the Eucharist, gifts to share with those in need. This custom of the collection, ever appropriate, is inspired by the example of Christ who became poor to make us rich. Thise who are well off, and who are also willing, give as each chooses. What is gathered is given to him who presides to assist orphans and widows, those whom illness or any other cause has deprived of resources, prisoners, immigrants, and, in a word, all who are in need."
It has always been my practice, and that of other Catholics I know, to give what we could afford and not set a certain amount or percentage. If that is what your priest was asking his parishioners to do (set a percentage of income or some other such scheme), I'm thinking he was not correct to do so. I'm not a Church scholar or theologian, just someone with 40-plus years as a Catholic and I've never been asked to tithe at any parish I attended - and I don't know anyone who has been. I'm sorry you had that experience, but I guess it puzzles me. I would think that the parishioners themselves (if not the bishop) would have brought that practice to a screeching halt.
PS - Keep up the good pro-Life work.
Neither had I... until that day. Having been born in Spain, I was not surprised whenever I found out that certain things were done different over here, for example I was used to wine for communion and the first time I saw grape juice I was amazed! So, I thought this was another difference, especially since the other graduate students, protestants, talked openly about tithing. What got me was the idea of posting the names of the members who did not tithe. First, I couldn't imagine anything more embarrassing than having your name in a big poster on the wall, as you entered the church, as someone who "owed money to God". Secondly, I couldn't help but thinking that the priest was having to guess peoples' salaries to decide whether or not they were tithing. Then, there was the little detail of people like me, who don't believe in keeping a record of money given to the church, and put cash in the collection plate.
I wish I knew if tithing is common in local Catholic churches, but shortly after I stopped attending that church, I was invited by a friend to worship at a Southern Baptist church. I asked for baptism about a year later and now I don't worry about how other people think they ought to worship. I'm perfectly happy with my relationship with Jesus Christ and He's held me in the palm of His hand through good times and hard times. But several months ago, an old lady at our church was scolding a visitor for not wearing a suit... I stopped her on her tracks and told the visitor that Jesus loved him no matter his clothes. He's now a student in my Sunday school class and, while not yet a member, he worships with us.