[Coleus]

I too hardly use envelopes and write a check a few times a yr. rather then every week, it's just a pain.

but, I suspect this pastor did this as a LAST resort and didn't do it extemporaneously. The envelopes were most likely used as further proof. Now that priests face the parishioners they can see a lot, who comes late and who doesn't come at all.

When I went to catholic grammar school, we used to get cards every week to put in a box during mass to prove we attended.

[Coleus]

story on abc ny tv news right now.

[wagglebee]

Maybe it was a "last resort," but I don't see anything in here about him going to the homes of any of these families. The impression I got was that this parish is just too damn big, there are 1400 kids in the religious education (and would someone please tell me what was wrong with the word CATECHISM) classes and I'm not sure if that's just the kids for First Communion. But this just starts sounding like way to big a congregation, at least it would be for me.