"Pennies for the Pope"
Being a big fan of anything "papal" I have always tried to give generously when the time came for Peter's Pence. I also began to think more seriously about being more literal about Peter's Pence and making it something I thought about more than once a year. This year, I was taken by surprise, had lost track of the time I guess, when Peter's Pence rolled around. I was in St Paul's Catholic Church in Clear Lake, Michigan when the priest announced the second collection for Peter's Pence. I dug deep when the basket came around again and determined to do something as soon as I got home before Peter's Pence slipped from my mind again. My idea is a simple one. For myself, and most people I think, "pence" do not mean a whole lot. Pennies usually get dumped out with pocket change, discarded, lost or otherwise given no attention compared to the more valuable dimes and quarters. However, those pennies do add up, however slowly, and it is the pennies that I would think represent the largest amount of wasted pocket change money.
Most people consider pennies almost worthless, but those little copper coins can add up to money that can do alot of good for people in need. You may be surprised yourself if you actually took the time to collect all of the pennies scattered around your house and counted them up. Now, consider for a moment how many pennies pass through your hands, that you may not even think about, every day, week, month and year. Finally, consider the fact that there are about a billion Catholics in the world today. If every Catholic saved their pennies, which most of us never miss or even think about, and made them Peter's Pence, sending them to Rome every year; think of the money this would add up to and the good the Pope could do with it for the impoverished of the world. A few pennies may seem all but worthless, however I really think that if all Catholics got serious and set aside all of their pennies to send to the Pope it would add up to a wealth of generosity for the Holy Father. I would ask everyone to try this, you won't miss them, and all those loose pennies can help people. Here is what I would like all Catholics to do; simply set aside a jar, a can, a bucket, a special piggy bank or whatever you like and whenever you empty your pocket change every evening put all your pennies in this can and save them for Peter's Pence. Now, it probably would not be a good idea to show up at Church or to mail to Rome a pile of pennies, but you can roll them up, change them at the bank for their worth in paper dollars and send them to Rome or put them in the collection plate when the time comes to pay Peter's Pence. Those with families could make an evening of it, with husband, wife and children preparing for Ss Peter and Paul day by rolling their pennies up and preparing their donation for our Holy Father.
This is not a hard thing to do, and it is money that is not difficult to part with, but in the hands of the Pope it can do a world of good if all Catholics get behind it and save their pennies. A grain of sand may be small, but enough of it can add up to the Sahara. I do hope readers will take this to heart and save their pennies, I really think this can be a wonderful thing to do. Don't let your pocket change go to waste and make your pennies feel important again by saving them for Peter's Pence. Please, pass this on, tell your friends, your relatives, your children and start saving those pennies for the Pope. Thanks!
Joe -June 30, 2006
