Emulate Catholic Church on cash donations in churches

The decision by the Catholic Church to ban cash gifts and donations as an initial bid to tame the graft dragon could not have come at a better time.

The church, the largest denomination in the country, has expressed concern that the proceeds of graft and other evils have found their way into the altar, at the expense of  morality.

Just last week, a group of church elders (not from the Catholic Church) called a media conference and stopped short of begging for the large cash amounts that are frequently donated to other churches.

Granted, the church in general has tended to rely rather heavily on politicians to fund its activities and projects, which has served to feed the thirst for cash, mostly derived from corruption of and other unethical deeds. 

Politicians aside, individuals who may have amassed wealth through dubious, mostly illegal means throng churches to “whitewash” their spoils and most churches fail to question the source of such wealth.

The Catholic Church has picked up the gauntlet thrown by Kenyans who have asked, time and again, about the position of the church on the matter of accepting cash donations from individuals whose source of wealth is suspect or a mystery.

Other churches must follow suit and ban politicians from the pulpit, which must remain places of propagating the liturgy and preaching.

Politicians and other individuals who dabble in shenanigans to line their pockets, and thereafter rush to the church to clean up ill-gotten wealth must find other tricks to justify their evil ways.

On the face of growing thirst for ill-gotten fortunes, the church must remain the last port of call for those keen on mending their ways, rather than a haven where they find succor.

The church must retain the moral high ground and show the way.  This must remain a constant in a changing world where consumerism and greed drive the quest for wealth.

Further, the Church should show by example that the difference between want and need needs not drive the faithful to sin, fuelled by the desire to keep up with the Joneses.

The Catholic Church has shown the way. Others should follow.