Contributions from the parishioners, of course. Our Diocese has a budgetary mandate from the Vatican, and in turn gives our Pastor a required contribution mandate. The Vatican, of course has an extensive list of global charitable programs. The Diocese provides troubled women's' services, retirement benefits for the Priests, and a slew of other regional programs. If this isn't met by weekly offerings, the Pastor will notify us that we need to contribute more. Never are dollar amounts or tithes mentioned.
The Church also sponsors Food for the Poor which is funded by separate individual contributions.
Major capital improvements are a different matter. For those we determine an overall budget, and announce that along with the number of families in the parish. Again though, no specific dollar amount is suggested. But folks can do the math and determine where they are wealth-wise in relation to other folks. We then ask, but do not require, a specific pledge amount from each family, and then invoice them for that amount over a 36 month period. We don't put a shovel in the ground until we have 70% of the total in the bank. That way financing costs are minimized, and can usually be done at no cost through the Diocese budget. This system works well, and most folks advance payments or give extra. In my local church we met the 70% threshold in 9 months and obtained 100% before construction was completed, therefore incurred no finance costs. In another church that we attend occasionally they obtained 100% with 3 months.
