Parishes are responsible for substantial maintenance costs and they rely to a considerable extent on the generosity of their congregations. But they can also be resourceful in making-up shortfalls SHORTLY AFTER I went to secondary school, one of the priests in my parish asked me if I would be free the next Saturday to serve at a wedding.  At the end of the Mass, the best man came over to me and squeezed a 10-shilling note into my hand. With 20 shillings to a pound in those days, it was a small fortune for a young boy, and totally unexpected.One wedding Mass led to another, and the gifts kept coming – and I noticed a trend.  The smarter the wedding, the more likely the gift would be one coin, delivered in an envelope. The poorer the outward display, the larger the gift. On