Can someone tell me whether this is true or made up?

[fpb]

From R.J.Neuhaus' column in FIRST THINGS magazine:

A reader tells me that there are more Catholic churches in Las Vegas than casinos. When the offering is received at Mass, it is common for people to put casino chips rather than cash in the baskets. The several parishes send the collected chips to a neighboring Franciscan Monastery, where they are sorted and then cashed in at the casinos they came from. This weekly task is undertaken by those who are called the chip monks.

Comments

[lyssiae.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, but that last sentence just made me chortle. I think it should be true just to give the comic value something worthwhile than simply being...well, comic.

[goreism.livejournal.com]

I've heard this one years ago, I'm pretty sure (and it hasn't improved with age ;-).

In any case, if it were Franciscans counting them, they'd be "chip friars." Perhaps they should replace Franciscan with "Trappist" or "Camaldolese"?

[kikei.livejournal.com]

I've heard this one too, no clue if it's real or not but it's worth a chuckle, just the same, hehe.

-Kiks

[neigedens.livejournal.com]

I don't know about there being more churches there than casinos, but I suppose it kind of makes sense. I have heard of people putting chips in the collection plate, however. People do it out here in churches on the reservations. The priest told me he supposes it's better than people leaving buttons or lint.

I'd love to see that on a tax return, though: "OCCUPATION: CHIP MONK."

[goreism.livejournal.com]

In the U.S., they usually don't pay taxes, insofar as they have taken vows of poverty and remit any compensation they receive for their services to their religious order. Since religious orders are generally tax-exempt organizations, they don't pay taxes either.