After our post on the apparent heavy-handedness by church officials at St. Joseph's Catholic Parish regarding sidebets during the weekly Friday night bingo games by some parishioners, other people complaining about some of the practices there have come forward.
They say that the local priest has instituted a system of informants on those placing "caballito" bets on the side based on the numbers that are called and has at least two parishioners named "Felo" and "Patty" going among the tables as parishioners play spying on them to make sure that they are not participating in the forbidden betting.In some cases, they say that the woman, Patty, follows female parishioners to the women's bathrooms to make sure there is none of that hanky-panky going on there.
Churchgoers who like to spend a few dollars on a game of chance that will benefit the charities of their parishes have started to crowd the church halls and bingo games have never been more popular in the wake of the crackdown on "las maquinitas."
Bingos are legal in Texas and they must contribute a certain percentage to local charities of the religious society that must have existed in this state for at least eight years. The law also states that a bingo prize may not have a value of more than $750 for a single game.
The churches stay within the law if the net proceeds derived from bingo and any rental of premises are dedicated to the charitable purposes of the organization only if directed to a cause, deed, or activity that is consistent with the federal tax exemption the organization.
At St. Joseph's, the congregation had compensated for the small pots by placing side bets, just as patrons in bars often do during football games, or even as they do for baseball games.
In the case of the bingo side bets, the patrons – who already pay the entry fee in the number of playing cards they buy to enter – also throw in three bucks as a group for a chance to win a $75 pot. It's an outside chance, but it makes the game a little more exciting, they say.
"It's just another way to play and maybe win a couple of dollars," said a regular player. "The church gets the entry fee with the cards, and there's another chance you might get a crack at the $75."
The game is based on when the number you picked is drawn. Much like calling a pony race, you win if your number comes in, therefore the name "caballitos."
The local parish priest apparently wanted to put a stop to the side bets and last Friday ran off at least three ladies who his "spies" informed him suspected of staging the bets. Witnesses say that he had threatened to call the police on some of the parishioners if they didn't leave. In fact, they said that he was surreptitiously taking pictures of the players without their consent."It's just a way for some people to generate a little income," said another player. "Nobody is getting rich."
Now, they say that in addition to his "capatazes" "Felo" and "Patty," he also encourages other parishioners to tell on each other.
"It's almost like a correction center now," said one. "The people who want to play can always make arrangements to play beforehand outside church property and then collect afterwards," said one. "By having people tell on each other, he is creating mistrust among the congregation and making things worse. Are a few dollars worth that?"
"It's almost like a correction center now," said one. "The people who want to play can always make arrangements to play beforehand outside church property and then collect afterwards," said one. "By having people tell on each other, he is creating mistrust among the congregation and making things worse. Are a few dollars worth that?"
4 comments:
PEDOPHILE HYPOCRITES
Boring, Juan. You sound like some old woman, vato.
Give to God what is God and give Cesar what is Cesar give the Priest what is his. The priest just happens to make up his own bible. Give to the poor Yea Right. It is like Erasmo and Linda from Brownsville Cheezmeh really caring about the poor and Brownsville while he lives in Austin, TX and she lives in Los Fresnos. All these 3 claim to be persons of faith but make up their own Bible as they go along. Turning people against each other to enrich themselves is what they do best. There is God in Heaven that is not only looking on the outside but inside their hearts and he cannot be fooled. Coveting is a SIN and every sin will come to light.
This is definately not creating a feud between parishoners, Juan. The bingo hall gets way more packed than the pews at church. What does this tell you? Those people do not even go to church. They just go play bingo at the church. No hagan tanto pedo. The priest has done an excellent job at transforming that dying parish into an active one. It is undue criticism like this that deflates the efforts of good people who are doing positive things in our community. I think you should focus on the West Brownsville Baptist Church instead. Next time you see the white truck full of blue decals announcing the vehicle as a church vehicle, look inside and you'll probably see the pastor with a mofle inside a brown paper bag. I've seen him at least 3 times chugging a beer while driving down Central Blvd.
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