A Parish That Doesn’t Live by Bread Alone
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RICHERENCHES, France — A parish church has found an unusual way to help pay for its upkeep.
Once a year, during a special Mass, the village’s Catholic priest exhorts his flock to put fresh truffles in the offertory plate instead of money. After the service, a licensed truffle broker sells the collection.
“My predecessor had the idea 30 years ago, and we’ve stuck to it,” said Father Pierre Gleize, whose village lies in the heart of truffle-producing country in southern France.
This year’s truffle service yielded 11 pounds of “black diamonds” worth $2,200.
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