I am in no way a fanatic of the Catholic Church, however you should be a little more specific about this fact. For one, these fees were called ‘indulgences’ and yes they did favor the rich. Nevertheless, this was not the only way to get into “heaven” or out of “hell” (you could also join a Crusade to have admittance). The time period for this is during what we know as the Dark Ages, a time where man’s mind was quite primitive and unstable. This allows for people to do their very best to ensure their happiness in the afterlife by paying such fees. This “fee” business stopped when Martin Luther (not the African-American Rights Activist) apposed the Catholic Church, was excommunicated with the Church and city and started his own Church, the Lutherian Church, where all the commandments were followed properly. After losing popularity, the Catholic Church discontinued ‘indulgences’ and eventually the 10% income taxes, however, still remain the richest church today.