St. Lawrence Distributing The Treasures Of The Church
by Bernardo Strozzi
Seriously, Catholics online are getting nuttier and nuttier ...
This guy has a business, a sort of basic training for successful Catholic fundraising. It's his job. Fine - everyone needs to survive. Jesus was not a 'fundraiser'. Nor were the disciples.
"The community of believers was of one heart and mind ... " Acts 4:32-37 It wasn't a business.
As the Holy Father has often said, Churches "cannot be run as a business, with a price list for sacraments. Money is needed for the buildings? Give gratuitousness and God will do the rest” - Read the rest here.
If we consider how Jesus started his ministry to proclaim the Kingdom of God, we learn two tips about fundraising. Yes, even Jesus collected funds, and he had a unique approach. [Matthew 23:23, Luke 8:1-3, Luke 10:7]
Before he dove into his mission, which included asking for donations, he did two important first steps that we should replicate. First, he paused to reflect on what he was going to do, and then he checked that his apostles were clear about what the mission was. - Source
This guy has a business, a sort of basic training for successful Catholic fundraising. It's his job. Fine - everyone needs to survive. Jesus was not a 'fundraiser'. Nor were the disciples.
"The community of believers was of one heart and mind ... " Acts 4:32-37 It wasn't a business.
As the Holy Father has often said, Churches "cannot be run as a business, with a price list for sacraments. Money is needed for the buildings? Give gratuitousness and God will do the rest” - Read the rest here.
Church people are leaving Facebook for other social media sites, subscription blogs and personal websites - making the announcement to make sure readership and donations continues. One highly successful blogger-priest has increased his monthly donation app once again to $10. These businessmen are highly critical of the Pope, the bishops, Vatican II, the Ordinary Form of Mass and so on - and they try to sell readers on their faithful commentary on Catholic teaching. They are unashamed. (Which is why I suggest avoiding many in Catholic social media and get your news from approved sources, diocesan news-sites and so on.)
Be careful of fundraising businesses.
I love to repeat how the Missionaries of Charity are adamant about no fundraising. The Missionaries of Charity never engage in fund-raising. From an interview with Mother Nirmala, M.C.:
Remember, 'there is great gain in religion, provided one is content with a sufficiency.' - 1 Timothy 6:6
Q: What about financial means: food, medicines, material goods?
Sister Nirmala: Absolutely nothing is lacking. God provides-- everywhere in India as well as abroad. You know, that is the promise of God for us. When Mother started the society and Mother was called, she did not start on her own, Jesus called her to start this congregation. He wanted her to be poor and the poorest of the poor. He wanted her to be empty-handed and serve the poorest of the poor free. It is such a paradox, isn't? He said: I will provide. That was Mother did, and that is what we are continuing to do: trusting in God's Providence, serving the poorest of the poor, free. And God does it. His promise is fulfilled every day. All we need to do is to keep being faithful to our commitments, to answer the call of God, everything else follows.
Q: But Sister, what would you tell those people who are so afraid of lacking the "indispensable?
things every day, or those who want to possess more material things?
Sister Nirmala: Trust in the Lord and do your best. Let the kingdom of God in your lives and he will provide everything.
Q: How does the Order cope with all the financial and economical demands?
Sister Nirmala: By trusting in God, and he is providing. We never ask for things. People just come and give. Everywhere they want to carry out fundraising activities, we say: "Please don't
fund-raise; we don't want to use Mother's name. No."
We want people acting on their own. We want their spontaneous collaboration. But if somebody is going around fundraising in Mother's name, we don't accept it. We want to depend on God's providence--only. - Source
Remember, 'there is great gain in religion, provided one is content with a sufficiency.' - 1 Timothy 6:6
St. Lawrence Distributing the Goods of the Church
by Strozzi
uhhhhh......yeeeaahhhhh.....
ReplyDeletehttp://money.cnn.com/2014/10/20/news/companies/porsche-sistine-chapel/index.html
http://abcnews.go.com/International/pope-francis-raffles-off-car-hat/story?id=28026887
https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/pope-autographs-lamborghini-bonnet-gives-it-for-charity-auction/
https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-high-cost-of-frugal-living.html
Apparently the gifs I used for the post didn't work, since this isn't about selling things for charity or for the works of mercy such as support of the missions or building up the Church. There is nothing wrong with that nor the stories you link too. I'm rejecting the idea of religion as a business and especially much of the Catholic fundraising tactics professionals sell to churches and religious to support themselves and their work.
DeleteIt is always a pleasure to watch the news videos that show auto companies or others gifting Papa Francis with some nice stuff ... that same nice stuff then gets auctioned off by Papa and friends to the benefit of our brothers and sisters and their children who are less fortunate than us.
DeleteI also read somewhere that the Bambino Gesu hospital benefits too from the Papal Charities for children in need. Papa Francis follows in the footsteps of his many predecessors gracias a Dios!
renting out the Sistine Chapel to Porche for a corporate gala.....NOT ok.
DeleteNOT ok?
DeleteJust your opinion and you are entitled to it but I didn't see a problem with it as I am convinced our Holy Father is keen to put the Vatican's incomparable cultural heritage treasures to good use for the benefit of the needy.
If it was to benefit his own pocket (which it was not) then yeah ... that would be a problem.
you do understand this is a CHAPEL?....MASS is said there. The Lord God Almighty comes down on that altar....it is rightly called a Holy of Holies. And you feel that it's ok to rent it out to Porsche for a dinner gala and entertainment?....not even to Legatus, or KofC (which would have been bad enough)....but Porsche? You don't see this as desecration of a Holy place? A place where the tourists are (rightly) admonished to whisper because of its sacredness, and to not take pictures as flashes might hurt the delicate frescoes. But hey...it's being used for a 'good cause'....perhaps judas was right in John 12:5. Like maybe the 25 million that went to the Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata......er, ooops; maybe not such a comfortable example...that would be more like John 12:6.
Deleteanyhooo....it certainly wouldn't be the first time that bergoglio corrected Christ. No doubt it's ok to rent out the Sistine....how 'bout using St. Pete's proper as an augean stable?....as long as the money goes to 'the poor' n'all.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/03/01/us-charity-cuts-short-pope-francis-request-for-25-million-grant-for-scandal-ridden-hospital.html
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pope-francis-top-reform-cardinal-accused-of-massive-financial-scandal
John 12:6 indeed.
I remember seeing an interview with Mother Theresa, St. Theresa of Calcutta now, where she said she and her congregation did no organized fundraising as you point out. Her next comment always has stuck with me. "No one has more money then God. He will always provide." Or words to that effect. It takes great faith which she had. I am glad her successors maintain the same attitude.
ReplyDeleteThey are preserving her spirit very well.
DeleteThere's one site that asks for $12k a month in donations and contributions. Outlandish.
ReplyDeleteHi Terry!
Haha! I already send my Social Security check to you.
DeleteI've been meaning to tell you, that your checks have been bouncing.
DeleteHaha!
DeleteDid you see that I started a new blog, and closed down AoftheA?
DeleteKind of related to this is something that has always really bothered me, and that is the way many religious orders or charitable Catholic organizations will send out rosaries, medals, holy cards ( I have even received blessed oil believe it or not) and then state in there cover letter that these are “free gifts“. Then they will add something to the effect that if you appreciate your free gift send us a donation to help us with our work! I cannot tell you how many times I have had to assure parishioners (usually elderly women) that they do not owe the organization one red cent… And I also cannot tell you how many times I have to clear out the book rack in the vestibule which is over stuffed with all of these mailings that these parishioners do not know how to dispose of.
ReplyDeleteI have the same problem - stacks of these things - and follow up letters asking if I got the gift and maybe forgot to donate, and so on. These charities have a professional organization orchestrating these campaigns - it's a racket, sorry to say. This is exactly why I post this stuff. I have a bowl filling up with pennies dimes and nickels from religious and secular charities as well as rosaries, relics, crosses, coins, and more. It's a form of coercion and an abuse. These groups also sell or rent names and addresses. I see these items for re-sale online and in thrift stores. Anyway - thanks for adding your POV.
Delete