| We hope you enjoy your visit! You're currently viewing Catholic CyberForum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our online cyberparish, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! Messages posted to this board must be polite and free of abuse, personal attacks, blasphemy, racism, threats, harasment, and crude or sexually-explicit language. If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Giving to the poor; Do we do enough | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Saturday, 7. November 2009, 23:17 (435 Views) | |
| John Sweeney | Saturday, 7. November 2009, 23:17 Post #1 |
|
Our stand-in Indian priest tonight used the Gospel to speak about giving to the poor and to those who spread the Gospel throughout the world . He quoted Mother Theresa ( he does this so foten that, God forgive me, i am taking a severe dislike to the sainted lady) who, when approached by someone who wanted to give a donation said, " No don't give a donation, give your money until it hurts. The priest urged us to take this on board. We argue about all the usual subjects here but this is one we all avoid because it is uncomfortable. I think that I give quite generously to charity and to the various appeals throughout the year but I cannot honestly say I give until it hurts. And yet it seems to me far more central to the Catholic mission than the other things we do discuss eg contraception, eucharistic ministers and so on. By "giving till it hurts" I assume we are meant to give to the point where our giving makes a significant impact on our ability to live life as we would want to. How far should we go? John |
 |
 
|
| KatyA | Saturday, 7. November 2009, 23:51 Post #2 |
|
Administrator
|
You pose an important question, John, and one that I would prefer not to address as I know I fall far short of the ideal. I once had a rather heated discussion about the "Widow's Mite" with someone who thought that it was quite unjust that the widow should give everything and leave herself starving, and, to be honest, I couldn't argue the case very well. Proof that I am too materialistic and self centred perhaps. I am also one of those people who look at the salaries of administrators of some of the larger charities, and baulk at contributing to them. That's not to say that I do not give to the poor - but do I give enough? No I don't. It's a fault I need to work on. KatyA |
  | |
|
|
| Rose of York | Sunday, 8. November 2009, 00:00 Post #3 |
Administrator
|
I am not proud to admit I could give more. When I see a collecting box for a charity I wish to support, I give, but not until it hurts. To be honest I have never calculated how much I can afford to give away. John you have pricked my conscience! |
 Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards | |
|
|
|
| Emee | Sunday, 8. November 2009, 00:07 Post #4 |
|
I think giving is a very personal matter John - which could be another reason why we don't discuss it much. We will all have a different level where it starts to hurt when we give. Shamefully I haven't experienced this feeling that much but I do know on the odd occassion when I have given to the point of it hurting me - and I have had to forego a much needed hair appointment / new outfit or shoes etc. However, I do feel when one also has family commitments, it is not right to deprive them of something they need in order to satisfy one's conscience on giving to the needy. The only person who should hurt in the giving should be oneself - to give a further amount that is needed to support one's family is effectively like robbing / depriving your dependents of something they need themselves. Therefore I do feel that families have to be sensible in their giving. I think when Jesus said to give all you own to the poor before following Him I think He was addressing single young-ish people without commitments, rather than those with family commitments. We are only at liberty to make our own choices, we have no right to decide upon the choices of those nearest and dearest to us, neither to put them into a position of poverty by our giving. I hope I've interpreted that correctly. I know I couldn't, hand on heart, tell my husband and daughters that we had to go and live in a cave because I'd chosen to give all our money away. That couldn't be right, and surely would be a wrong interpretation of that Biblical passage? Besides which at this time of year, it would only be fun for about half an hour or so. We'd very soon start to run the risk of hyperthermia. I could even end up being guilty of indirect manslaughter and, at the very least, neglect... So it's a tricky one John. Although I still know that I am aware of the (odd) occasion when I have given to the point that it hurts. |
|
|
|
| Rose of York | Sunday, 8. November 2009, 00:09 Post #5 |
|
Administrator
|
34 Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in: 36 Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me. 37 Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee? 39 Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee? 40 And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me. |
|
Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards | |
|
|
|
| KatyA | Sunday, 8. November 2009, 00:21 Post #6 |
|
Administrator
|
My conscience is well and truly pricked. I've been thinking about this and recall an appeal made by a missionary priest some years ago. He made it very personal, pointing out that he understood we all felt we couldn't afford much, but most of us could afford a colour TV, central heating cupboards full of clothes etc. He asked if we couldn't spare £50 to provide for those who had no home and only the clothes they wore. (He was rather more persuasive than my poorly remembered synopsis) After Mass, instead of throwing a few coins in the collection, most people coughed up the £50, having been forced to admit that they really could afford it. Perhaps we should be reminded more often KatyA |
|
| |
|
|
|
| PJD | Sunday, 8. November 2009, 08:15 Post #7 |
|
"We argue about all the usual subjects here but this is one we all avoid because it is uncomfortable." Reminds me John of conversation yesterday regarding children/grandchildren - can we, and do we, give them too much. PJD |
|
|
|
| Jamie | Sunday, 8. November 2009, 10:25 Post #8 |
|
I think the waters are also muddied by just how much of our charitable donations actually reaches those in need, and how much leaks away en route in administration and other costs... Obviously charities have running costs but some charities have a very much better record on this than others. This is particularly true at this time of year with "charity" Christmas cards - the amount actually donated to charity by some of these is pitiful. And I read a shocking figure reported in either the Times or Telegraph a year or so ago, which claimed that over the last decade the many billions of pounds given by our government to Third World projects was more or less the same as the amount salted away by corrupt Third World governments.... I am not saying this excuses us from our obligations, but people are often confused about how and where they should donate - especially when times are tough. Anyone know of good worthwhile charities which have sound reputations for their donation/costs ratio???? |
|
|
|
| DannyD | Sunday, 8. November 2009, 11:04 Post #9 |
|
Jamie, Mary's Meals is a charity which ticks all the right boxes, both in the work that they do, and the admin costs/income ratio...... 93% of money raised goes directly to the projects, and the founder is determined to keep admin costs to a minimum.... http://www.marysmeals.org |
|
|
|
| OsullivanB | Sunday, 8. November 2009, 13:42 Post #10 |
|
I suggest you have a look at Water Aid. |
|
|
|
| Mairtin | Sunday, 8. November 2009, 13:55 Post #11 |
|
I don't now about the UK equivalent (CAFOD?) but Trócaire, the official overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland has a very good reputation in that regard. Another Irish charity with a good reputation is GOAL. |
|
Online Prayer - Night Prayer, Rosary and Lectio Divina Visit www.roomtopray.net for details of days and times | |
|
|
|
| Mairtin | Sunday, 8. November 2009, 13:59 Post #12 |
|
Our priest took a different angle on the 'Widow's Mite' this morning, Katy; he pointed out that both she and the widow in the First Reading, by giving everything they had to God, were putting total trust in God to provide for their own needs. |
|
Online Prayer - Night Prayer, Rosary and Lectio Divina Visit www.roomtopray.net for details of days and times | |
|
|
|
| CARLO | Sunday, 8. November 2009, 15:18 Post #13 |
|
ANY SPARE CHANGE? Any spare change? Outside our church Beside our porch His beggar’s clothes Our Sunday best His beggar’s voice Our Sunday rest Any spare change? We have given In many ways Any spare change? On Holy Days We turn away From his beggar’s gaze Any spare change? We tell ourselves Crime never pays Any spare change? We leave him there A cruel fate And pray not to meet again At heaven’s gate. (C) 'CARLO' 2005 |
| Judica me Deus | |
|
|
|
| Anne-Marie | Sunday, 8. November 2009, 16:21 Post #14 |
|
Carlo, that remind me of one visit to Praha... when, on my last day, I attended Mass and leaving took out my purse, tipped it up and emptied the entire contents into the hands of a stunned beggar. Everyone around me went potty in horror at my 'stupidity'. What the beggar might later have realised was it was all my tiny change (lots of it) which totalled about 20p in English money equivalence! I ought to be ashamed of my meanness... except I later learned on another trip that one of the nuns had found shelter for him and he preferred to be out begging on the streets rather than in proper accommodation!
|
|
Anne-Marie FIAT VOLUNTAS DEI | |
|
|
|
| PJD | Sunday, 8. November 2009, 16:48 Post #15 |
|
"Our priest took a different angle on the 'Widow's Mite' this morning, Katy; he pointed out that both she and the widow in the First Reading, by giving everything they had to God, were putting total trust in God to provide for their own needs." What an excellent reflection Mairtin. Thanks for putting that on. PJD |
|
|
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · General Catholic Discussion · Next Topic » | |
5:43 PM Nov 23