Translate

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

HELPING THE POOR WITH DIGNITY


Our parish heavily supports our Catholic Charities' Family Advancement Ministries. It helps families with elementary age children. Apart from material assistance, the program offers education on parenting, finances and budgets. They try to help people out of poverty and to make the most of what they do receive.  They try to eliminate the welfare mentality of handouts and help the poor to recover dignity and self worth through education.

Every year our parish participates in their "Gifts of Love" for Christmas. The three parishes combined as well as other financial sources provide Christmas presents for needy families FAM has assisted totaling about $34,000!

These families picked up their gifts this past Saturday. However, children were not allowed to come for the pick-up. Our program desires that the children not see the Church giving them their gifts but rather their parents. This builds up the dignity and self-worth of the parents too.

We don't want those we help to see the Church as Santa Claus but rather the Church helping people to learn how to fish rather than just giving them a fish, as the old saying goes.

7 comments:

gob said...

Does anybody check the recipients for fancy fingernails or cell phones or find out how big their TV screen at home is?

Gene said...

Gob, I doubt if anyone is, but they should be.

gob said...

And of course they should have a picture ID and submit to drug testing. Can't ge too careful.

When I hear the story about Jesus passing out free bread and fish,,,,no questions asked, it makes me wonder if He's some kind of leftie....creating a welfare mentality of handouts....

Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...

Gob, you must really hate these biblical teaching:

2 Thes, 3:18: For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Proverbs: My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction...

Hebrews: and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;

and of course Jesus' direct words in Matthew: Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast you your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Gene said...

Gob, bless your heart, the point of the miracle of the loaves and fishes was not that Jesus was giving away free stuff.

gob said...

Eugene, the point of my remark was the point of the pointy stick that I poked at your derriere. You took the bait just like I hoped (knew?) you would.

Gene said...

Gob, what you say makes no sense.