Business advertising at Mass

[tsering]

What are your thoughts of having a paid business advertising section in the parish bulletin which is passed out at Mass every week?

My first thought is Mt. 21:12-13.

Peace.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

What are your thoughts of having a paid business advertising section in the parish bulletin which is passed out at Mass every week?

My first thought is Mt. 21:12-13.

Peace.

Its how the parish bulletin gets paid for. No different than putting donor names on pews.

 

[TheMc]

What are your thoughts of having a paid business advertising section in the parish bulletin which is passed out at Mass every week?

My first thought is Mt. 21:12-13.

Peace.

I see nothing wrong with it.

The scripture quoted would seem to be more relevant if you were announcing the business during Mass, or selling something in the church, but this is a different animal.

 

[japhy]

What are your thoughts of having a paid business advertising section in the parish bulletin which is passed out at Mass every week? My first thought is Mt. 21:12-13.

Do you have a second thought?

The money-changers were men who cheated Jewish pilgrims out of money by forcing a terrible exchange rate upon them. Jewish pilgrims had currency from their own homelands, and they had to buy animals for sacrifice at the Temple, but they had to buy them with Temple currency. So the moneychangers exchanged the pilgrim’s money for Temple money at a dishonest rate.

As for the bulletin, if there are companies that want to support the parish by purchasing advertising space in the bulletin (usually on the back cover), thereby letting parishioners know of services which may be of use to them, then may God keep them honest in their business and diligent in their work!

 

[tsering]

Do you have a second thought?

The money-changers were men who cheated Jewish pilgrims out of money by forcing a terrible exchange rate upon them. Jewish pilgrims had currency from their own homelands, and they had to buy animals for sacrifice at the Temple, but they had to buy them with Temple currency. So the moneychangers exchanged the pilgrim’s money for Temple money at a dishonest rate.

As for the bulletin, if there are companies that want to support the parish by purchasing advertising space in the bulletin (usually on the back cover), thereby letting parishioners know of services which may be of use to them, then may God keep them honest in their business and diligent in their work!

My thoughts are completely in-line with yours.

I’m asking the question for my wife who comes from a very conservative Reformed Presbyterian Church in whom I’ve met no one there who is willing to admit that the Puritans were a little fanatical. At her church, to avoid anything close to what was happening in the temple, they do not allow any advertising, networking of business, or anything for sale - the church is strictly a place of worship and prayer.

Peace.

 

[limabeanerson]

I think its a good thing. Technically from what I know you should not really be reading your bulletin during Mass anyway and in my Parish they are handed out after Church (though available in a bulletin holder before)

The business sponsors pay for the expense of the bulletin and also help point people to businesses that are likely to be run by Catholics. Many of them even say “Parishioner Owned” or something like that at my parish.

 

[Tighty_Whitey]

There is nothing wrong or improper about having private businesses and parishoners pay for advertising to both cover the cost of the publication and permit the parish to profit from advertisers. I have advertised in our church’s bulletin, I have also sponsored a Catholic charity’s add that included a tag line that my business was the sponsor of the add. Your site to the passage about “money changers” is absurd.

 

[tsering]

Your site to the passage about “money changers” is absurd.

Unfortunately, my thoughts are often absurd. I’m thankful for the many graces that help me correct them, and also prevent me from acting upon them. Thank you.

Peace.

 

[Jim_Dandy]

Absurd is the correct word. This is yet another absurd Protestant charge against the Catholic Church. There is no “advertising at Mass.”

Jim Dandy
Ex-Protestant

 

[tsering]

Absurd is the correct word. This is yet another absurd Protestant charge against the Catholic Church. There is no “advertising at Mass.”

Jim Dandy
Ex-Protestant

Jim, thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut.

I would like some more details though. Just to make the record straight I know no one who is making a charge against the Catholic Church in this matter. My wife is asking the question only because from her protestant upbringing, anything having to do with money making was not allowed in church based upon their interpretation of Mt. 21:12-13 and also the fact that she is suspicious of the Catholic Church because she was taught to be so all her life. I think giving a Catholic interpretation of the passage and how it doesn’t apply to business advertisements in the bulletin which is handed out after Mass would be the best way to approach this issue as japhy has done already to my satisfaction. Just saying it’s absurd, though true, does not help my wife see why it’s an acceptable practice.

Peace.

 

[The_Old_Medic]

[edited] the bulletin to be printed, assembled and distributed.

It actually costs money to have these things done. Most parishes are not rolling in cash (mine can barely keep its programs going), because Catholics simply do not give anywhere near as much to their church as Protestants do.

Most would prefer to NOT have to drum up advertising, but they have no choice. Either they get people to pay for the costs involved, or they have to gut some other program to pay those costs.

[edited]

 

[Maureen1125]

I like it. I prefer to patronize a business that supports my parish church and local community rather then a business that is less generous to others.

 

[bearer]

I don’t have a problem with ads in the bulletin due to the reasons several of you have already discussed. It’s not contrary to Scripture and it benefits the Church. Furthermore, when we do business with “Catholic-owned” companies, we’re not only helping our brothers, but contributing to the Church in an indirect way and helping to bring glory to God in the process.

One thing I’ve been learning to do lately is to focus on the positive more often. When someone from outside the Church comes and asks us to justify this practice or that practice, it often reminds me of the the times that the Pharisees questioned Jesus to try and cause Him to stumble in his words. It’s best to focus on doing God’s work with confidence and ignore the hateful speech of others.

 

[laszlo]

What are your thoughts of having a paid business advertising section in the parish bulletin which is passed out at Mass every week?

My first thought is Mt. 21:12-13.

Peace.

The bulletin is to be received and read after you leave the Mass, or at least to read full after the Mass and not before or during it.

I used to use the advertisement to find plumber successfully.

 

[tsering]

I don’t have a problem with ads in the bulletin due to the reasons several of you have already discussed. It’s not contrary to Scripture and it benefits the Church. Furthermore, when we do business with “Catholic-owned” companies, we’re not only helping our brothers, but contributing to the Church in an indirect way and helping to bring glory to God in the process.

Well said.

One thing I’ve been learning to do lately is to focus on the positive more often. When someone from outside the Church comes and asks us to justify this practice or that practice, it often reminds me of the the times that the Pharisees questioned Jesus to try and cause Him to stumble in his words. It’s best to focus on doing God’s work with confidence and ignore the hateful speech of others.

I understand your point. But many are unwilling to reconcile with the Church because they’ve been taught to question its practices for several centuries now. Jesus often came back with a reasonable (if not profound) answer to the Pharisees questions. In fact this website is devoted to answering the questions of those who may be having problems with the Church, hence the name Catholic Answers. No one I have mentioned in this post hates the Church, they are just wondering why businesses are allowed to advertise in the bulletin, when they were taught by their church tradition that this was wrong.

Peace.

 

[grasscutter]

Another point could be that the bulletin is similar to a newsletter. It’s not distributed during Mass and people are free to take one or not. I personally like the advertisements because they help me choose services that are friendly to my faith.

Dear tsering, I don’t have an opinion on whether your questions are absurd or not. But even if they are, you have a right to ask them. Don’t stop.

God bless you.

 

[bearer]

Well said.

I understand your point. But many are unwilling to reconcile with the Church because they’ve been taught to question its practices for several centuries now. Jesus often came back with a reasonable (if not profound) answer to the Pharisees questions. In fact this website is devoted to answering the questions of those who may be having problems with the Church, hence the name Catholic Answers. No one I have mentioned in this post hates the Church, they are just wondering why businesses are allowed to advertise in the bulletin, when they were taught by their church tradition that this was wrong.

Peace.

Thank you very sincerely. Make no mistake: I don’t know your wife or her intentions, and I have no business judging her. Further, I have prayed for her and encourage others to do the same. I hope she can open her heart and experience the Lord as we have.

But you’d have to live under a rock (as opposed to on the Rock ) not to be cognizant of the regular attacks on the Church and on Catholics. There are literally millions, if not billions, of individuals who want to confuse us, make us doubt ourselves and our faith, and bring us away from the Church.

Having said that, we have an obligation to help those who can be helped, and ignore those who can’t be. Only you know what’s right in your heart, and in the case of your wife, I hope you can help her grow spiritually and shed her negative perceptions. Forget about the bulletin, get her to Mass so she can experience it for herself.

“And also with you”.

 

[pnewton]

The bulletin is to be received and read after you leave the Mass, or at least to read full after the Mass and not before or during it.

I used to use the advertisement to find plumber successfully.

That was my thought. Bulletins are not part of Mass. They have nothing to do with it. Part of the misunderstanding may be that others actually use bulletins for their service.

 

[ProVobis]

The bulletin is to be received and read after you leave the Mass, or at least to read full after the Mass and not before or during it.

Our bulletins usually have the previous week’s sermon. Not a sin to read it before Mass.

 

[Tighty_Whitey]

Unfortunately, my thoughts are often absurd. I’m thankful for the many graces that help me correct them, and also prevent me from acting upon them. Thank you.

Peace.

When I used the word absurd I did so after thoughtful contemplation. I too venture into the absurd at times and I like to push the envelope, however Matthew 21 just isn’t applicable.

There is no business transaction going on during or contemporaneously with the service. No one is being robbed or cheated and the bulletin should not be distributed during the service.

Peace, g