Church teaching on panhandlers (long post)

[Oscarthecat]

hello all,
I have some questions about Catholic Moral Teaching on panhandlers for a graduate class I’m taking.

I have read the other posts in this forum on this topic, and the opinions and anecdotes were very helpful to get an idea about how people feel about this topic.

Rather than the aforementioned emotional and anecdotal responses from previous posts on the topic, what I’m really looking for are solid, logical responses based on scripture, tradition, and the teaching of the Church on how we should respond to panhandlers.

With that in mind, I have a couple of specific questions I was hoping to wrap into one post rather than spread them through different posts-

Most of these questions are trying to get at the basic idea of whether or not it is moral to give to panhandlers directly because they are in need, or if it is actually immoral to do so because it frustrates the efforts of legitimate social services (private, state, or church) to provide resources to those in need that are geared toward improving their situation rather than just providing immediate relief.

1. Is it moral to give money to someone, homeless or not, without some reasonable assurance that the money might be used for illicit purposes? (for example, drugs)
2. Conversely, is it moral to give money to someone, homeless or not, when you have some reasonable assurance that the money will be used for illicit purposes?
3. Does promoting the idea that we should not give directly to the poor, but instead give to the Church or to reputable social services organizations risk encouraging indifference to the needs of the poor? That is, will people just figure that they’re off the hook for any moral obligation to the poor because “I gave at mass.”
4. Agree or disagree: There are multiple examples of Christ’s teaching on the preferential option for the poor. However, just looking at these literally, they could indicate that giving to those structures that are designed to provide support is at least morally equivalent to giving money directly to individuals. For example, Christ praised the widow when she gave money to the Temple, not to the poor directly, and the good samaritan gave money to the innkeeper, to whom he entrusted the care of the man in need.
5. Do we have a moral right to withhold services to individuals who choose to operate outside of social services. That is, a person is aware of social services support, but freely chooses to not take advantage of those services because of a sane/rational opinion, and instead chooses to panhandle on the street and are technically in need of that money for basic food or shelter.

 

[stbruno]

I don’t just give arbitrarily to every panhandler but they seem to be everywhere you turn. If I gave to everyone of them, I would not be able to support them all every day.

But instead, I take a lesson from Mother Teresa, who recognized that the poor will always be with us…she instead worked to help the poor…establish hospitals, hospices, soup kitchens etc…as well as educate them.

God expects us to be faithful…not successful.
So he does expect us to recognize the poor among us…even it is just asking them their name and saying that you will remember them in your daily prayers today.
If you can, direct them to some social services…like Catholic charities, a warming center, a PADS shelter etc…where they can get a warm meal, and a bed. You will be meeting their needs for spiritual refreshment as well.

As far as how they take the donation you may give them…that’s their personal choice. If you are really worried that it will be put to the wrong purpose. Keep some canned goods in your car or a gift certificate for a fast food place…so they can get a meal etc.

Interesting thought for a research project.
Good luck!

 

[otjm]

Somewhere I came acroos some information (and I do not vouch for its accuracy) that the panhandlers we find at stop signs were making something in the range of $30/hour for the time they spent there. It would be interesting to see if this is reasonably accurate.

Knowingly giving funds to someone that you reasonably believe are going to be used for drugs would, in my opinion, be at tleast unwise, and most likely sinful. Replace the drugs with giving a gun to someone who is suicidal and see what results you come up with. Drugs are not exactly a gun (although deaths due to overdose are not an unknown event). The question isn’t exactly rocket science, but is not specifically set out in the Gospels.

And who is it that is going to give reasonable assurance that the money won’t be used for illicit purposes? The panhandler? Only a pollyanna would ask them the question…

I somewhat doubt that the giving to an organization is the source of thinking that I may have no other responsiblities; it is not the giving that is the source of that. Rather, some, to avoid doing anything else, may give; but the lack of charity preceeds the gift.

I think that there were not so many and varied structures in Christ’s time, if any that were specifically designed to assist the poor. The communities were much smaller in general and society was less organized. Further, the widow giving to the Temple was giving for supporet of the Temple, so the example is not on point. It would appear much more the case that as society grew (literally) in size and complexity, that we moved away from the Church (as in local pastor and bishop) as the sourcing of help to the poor, we saw the beginnings of non-Church organizations to help the poor. But remember that the real sourcing of an organized assistance seesm to come from the post Ressurection Church through the deacons; they were the ones who were the point of assistance after collecting from the folks in the “pew”.

As to your last question, that depends. What do they need, what am I capable of actually accomplishing on my own, and what are the reasons they refuse help from organizations that are designed to help them? Pride?

And for a question you did not ask: given all the organizations which seek to help the poor (panhandlers included) what may be my duty to help physically - such as working on a soup line?

 

[drafdog]

This is not the moral dilema you seem to think it is. The Torah enjoins us to give alms, a position which Jesus supported. The law of tithing provided funds to the Levites who were to distribute it to the poor of the community.
You probably give alms and thithe already in the form of contributions to the local parish you attend, Bishop’s relief funds, and your federal and state (and municipal) taxes. Remember that the law is that we who have are to give. The Torah places no condition on the recipient’s moral or ethical character. The giving of alms is a mitzvah. It is necessary that we do this by law. Although you may decry the misuse of the gift, it does not reduce the merit of the gift in and of itself.
In all gift giving remember the Irish saying: “Let it be on their heads what they do with it. Let it not be on our heads that we did not give it them.”