Father's House/Marketplace vs Fundraising

[steve64]

I had a discussion with a protestant friend who was not comfortable with our chuch’s practice of selling items in the gathering area after mass on Sunday. He pointed to John 2:16 where Christ drove the merchants and money-changers from the temple with the admonission that they should not make His Father’s house into a marketplace. He stressed that this was the one thing recorded in scripture that really made Chris indignant.

I responded that the people driven out were selling the sacrificial offerings required under the old covenant law. He did not see the purchasing of a dove as relevant but only the proximity of that purchase.

An action is a sin if either the intrinsic value of the act, the intent, or the situation are not legitimate. Commercial action itself is clearly not sinful. The intent and/or the situation are the likely the cause of the sin in this case.

How should that passage from scripture be interpretted?

What precisely was the sin that Christ was so angry at?

How does that relate to present-day activities of legitimate fundraising to support individual church missions?

Do guidelines exist or are bishops and priests asked to use thier judgement in this area?

Should we as Catholics find alternate times or places to raise money?

Any comments to assist my friend and myself would be appreciated.

 

[RyanL]

Perhaps the following would be helpful reading:

With festivals and bazaars, do we have money changers in the temple?

Is it appropriate or even permisable to sell goods outside the church door?

If your friend’s views held, the logical question would be at what distance is it permissable to conduct sales transactions? Is it immoral to own a business located adjacent to a church? What scripturally defined circumference must one be outside in order to not be accused of “money changing”? This is, of course, my own assessment…

God Bless,
RyanL