Gift Shop in Church?

[RomyMalk]

My fiance and I thought we found a Catholic parish we really liked and were planning to visit, but we recently found out they have a gift shop in the church! This really bothers us, because Jesus made it clear when he cleansed the temple in Jerusalem that he was opposed to people doing business in the temple.

And Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, `My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you make it a den of robbers.” (Matthew 21: 12-13)

We’ve always been vocal opponents of the annual yard sale at our Protestant church because of this story, but a gift shop is even worse! We are very uncomfortable with the idea of attending this parish now, which is a shame because it seems so vibrant and welcoming. Do you agree that this is unbiblical, or are we interpreting this passage incorrectly?

 

[Vasallus]

I don’t think the money changer story applies to a gift shop. We have a Holy Nook. They sell bibles, medals, all things Catholic. It’s staffed by volunteers and all the proceeds to to the parish general fund. I don’t think there’s a valid comparison to those that Jesus drove out of the Temple.

 

[RyanK]

Also, they’re selling things that help in regards to the building of our faith, whereas those in the temple weren’t.

 

[PatriceA]

I don’t think the money changer story applies to a gift shop. We have a Holy Nook. They sell bibles, medals, all things Catholic. It’s staffed by volunteers and all the proceeds to to the parish general fund. I don’t think there’s a valid comparison to those that Jesus drove out of the Temple.

I second this. We belonged to a parish in Georgia that had their own gift shop in the Church building and it was a godsend since there weren’t any Catholic stores within the area. All the proceeds went back to the parish fund.

I never gave the gift shop a second though, but felt blessed by its existence. If one is going to get upset about a gift shop, how would the bake sales after Mass be any different? Or when our parish has their Sunday breakfast in the basement? Or Bingo even? Bingo is a HUGE fundraiser for our parish.

 

[RomyMalk]

I never gave the gift shop a second though, but felt blessed by its existence. If one is going to get upset about a gift shop, how would the bake sales after Mass be any different? Or when our parish has their Sunday breakfast in the basement? Or Bingo even? Bingo is a HUGE fundraiser for our parish.

I’ve always understood stuff like bake sales and car washes to be different, because people contribute donations rather than set prices. We also won’t chase people down if they don’t pay.

 

[corsair]

Our OF parish has a gift counter over in the parish social hall. But nothing like that in the church, which is a separate building.

 

[dixieagle]

My fiance and I thought we found a Catholic parish we really liked and were planning to visit, but we recently found out they have a gift shop in the church! This really bothers us, because Jesus made it clear when he cleansed the temple in Jerusalem that he was opposed to people doing business in the temple.

We’ve always been vocal opponents of the annual yard sale at our Protestant church because of this story, but a gift shop is even worse! We are very uncomfortable with the idea of attending this parish now, which is a shame because it seems so vibrant and welcoming. Do you agree that this is unbiblical, or are we interpreting this passage incorrectly?

Perhaps, then, you and your fiancé can generously support your parish and convince others to do the same, so that they don’t have to resort to yard sales (that really bothered you?) or gift shops.

Seriously, many parishes are desperate for funds to keep the parish going. They do what they must.

 

[RomyMalk]

Perhaps, then, you and your fiancé can generously support your parish and convince others to do the same, so that they don’t have to resort to yard sales (that really bothered you?) or gift shops.

Seriously, many parishes are desperate for funds to keep the parish going. They do what they must.

I’m a PK. Believe me, I know that churches need money, because if no one gives money, my family can’t eat. That doesn’t mean they should resort to drastic and possibly unbiblical actions to get it.

 

[RomyMalk]

Also, they’re selling things that help in regards to the building of our faith, whereas those in the temple weren’t.

The money-changers in the temple were selling things like pigeons to be used in offerings.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

This is what happens when you do personal interpretation of the Bible.

 

[jmcrae]

My fiance and I thought we found a Catholic parish we really liked and were planning to visit, but we recently found out they have a gift shop in the church! This really bothers us, because Jesus made it clear when he cleansed the temple in Jerusalem that he was opposed to people doing business in the temple.

In that incident, the buyers and the sellers were doing business in an area that was set aside for worship, during the time when people would have expected to be able to go into it and pray in quiet.

I doubt that the little gift shop at your parish is actually in the Church itself - more likely it’s in a gathering area outside of the Church. And most likely no one does business in it while there are Masses or other prayer services going on.

Yard sales presumably also take place out in the yard, or else in the gym if the weather is inclement - not in the space set aside for worship.

 

[KCT]

The 4 major basilicas in Rome have gift shops.

I think it’s a service to parishioners if they have easy access to good, Catholic items.

 

[The_New_Man]

In that incident, the buyers and the sellers were doing business in an area that was set aside for worship, during the time when people would have expected to be able to go into it and pray in quiet.

I doubt that the little gift shop at your parish is actually in the Church itself - more likely it’s in a gathering area outside of the Church. And most likely no one does business in it while there are Masses or other prayer services going on.

Yard sales presumably also take place out in the yard, or else in the gym if the weather is inclement - not in the space set aside for worship.

Great response and signature!

 

[GeorgiiMichael]

I can understand your hesitance at having a parish gift shop. But it’s not the same as with the money-changers in the Temple. Those who Jesus was rebuking were not taking the profits they made and giving them back to the religious needs of the community. They were taking all the profits for themselves. They were also using the sanctuary for selling their wares.

A gift shop attached to a parish, or a yard sale on the front lawn are hardly the same thing as the money changers. The money made from these things goes back to the church and is being used for the religious needs of the community.

Can you see the difference? The money changers were defiling a place of worship for profit. The gift shop and yard sale are away from the sanctuary, and are giving the money right back to the parish for the good of the community.

Parish gift shops are one of the few places to really find a good selection of Catholic reading material. Heck, it’s next to impossible to find a good Catholic translation of the Bible in any mainstream bookstore. And don’t get me started on the difficulty of finding rosaries, and medals.

Not only do parish gift shops benefit the parish’s funds, they also help the members of the parish with their spiritual needs.

 

[RomyMalk]

I can understand your hesitance at having a parish gift shop. But it’s not the same as with the money-changers in the Temple. Those who Jesus was rebuking were not taking the profits they made and giving them back to the religious needs of the community. They were taking all the profits for themselves. They were also using the sanctuary for selling their wares.

A gift shop attached to a parish, or a yard sale on the front lawn are hardly the same thing as the money changers. The money made from these things goes back to the church and is being used for the religious needs of the community.

Can you see the difference? The money changers were defiling a place of worship for profit. The gift shop and yard sale are away from the sanctuary, and are giving the money right back to the parish for the good of the community.

Parish gift shops are one of the few places to really find a good selection of Catholic reading material. Heck, it’s next to impossible to find a good Catholic translation of the Bible in any mainstream bookstore. And don’t get me started on the difficulty of finding rosaries, and medals.

Not only do parish gift shops benefit the parish’s funds, they also help the members of the parish with their spiritual needs.

Thank you so much! This makes perfect sense. It’s so clear that I can’t believe no one ever explained this to me before. Thanks for correcting our errors; I’ll pass this on to my fiance and now we will be able to attend that parish in good conscience.

 

[Kouyate42]

Also, they’re selling things that help in regards to the building of our faith, whereas those in the temple weren’t.

Indeed, the people in the Temple were fleecing honest worshipers of God out of alot of money simply because of their need to follow the Law. If the worshipers didn’t buy their doves and lambs in the Temple, they’d likely be rejected for sacrifice.

But my local Catholic cathedral has it’s own gift and book shop, and it’s the only place locally I know about that sells any decent amount of specifically Catholic items including medals, rosaries, books and Bibles and icons.

I can’t see a problem if the shop in the church is servicing a genuine need and if it doesn’t encroach on the main worship area. These shops are a godsend (no pun intended) for people who might not be able to access Catholic and religious goods easily, and they also provide a useful source of revenue for all the projects and missions ran by any one church. If the money is going to actively help in the cause of the church, I don’t see a problem.

And no, the shop I use isn’t in the main church but is based in an outbuilding across the courtyard from the main worship space. It houses a café, the shop and a few other things including a classroom.

 

[Madaglan]

I do not see any problem, especially if the shop is not for profit and the wares are related to church. I go to an Orthodox church, and most of the Orthodox churches I have visited has an icon/book store of some kind. They’re good places to stock up on charcoal and incense, and find new icons to add to one’s corner.

I don’t see gift stores as frequently in Catholic churches, especially the Latin Catholic ones I’ve visited. The ones I have seen usually are attached to a shrine church. However, I think it would be great if more Latin Catholic churches had gift store nooks.

 

[mary_bobo]

The 4 major basilicas in Rome have gift shops.

I think it’s a service to parishioners if they have easy access to good, Catholic items.

I, too, believe it is a service to parishoners. St. Louis Cathedral in NO has a gift shop in the vestibule of the church. Again, the profit goes to the upkeep of the church.

 

[mary_bobo]

This is what happens when you do personal interpretation of the Bible.

Thank you for your post.

 

[RomyMalk]

Thank you for your post.

Actually, I found ByzCath’s post pretty hurtful, because I thought this was a standard interpretation, not just my own (I have heard others say this too), and he made no effort to explain his position. I am very grateful for the charitable responses GeorgiiMichael, jmcrae, and a few others because they took the time to gently explain the issue to me without throwing cheap shots at the silly Protestant.

I was not trying to start an argument, and I’m sorry that it seemed like I was. I was just asking for advice about something that genuinely concerned me.