Helping salvation army

[phil8888]

Hi, my bro’s gf has a Catholic dad and Salvation army mom and she kind of identifies with both. Anyway, she asked me if I can help them go around the block raising money for the salvation army. Is this acceptable for a Catholic to do?

 

[lizaanne]

Why would you want to raise money for an organization that does not teach the fullness of Truth? They are a protestant religion. If you want to raise money for those who need help, see what you can do for the Catholic Relief Agency, or Catholic Social Services.



~Liza

 

[Prof_K]

Hi, my bro’s gf has a Catholic dad and Salvation army mom and she kind of identifies with both. Anyway, she asked me if I can help them go around the block raising money for the salvation army. Is this acceptable for a Catholic to do?

While Catholic organizations generally are better at minimizing their overhead costs, and thus I would prefer the St. Vincent DePaul socity over the Salvation Army, I see no moral dilemma in helping out protestant charities that are not specifically anti-Catholic. I give most of my own money to Catholic charities, but regularly give small donations good causes including Protestant ones my neighbors are rasing money for.

see the Charity Navigator:
charitynavigator.org/

This will help you find comparable Catholic charities, with low overhead costs. But again, in a spirit of charity I see nothing wrong in helping your brother’s girlfriend raise money for a good charity. However, I might let her know that you might come calling next time you are helping with a Catholic charity. Such relations let other Christians we are playing for the same coach.

This is just my opinion, so if I am missing a Church teaching hear, I will allow others to correct me.
Cheers,

Prof K.

PS. I would warn you that some United Way campaigns and others combined charity appeals do sometimes donate money to Planned Parenthood (the nation’s #1 abortion provider), so if you are planning on giving to one of these multiple charitable causes at work, as Catholics we are likely morally obligated to read the fine print as to the charities invovlved in the collection. To my knowledge this is not a concern with the Salvation Army.

 

[jmjconder]

Hi, my bro’s gf has a Catholic dad and Salvation army mom and she kind of identifies with both. Anyway, she asked me if I can help them go around the block raising money for the salvation army. Is this acceptable for a Catholic to do?

For me it is because the Salvation Army does not stand with the Catholic Church on issues. Though they state they honor the santity of life they leave room in the end for abortions as an option. They also support the use of contraceptives.

Therefore I do not support them because they are in opposition to the Catholic Church’s teaching on “Life and Dignity of the Human Person.”

 

[LongingForLight]

I think the OP is looking at this as much as a way to hang out with someone and build relationships, as much as a fund-raiser. It’s not, “Should I give my money and time to SA or Catholic Relief Services?” but rather, “Is it OK to do this or should I just do my normal thing?”

My thoughts are that it wouldn’t hurt to check where the SA money goes, but as long as the money you collect itself isn’t funding something immoral (like contraceptives or abortions), it seems like a good thing to do - even if the SA themselves allows BC or abortions. It seems like a good thing to encourage charity, provided “charity” is not being used as a mask for immorality (e.g., giving to the “charity” of Planned Parenthood is charity masking immorality), and this sounds like a healthy form of ecumenism and witness.

 

[jmjconder]

An FYI about SA ~ a percentage of any money raised in a local community ends up in the national office and therefore supports their overall programs and moral issues.

I would recommend there are other ways to spend time together than raising money for SA.

 

[Prof_K]

For me it is because the Salvation Army does not stand with the Catholic Church on issues. Though they state they honor the santity of life they leave room in the end for abortions as an option. They also support the use of contraceptives.

Therefore I do not support them because they are in opposition to the Catholic Church’s teaching on “Life and Dignity of the Human Person.”

It is true that the Salvation Army’s position, although quite restrictive, is not the same as the Catholic Chruches.
Here is a LINK.
However, it is closer than most. Morever, there is nothing I could find that suggest that the Salvation Army, national or local, actually would use its money to fund abortions. If that is the case, lined cross. I would not help. However, if their policy simply isn’t restrictive enough, but they themselves do not use any funds for abortion, I would have no problem with helping out a friend’s girlfriend raise money.

But again. If I a missing an actual Church teaching that prohibits this, I am happy to learn.
Prof K

 

[jmjconder]

It is true that the Salvation Army’s position, although quite restrictive, is not the same as the Catholic Chruches.
Here is a LINK.
However, it is closer than most. Morever, there is nothing I could find that suggest that the Salvation Army, national or local, actually would use its money to fund abortions. If that is the case, lined cross. I would not help. However, if their policy simply isn’t restrictive enough, but they themselves do not use any funds for abortion, I would have no problem with helping out a friend’s girlfriend raise money.

But again. If I a missing an actual Church teaching that prohibits this, I am happy to learn.
Prof K

Prof K ~ Your response prehaps needs to be address in another thread for this seems to be getting off the OP. However the short response to your post is…any policy that “simply isn’t restictive enough” in regards to abortion is against the Catholic Church.

The stance of the Salvation Army on abortion states they will consider abortion ok for rape, incest and deformities ~ whether they fund them or not is immaterial. They have made a public statement on this issue that is 100% in opposition to the Catholic Church.

 

[Maria1212]

I have donated used household goods and furniture to Salvation Army because I do not have a car and they were able to come pick up the items from my apartment. I see nothing immoral about it. Whenever possible, I prefer to donate to Catholic Charities though. When it comes to donating money, I stick to either Catholic Charities, tithing to Church, or places like Doctors Without Borders. I do not make financial contributions to Protestant organizations.

Sincerely,

Maria1212