"Humanitarian" causes and Catholic positions

[musicgal4jesus]

I’ve been curious about something lately. Many of my Christian (Protestant) friends are very involved in or supportive of various ‘humanitarian’ causes, such as Invisible Children (raising awareness for use of child soldiers in Uganda), Faceless Intl. (helping the homeless in the US and abroad), and other similar organizations with similar aims. However, it seems to me that many of my Catholic friends don’t even know about these organizations or care to support them.

I’m just curious about a few things: firstly, have other people observed this lack of support for these types of causes, or do you yourself not support them? secondly, why do you think this is, or what is your reasoning for it?

Sorry if that was a confusing phrasing, haha. It’s a litttle late for me right now.

 

[St_Francis]

I’ve been curious about something lately. Many of my Christian (Protestant) friends are very involved in or supportive of various ‘humanitarian’ causes, such as Invisible Children (raising awareness for use of child soldiers in Uganda), Faceless Intl. (helping the homeless in the US and abroad), and other similar organizations with similar aims. However, it seems to me that many of my Catholic friends don’t even know about these organizations or care to support them.

I’m just curious about a few things: firstly, have other people observed this lack of support for these types of causes, or do you yourself not support them? secondly, why do you think this is, or what is your reasoning for it?

Sorry if that was a confusing phrasing, haha. It’s a litttle late for me right now.

I know a lot of Catholics who are involved in a lot of things, but mostly they tend to be involved in things which are more local: the local food pantry, the local crisis pregnancy center, etc.

I do believe that involvement in local causes has a higher priority unless someone is esp called to *go *somewhere else. We are where God put us for a reason. When I was in college, I knew lots of people who were involved in international causes, and looking back, it meant that they could have a good time while “doing good”–protesting with your friends is a lot more fun than listening to a lonely elderly person or feeding people who are somewhat crazy and who may show a lot of appreciation (not saying your friends are that way, just what I noticed…)

I am sure that I am against child soldiers, starving children, and all those situations, but I know that there is not much more than praying and contributing to a charity that I can do. But I know that I *can *do the local things and really make a big *personal *difference in someone’s life.

 

[LDNCatholic]

I think it is a bit of an over generalisation. Some Catholics may genuinely be misinformed. Others may not care (I hope this is not the case), but a lot of Catholics are very active in charitable work/donations. After all, if what I’ve read/heard is true, the Catholic Church is the largest humanitarian organisation on the planet.

Myself I am currently looking at working for CAFOD (Catholic Agency For Overseas Development), the British wing of Caritas Internationalis.

 

[St_Francis]

I think it is a bit of an over generalisation. Some Catholics may genuinely be misinformed. Others may not care (I hope this is not the case), but a lot of Catholics are very active in charitable work/donations. After all, if what I’ve read/heard is true, the Catholic Church is the largest humanitarian organisation on the planet.

Myself I am currently looking at working for CAFOD (Catholic Agency For Overseas Development), the British wing of Caritas Internationalis.

What are you interested in doing with them?

 

[LDNCatholic]

What are you interested in doing with them?

Well its just volunteering while I’m at university but once I graduate I’ll be applying for a post coordinating relief responses in one of their overseas posts. I have the language requirements etc so hopefully I’ll be successful.

I was/am discerning vocation to the Missionaries of Charity brothers, so if it turns out that I am not called to that vocation, then I believe I still have a calling to work with the poor overseas.

 

[St_Francis]

Well its just volunteering while I’m at university but once I graduate I’ll be applying for a post coordinating relief responses in one of their overseas posts. I have the language requirements etc so hopefully I’ll be successful.

I was/am discerning vocation to the Missionaries of Charity brothers, so if it turns out that I am not called to that vocation, then I believe I still have a calling to work with the poor overseas.

That is wonderful We don’t hear very much about what the Church is doing and accomplishing overseas, and I am always heartened when someone sees that this is their vocation and is planning to carry through with it

 

[mkingdomlvr]

I know a lot of Catholics who are involved in a lot of things, but mostly they tend to be involved in things which are more local: the local food pantry, the local crisis pregnancy center, etc.

I do believe that involvement in local causes has a higher priority unless someone is esp called to *go *somewhere else. We are where God put us for a reason. When I was in college, I knew lots of people who were involved in international causes, and looking back, it meant that they could have a good time while “doing good”–protesting with your friends is a lot more fun than listening to a lonely elderly person or feeding people who are somewhat crazy and who may show a lot of appreciation (not saying your friends are that way, just what I noticed…)

I am sure that I am against child soldiers, starving children, and all those situations, but I know that there is not much more than praying and contributing to a charity that I can do. But I know that I *can *do the local things and really make a big *personal *difference in someone’s life.

I’ve always stayed local myself as well. There is so much need right here that I felt it was compelling to take care of my own backyard first.

 

[LDNCatholic]

I’ve always stayed local myself as well. There is so much need right here that I felt it was compelling to take care of my own backyard first.

That is very admirable. People, and in my opinion Catholics in particular, must be willing to work wherever we are needed and use our God given talents to the benefit of all.

 

[puzzleannie]

I’ve
I’m just curious about a few things: firstly, have other people observed this lack of support for these types of causes, or do you yourself not support them? secondly, why do you think this is, or what is your reasoning for it?

Sorry if that was a confusing phrasing, haha. It’s a litttle late for me right now.

no I have not observed such lack of support for international, national and local “causes” among active Catholics I know (and I know most of the parish). What I have observed is very proper reluctance to support “causes” which promote anti-Christian values in their work, or do not give proper financial accountability, or for which it is hard to get accurate information. For instance there are dozens of agencies which promise to give your donation to support a specific individual needy child in a foreign country. There are only a couple (Christian Foundation on Children and Aging, a Catholic group among them) which keep business and fundraising expense low so that almost all the monies go to the actual project or individual. The prudent Catholic will only participate i such an endeavor. Those that have huge TV advertising campaigns almost always, consequently, give far less of the monies raised to the actual folks in need.

I have also observed that charitable giving as well as volunteerism is almost ingrained in the lives of active Catholics, and is usually directed at parish and local needs first, then to causes with wider coverage.

the prudent Catholic is also reluctant to support a project in a foreign country that may involve evangelization by non-Catholics of historically Catholic peoples. they will also want to avoid supported projects that encourage such things as population control and other immoral acts.

 

[YACatholic]

I’ve found that some of the ignorance, or lack of support, from the Catholic community tends to come from a positive. We, as Catholics, have a connected, coordinated, and well prioritized organization through Catholic Charities. Their integrated work allows us to contribute to one organization, knowing that they (who run it) are able to prioritize and designate our money better than we can. This way my $10 can hit 10 different causes other than just one. Thought I’d offer my two cents. Have a great day!

God Bless,

YACatholic:thumbsup:

 

[cdanison]

My donations were pretty much local until the past year or so. I sent a donation to an African orphanage last year. A friend’s grandaughter went to work with the orphanage for a few weeks, so I knew my donation was used appropriately. I am leery of a lot of advertised charities. I want to be sure in my own mind that I am truly helping and my money is being used for good purposes…

Connie

Join us in Scrabble Forum #2

 

[kinja]

no I have not observed such lack of support for international, national and local “causes” among active Catholics I know (and I know most of the parish). What I have observed is very proper reluctance to support “causes” which promote anti-Christian values in their work, or do not give proper financial accountability, or for which it is hard to get accurate information. For instance there are dozens of agencies which promise to give your donation to support a specific individual needy child in a foreign country. There are only a couple (Christian Foundation on Children and Aging, a Catholic group among them) which keep business and fundraising expense low so that almost all the monies go to the actual project or individual. The prudent Catholic will only participate i such an endeavor. Those that have huge TV advertising campaigns almost always, consequently, give far less of the monies raised to the actual folks in need.

I have also observed that charitable giving as well as volunteerism is almost ingrained in the lives of active Catholics, and is usually directed at parish and local needs first, then to causes with wider coverage.

the prudent Catholic is also reluctant to support a project in a foreign country that may involve evangelization by non-Catholics of historically Catholic peoples. they will also want to avoid supported projects that encourage such things as population control and other immoral acts.

Well said. I agree totally. All the foreign aid promises and movements for Haiti are good examples. Use prudence when giving one oneself.

 

[manualman]

The reason catholic relief organizations have a low profile is that they spend their resources on providing benefits rather than fundraising bureacracy. Look up Catholic Relief Services, Christian Foundation for Children and the Aged, or Food for the Poor and compare their financial program efficiency to that of ANY protestant NGO aid group.

These are my favorites that I support. They do rockin’ work.

 

[Brendan]

My donations were pretty much local until the past year or so. I sent a donation to an African orphanage last year. A friend’s grandaughter went to work with the orphanage for a few weeks, so I knew my donation was used appropriately. I am leery of a lot of advertised charities. I want to be sure in my own mind that I am truly helping and my money is being used for good purposes…

Connie

Join us in Scrabble Forum #2

Our parish has a ‘sister parish’ in Tanzania. Last year, we completed a capital campaign to build them a parish church ( they had none), a school. medical dispensary and a new well for the village. I know all the money went directly there, via the local bishop.

We have sent teams of parishioners over there for the last two years and another set is going over this year. I was fortunate to go over each time in the previous visits, setting up computer labs at schools in the local diocese (not just at our sister parish). Again, I know all the money raised for the computer work was used well, mostly since I was the one who did it

All this is simply one parish to another, with no international ‘hoopla’ or press releases.

But that is the Catholic way.

 

[kinja]

The reason catholic relief organizations have a low profile is that they spend their resources on providing benefits rather than fundraising bureacracy. Look up Catholic Relief Services, Christian Foundation for Children and the Aged, or Food for the Poor and compare their financial program efficiency to that of ANY protestant NGO aid group.

These are my favorites that I support. They do rockin’ work.

Why are we not promoting these efforts in our churches and making Catholics more aware so volunteers can lend support? I don’t hear about these foreign missions not nearly enough even on EWTN I think.

 

[1ke]

Why are we not promoting these efforts in our churches and making Catholics more aware so volunteers can lend support? I don’t hear about these foreign missions not nearly enough even on EWTN I think.

Let me hook you up with some of the perennial parish complainers who say we are “always” having special collections, having a special envelope, hearing from a mission priest, having a diocesan campaign, or what-have-you.

They can talk your ear off about how much they are consantly barraged to help these organizations.

Seriously, go look in your parish narthex, there are bound to be fliers and brochures for Food for thd Poor, Catholic Charities, etc.

 

[manualman]

Why are we not promoting these efforts in our churches and making Catholics more aware so volunteers can lend support? I don’t hear about these foreign missions not nearly enough even on EWTN I think.

Contact them and ask how you can be an ambassador and fundraiser.

Quit moaning about why other people aren’t doing it for you and start doing it.

 

[kinja]

Contact them and ask how you can be an ambassador and fundraiser.

Quit moaning about why other people aren’t doing it for you and start doing it.

I’m not moaning. I was asking a genuine question about why the information is not more widely available. It would be unwise to presume that there was not a valid reason for this. My question was not intended to be taken as a rhetorical or sarcastic one by any means.
I have not been hearing about these foreign missions at all hence the reason they were not on my radar. The forgeign mission issue was only brought to light when a friend emailed me a link to the Kony 2012 campaign (which from the information I found online seems to be a front for pro-war organisations) and I did some checking to see if it was addressed on CAF.