Is the Cukierski Family Apostolate engaging in simony?

[Holly3278]

Hey everyone. I told a Catholic friend of mine that I would like to buy this package from the Cukierski Family Apostolate:

cukierski.net/dymphnapackage.shtml

When he read the page, he immediately claimed that they were engaging in simony. I don’t know if they are or not but I don’t think they are because they clearly state on their web site that they get the items blessed as a favor for their customers and that they are not charging for the blessing. However, when I pointed this out to my friend, he said “That’s double simony than” which really confused me. But anyway, here is their main page:

cukierski.net/index.shtml

Can someone please clarify this issue for me? Is this apostolate engaging in simony or not?

 

[karoleck]

Hey everyone. I told a Catholic friend of mine that I would like to buy this package from the Cukierski Family Apostolate:

cukierski.net/dymphnapackage.shtml

When he read the page, he immediately claimed that they were engaging in simony. I don’t know if they are or not but I don’t think they are because they clearly state on their web site that they get the items blessed as a favor for their customers and that they are not charging for the blessing. However, when I pointed this out to my friend, he said “That’s double simony than” which really confused me. But anyway, here is their main page:

cukierski.net/index.shtml

Can someone please clarify this issue for me? Is this apostolate engaging in simony or not?

Thank you for your posting,as a devout catholic ,there are plenty of items that attract me!!
How can a such a conclusion of simony be founded.I must admit I personally would prefer an item to be blessed by a priest;as I remember that when I was in isolated places ,it was very hard to get to a priest to do a blessing on a religious item,such as a rosary.The trendy ones almost brush you off and almost scoff at my request.I have given away heaps of green scapulars that were blessed by a priest–I payed for them.I believe that you are correct in your reply"they are not charging for the blessing"–your “friend” is out of line I believe!!

I thought their letter on the webb site applies to this false charge-

"It’s not just the verbal words that can hurt people. This is the era of technology. We can now be “stung” with an untamed tongue via the keyboard. Instead of a verbal “lashing” that we can audibly hear, we get the “flame” that burns. Both cause great pain!

It has been said that the tongue of man is like a fire, which can set a whole forest ablaze. As we know from the huge wildfires in the past, a small flame can ignite a huge fire! :takethat:

The Cukierski Family Apostolate: seem like a wonderful faithful family-home schoolers living a simple farm life and helping to spread devotional articles-God Bless them,May The Holy Family enrich them with every grace and Blessing-thank you for the Link.

 

[Holly3278]

Thank you for your posting,as a devout catholic ,there are plenty of items that attract me!!
How can a such a conclusion of simony be founded.I must admit I personally would prefer an item to be blessed by a priest;as I remember that when I was in isolated places ,it was very hard to get to a priest to do a blessing on a religious item,such as a rosary.The trendy ones almost brush you off and almost scoff at my request.I have given away heaps of green scapulars that were blessed by a priest–I payed for them.I believe that you are correct in your reply"they are not charging for the blessing"–your “friend” is out of line I believe!!

I thought their letter on the webb site applies to this false charge-

"It’s not just the verbal words that can hurt people. This is the era of technology. We can now be “stung” with an untamed tongue via the keyboard. Instead of a verbal “lashing” that we can audibly hear, we get the “flame” that burns. Both cause great pain!

It has been said that the tongue of man is like a fire, which can set a whole forest ablaze. As we know from the huge wildfires in the past, a small flame can ignite a huge fire! :takethat:

The Cukierski Family Apostolate: seem like a wonderful faithful family-home schoolers living a simple farm life and helping to spread devotional articles-God Bless them,May The Holy Family enrich them with every grace and Blessing-thank you for the Link.

First of all, thank you for this answer! Second of all, you are most welcome!

 

[Poco]

It doesn’t look like simony to me. As a matter of fact, it doesn’t seem much different than the little shop in my local parish, or any other shop, that sells Rosary beads, crucifixes, prayer cards or any other religious items. I could be wrong, after all, I haven’t made all the across the Tiber yet, but…

One issue may be the claim that the items have been blessed and touched by relics. I don’t know if this is a problem or not. It seems to me it would not be. At least not for the person purchasing the item. If the claims are not true then it seems any problems would be on the “seller”, not the “buyer”. (Wendy, please note, I’m not accusing you of anything untoward! )

This is “off topic” but I must mention it after viewing their web site. About the family, 1 daughter and 12 sons. Lord, please have mercy on any boy who tries to date that girl!

 

[Joe_Kelley]

As I recall, there are a couple of sites in Rome who will get you a papal blessing. They sell you the scroll. Once the scroll is yours they take it to the Vatican and have it blessed. I think the important step is that a blessed article is not sold. It is your property when it is blessed.

This seems to be the same.

 

[Bookcat]

…

 

[Bran_Stark]

This is “off topic” but I must mention it after viewing their web site. About the family, 1 daughter and 12 sons. Lord, please have mercy on any boy who tries to date that girl!

Twelve sons and and one daughter - sounds so fairytaleish.

 

[WetCatechumen]

As I recall, there are a couple of sites in Rome who will get you a papal blessing. They sell you the scroll. Once the scroll is yours they take it to the Vatican and have it blessed. I think the important step is that a blessed article is not sold. It is your property when it is blessed.

This seems to be the same.

If you have to buy the scroll to get the blessing, it’s simony. I think that’s readily apparent. If you can just send them your scroll (you pay for shipping both ways) and they obtain the blessing for you for free, then it’d be fine.

That really seems like simony to me.

Now, at my local Catholic store, it’s run by a deacon, so he offers to bless pretty much everything - but if you brought in your own thing, purchased online or someplace else, he’d be just as willing to bless it. And you can buy whatever icons or statues or rosaries or medallions you want and not get them blessed - they have a point regardless of the blessing.

Buying a scroll whose sole purpose is getting a blessing with it from the Pope is simony. You can’t escape that intent.

Now, an online store offering to have their stuffed blessed for you after purchase? Doesn’t seem like simony on the face of it.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Twelve sons and and one daughter - sounds so fairytaleish.

My sister has seven sons and one daughter. My brother says that we don’t have to remember the names of all her grandchildren, just remembering the number gets one credit.

 

[GraceSofia]

About the family, 1 daughter and 12 sons. Lord, please have mercy on any boy who tries to date that girl!

LOL At least she’s not the baby of the family; looks like she is one of the middle to older ones. If she were the baby, no guy would have a chance!

 

[Zooey]

I’m a United Methodist, so :shrug:what do I know?

That said, I do know what simony is: trying to buy a blessing or blessed object. Right?
Assuming that I am right about that, I looked over the site (& they have some nice things! ), & they have the same price on a blessed or an unblessed item, so I don’t think that can be selling a blessing.
If they were, say, charging $10 for something, & wanted another $10 (or whatever) extra to have it blessed, that would be wrong. But they aren’t doing that. Just supplying folks with some items that would be, I imagine, difficult to find, except online.
(And I don’t think you CAN sell a blessing…Can you? If anyone tried to, wouldn’t that mean that it wouldn’t be blessed?)

But I am just the Friendly Neighborhood Methodist…