Making Money

[Favian25054]

I’m 16 and I wanted to know if selling religious items like rosaries, bibles, or medals for profit be a sin. The reason I ask is because I’ve been thinking of making some extra money by selling these items through eBay. The reason I chose these items was because I know a lot about these items so I could educate people as I deal with them.

 

[jackson3997]

I know once the items are blessed it is a sin to sell them. Our shrine giftshop sells religious items for profit, however that profit goes back into the shrine. Im not sure if there are any stipulations regarding private sales. I wouldn’t think so but I suppose it would depend on what your using the profits for. I think a bit of common sense and prudence with the profit and it would be fine.

 

[MtnDwellar]

People have to buy them somewhere. Why not from you?

Not a sin.

 

[Julia_Mae]

I know once the items are blessed it is a sin to sell them. .

Actually, it isn’t. It’s wrong to charge a premium for them, but not to sell them, per se. I know the Rosary Lady online takes many of her Rosaries to Rome and has them blessed. They sell for exactly the same price as non-blessed, they just usually sell first and I also know she carefully checked this out with the Archdiocese.

OP: all Bibles and Rosaries and things are sold for profit or the people selling them couldn’t stay in the business of selling them. Be honest in your dealings with people. Good luck.

 

[odile53]

It’s not a sin even if you sell them for a reasonable profit. Catholic bookstores and gift shops wouldn’t be able to stay in business if they couldn’t do that, same as any other retailer. i’ve heard that the acceptable practice for selling an object that is usually blessed (e.g., a rosary,) is to conclude the sale and then have the item blessed for the recipient. You might want to check the accuracy of that out first. Usually, people purchase such items, and then have them blessed.

 

[Julia_Mae]

It’s not a sin even if you sell them for a reasonable profit.

As long as you don’t charge more for a blessed object than an unblessed one. You cannot charge money for a blessing, IOW.