Question on gift shops inside certain Catholic Churches

[IrishChristian]

Hello,

I was baptised as a infant in the Catholic Church. My parents stopped bringing me to mass when I was nine or ten. I started going to a Disciples of Christ church with my future wife about four years ago. Since returning to church, I’ve listed to many Catholic Answer podcasts as well as read several books including “The Father’s Know Best.” I’m extremely interest in returning to the Catholic Church or becoming Eastern Orthodox. I’m also exploring the Lutheran Church.

One small question I have regarding the Catholic Church involves the sale of gifts to visitors in the more well know churches including Saint Patrick’s in New York and La Bascilia du Sacre Coeur in Paris, France. I understand this is not the norm and these are tourist destinations as well as places of worship. However, I’m worried these events may be somehow similar to money lending at the Temple as described in Matthew 21. An historian I talked to told me that these gift shop were not against scripture because the worship areas were roped off.

Is this correct? Are there other way to reconcile Matthew 21 with these shops. Thank you very much for any help.

 

[Gorgias]

However, I’m worried these events may be somehow similar to money lending at the Temple as described in Matthew 21. An historian I talked to told me that these gift shop were not against scripture because the worship areas were roped off.

Is this correct? Are there other way to reconcile Matthew 21 with these shops. Thank you very much for any help.

I don’t think there’s a conflict here. Let’s look at what’s going on in this passage of Scripture…

In the courtyard of the temple, people came to buy the offerings that they would give for sacrifice. This isn’t a problem: need a sheep? buy a sheep. need turtledoves? buy turtledoves. However, that’s not how it worked there. If you came from outside the temple district, you’d have your own currency. The problem is, they wouldn’t accept it there; instead, they only did business in the currency of the temple. Therefore, when you said “one sheep, please”, and handed your dollar bill, they’d shake their head and say “nope – go over there and exchange your dollars”.

So, what happened when you exchanged your dollars? Well, there was only one place to exchange currencies… so guess what happened? Yep – you got fleeced. You didn’t get what your dollar was worth, so in essence, you were being ‘shaken down’ while you attempted to do your duty as an observant Jew. And, of course, all the money-changers and animal-sellers were parts of this system.

That’s what Jesus was railing against – that the system of sacrifice, which was meant to bring people into a closer relationship with God, had instead been turned into a revenue-generating opportunity for those who ran the show at the temple. So, Jesus lashes out at those Jews who were defrauding their own people in order to make a buck.

Now… does the gift shop at your church do this? Does it ‘shake down’ people unjustly in order to turn a profit? At a parish or shrine gift shop, I doubt that this takes place. Even at the site of a pilgrimage or holy destination, there’s a different vibe going on – there might be price gouging going on, but there’s no ecclesiastical requirement to buy anything. At the Temple, though, there was both graft and ecclesial pressure to conform to the system.

So, I don’t think you have anything to worry about, in the case you’ve described. If you choose to shop there, go ahead and shop. If you choose not to shop there, then spend your money elsewhere.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

There is nothing evil about Catholic book and gift shops. Things are never sold in the sanctuary of a Catholic Church.

 

[Gorgias]

There is nothing evil about Catholic book and gift shops. Things are never sold in the sanctuary of a Catholic Church.

Umm… the money-changers and dove-sellers weren’t plying their trade in the sanctuary of the Temple, either…

 

[john78]

woa woa who let the cat out of the bag about Catholic gift shops, didn’t everyone get the memo ?

curses !

 

[Christy_Beth]

There have been a few times when a group brought some stuff to sell. They usually set up inside the church (the area between the front door and the main part of the church). What they are selling is olive wood items said to be made by Christians in Israel. Hand carved, from what they say. Once I saw them, and overheard someone make the comment about the “den of thieves.” But if it’s in suppor of other Christians who have no other way to support themselves, I don’t see the problem. Especially when they are rarely there.

 

[3DOCTORS]

My relatives operated a tiny religious articles room for many years at their parish which was in a town not large enough at the time to have a Catholic gift store. It was a convenience for those who needed religious articles, 1st Communion gifts, and so on. It saved the parishioners a trip to the city or shipping to mail order (old school version of online ordering ). They priced their items reasonably, made a small profit probably just enough to cover their own time and effort.

 

[snarflemike]

Jesus’ charge against the money changers was they they were robbers (“you make it a den of robbers”). They could only do this because the money-changing was mandated. It was a monopoly, and humans always turn monopolies into fleecing opportunities. Buying gifts at a gift shop is an entirely voluntary activity - it’s not as if you have to buy a gift before attending Mass.