Simony

[LennyFL]

What exactly is Simony? The definition I received was “buying or selling spiritual things.” If I buy a Rosary from my Church the money is donated, so that’s not Simony. Is buying a Rosary from any other source where someone makes a profit is this Simony? Is selling indulgences as the Catholic Church once did considered simony? I might not have a clear understanding on that either. Just the history books in school. Thank you! God Bless!

 

[thistle]

Here is a simple example.

A store has two identical Rosaries. One is blessed and one is not. The blessed one is sold for USD 10 because it is blessed and the non-blessed one is sold for USD 7.
The sale and purchase of the blessed one would be simony because you are paying for the blessing.

 

[1ke]

What exactly is Simony? The definition I received was “buying or selling spiritual things.”

Yes, that is correct.

If I buy a Rosary from my Church the money is donated, so that’s not Simony. Is buying a Rosary from any other source where someone makes a profit is this Simony?

A rosary is not a spiritual thing, it is a material thing.

Attempting to buy a blessing, a Church office, forgiveness of sins, etc, would be simony.

Is selling indulgences as the Catholic Church once did considered simony?

The Catholic Church did not sell indulgences.

Any individual priest who did so or attempted to do so would in fact be guilty of simony.

 

[Judas_Thaddeus]

What exactly is Simony? The definition I received was “buying or selling spiritual things.” If I buy a Rosary from my Church the money is donated, so that’s not Simony. Is buying a Rosary from any other source where someone makes a profit is this Simony? Is selling indulgences as the Catholic Church once did considered simony? I might not have a clear understanding on that either. Just the history books in school. Thank you! God Bless!

I consider the selling indulgences a while back as simony. Rosary, nope, it’s just a string
of beads used for counting, don’t even need it if you’re good at keeping track of prayers.

 

[spiderweb]

Here is a simple example.

A store has two identical Rosaries. One is blessed and one is not. The blessed one is sold for USD 10 because it is blessed and the non-blessed one is sold for USD 7.
The sale and purchase of the blessed one would be simony because you are paying for the blessing.

If you buy a blessed object it automatically loses it’s blessing. You can give a donation for it, but it can not be bought or sold and retain the blessing.

 

[thistle]

If you buy a blessed object it automatically loses it’s blessing. You can give a donation for it, but it can not be bought or sold and retain the blessing.

You are missing the point. It is not relevant that it subsequently loses the blessing or not.
Selling a blessed Rosary for a higher price because it is blessed is simony.

On the separate issue can you direct me to canon law or another Church document that states a sacramental loses its blessing when sold or is this another “I heard” thing.

 

[pillarofsalt]

"Simony is the sin of attempting to buy or sell an office of the Church or a sacrament. The word “simony” does indeed come from the name Simon, but not from the name Simon Peter. It comes from the name of Simon the magician, who had heard the preaching of Philip in Samaria and had accepted baptism.

In Acts 8:9-24 we find the account of this Simon, who offered money to Peter in exchange for the power to lay hands on people to confer the Holy Spirit. From Peter came an immediate and sharp rebuke. Ever since, the notion of buying an office of the Church or of buying grace has been referred to as simony." Catholic Answers Staff, catholic.com/quickquestions/what-is-the-sin-of-simony-and-does-it-have-anything-to-do-with-simon-peter

I don’t think the Church ever actually sold indulgences. Wasn’t it that you could receive an indulgence for donating money to charities, and that was being abused by some people, and so the Church stopped giving indulgences for this? Something like that. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong. Anyways, the point of simony is that you can’t buy God or grace.

 

[spiderweb]

You are missing the point. It is not relevant that it subsequently loses the blessing or not.
Selling a blessed Rosary for a higher price because it is blessed is simony.

On the separate issue can you direct me to canon law or another Church document that states a sacramental loses its blessing when sold or is this another “I heard” thing.

This material is taken from “A Catechism of Christian Doctrine, No. 3 Revised Edition of the Baltimore Catechism” as reprinted in “My Catholic Faith” Copyright 1949 reprinted August 2007.

It is simony to sell a rosary for more than its ordinary price on account of a blessing it has. Thus sold, indulgenced objects lose their indulgences.

It is clear that selling the object at a higher price is indeed simony. What’s not entirely clear is if it is sold at the regular price would it then retain it’s blessing? I don’t know. I think it better to err on the side of caution and have the item blessed again. But that’s a different topic than the original posted question.

 

[mikekle]

You are missing the point. It is not relevant that it subsequently loses the blessing or not.
Selling a blessed Rosary for a higher price because it is blessed is simony.

On the separate issue can you direct me to canon law or another Church document that states a sacramental loses its blessing when sold or is this another “I heard” thing.

We have a little catholic store in our town, has been here since the early 90s, they sell little statues, good variety of books, etc. in fact most catholic churches in the area suggest people go there for gifts and such, This thread makes me wonder why the local churches are supporting such a store, and maybe it should be closed down?

 

[thistle]

We have a little catholic store in our town, has been here since the early 90s, they sell little statues, good variety of books, etc. in fact most catholic churches in the area suggest people go there for gifts and such, This thread makes me wonder why the local churches are supporting such a store, and maybe it should be closed down?

Why would you think it should be closed down? What specifically is it doing wrong.
There is nothing wrong with selling an item that is blessed. You just cannot sell it for a higher price because of the blessing.
Two identical Rosaries - one blessed and the other not. They should both be sold for the same price.