What to do with images?

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Qui_Chang

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I am wondering what to do with many cards, pictures and images that I have of Jesus, Mary, saints, etc. etc. I have collected them from charitable contribution requests that come in the bulk mail. It breaks my heart to throw such beautiful images in the trash. Is there a respectful way to dispose of such?
 
Why not take it to a Catholic Church and, with the pastor’s permission, put them in a basket with a sign that says “Free–Take One”

I’ve seen this done with Rosaries at a Church and most were taken pretty quickly.

Hope this helps!
 
As a last resort you could burn them, I know that is what is done with blessed palms and the like. But giving them away is a much better idea, try smaller children there is nothing they like better than a gift and if that gift is a holy picture so much the better.
 
Keep a stack with you and slip them into magazines in offices/waiting rooms.

Insert them into your correspondence, including bills.

Take them to the hospital and leave them in the Chapel.

Justin
 
Those are some good ideas. It also needs to be said that there is no sin or wrongdoing attached by just tossing them into the garbage. When I do this, I kinda say a silent prayer that its nothing personal toward the images, and then discard them.
 
Why would you consider throwing them away?
Keep them and put them all around your house, give them to your friends and enemies. Read what they say on the back. Use them for personal meditation.
 
Pick a country. Any country. Hit this link for extensive listing.

Find the address of a troubled or poor nation and mail it there. You could say that you’d like some of it to go to orphanages or seminaries or whatever.
There are tons of mission groups there as well as orders. I’d be torn between the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nigeria myself.
 
Hi there,

There are many things that you could do with those prayer cards. One thing is you could pray the prayers 🙂 .

But if you have too many to pray, you can share them with others who are in need. For example, the perpetual adoration chapel which I go to has a book shelf in it which contains prayer cards. People use them to help them focus their thoughts during prayer. Those cards are constantly moving. I also find it useful to have some handy in case I find a friend in need of some spiritual support. For instance, I have a family member with cancer, I passed my St. Peregrine card to them, so they use his intercession. They were delighted because they never knew that there was such a patron saint for cancer.

Its a great way to share the faith.
 
One other thing I do. Is keep them in a closet near the frount door. When a Jehovah Witness or Morman comes knocking and asks me to buy their pamplet. I offer one to them. You should see their reactions. :o Boy are they surprised.
 
Faithful 2 Rome:
Those are some good ideas. It also needs to be said that there is no sin or wrongdoing attached by just tossing them into the garbage. When I do this, I kinda say a silent prayer that its nothing personal toward the images, and then discard them.
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:tsktsk:

If they are Blessed they are Sacramentals and should never be thrown in the garbage! The proper way to dispose of Sacramentals is to eighter burn them or bury them in the ground. Or share them with others.

❤️ DigitalDeacon
 
Perhaps you could consider finding some Catholic nursing home residents who don’t recieve many visitors. Some parishes print names in the bulletin, but many are not now due to privacy issues. Ask your pastor, or at neighboring parishes. Or ask at your local nursing home for a resident who could use a visitor.Try to visit 1 or 2 (wkly, bi-wkly, monthly…whatever you can find time for). Take some of these items with you. They will be cherished!

I have worked in non-Catholic nursing homes & many of the folks there who are Catholic would love to have a visitor (and being Catholic will give you a starting point for conversation).
Or, if you are interested in having a home altar or prayer corner…save them. You could display the card with the different saints on the appropriate feast day. I highly recommend this for people with children. My children attend public school, but we try to follow the church calendar & learn about various saints. We use colored cloths appropriate to the liturgical season.
 
You could also file them in a photo album and then whenever you need to pray a specific prayer, you can find it in your album. You can also use this method and print a little version of each saints story and put it beside it. You will then have your own book of saints to go by or give to a child when necessary.
 
I include them in birthday cards, graduation cards, Christmas cards, notes to friends – especially those going through a difficult time. I often am thanked for them! Children especially love the pictures of the saints with prayers on the back.
 
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