Comic Relief? Choose something else

A couple of people have emailed me to ask about Comic Relief and the associated Red Nose Day which is coming up on 13 March. This is heavily promoted on the television and in advertising directed to young people. It is generally a bad idea to give money to generic fundraising initiatives of this kind. Far better to choose a few deserving and trustworthy charities yourself and support them generously.

John Smeaton has posted on Why Comic Relief should be boycotted and I recommend reading his article. An important resource is the SPUC Charities Bulletin which can help you identify charities to avoid.

So which charities could you support in your almsgiving? If you need ideas, try thinking of different categories - mission, relief, pro-life, and local.

With charities that support the mission of the Church, such as the Association for the Propagation of the Faith, and Aid to the Church in Need, you are making it possible for the Church to enlarge its activity and therefore also its charitable work. A couple of years ago, Jackie Parkes had the idea of "Red Box Day" to support the APF. These mission charities also directly support the material welfare of the poor. A good example of a mission charity that is primarily engaged in development work is the Medical Missionaries of Mary.

Parish priests are always keen to support development work but many prefer for various reasons not to support CAFOD. (See this post, and this article.) A good alternative is to send the money to the Holy See's aid agency Cor Unum. The money can be sent to the Apostolic Nuncio with a covering letter advising that it is for Cor Unum. You will receive an acknowledgement from the Nuncio and, a few weeks later, a letter from Cor Unum.

In a country that kills so many of its unborn children, it is important to support pro-life work so you could send some money to your favourite pro-life organisation. Three excellent ones are SPUC, the Good Counsel Network and the Sisters of the Gospel of Life.

Local charities might include facilities for the homeless or the unemployed. We have some good ones in London - the Manna Centre, the Cardinal Hume Centre and the Simon Community. In Bexley Deanery, we have a "Third World Group" that organises donations for various small projects that are recommended by different parishes.

Catholic parishes and schools need never feel embarrassed for boycotting things like "Red Nose Day". Our parishes and schools are very generous to various charities and could choose some other light-hearted approach or activities to encourage youngsters if necessary. They don't need much encouraging - two children in my parish came to me today with the idea of doing a 10 mile sponsored cycle ride for the Manna Centre during Lent. That will be a great success, I'm sure.

Popular posts from this blog

1962 Missal pdf online

The Church Music Association of America and Jeffrey Tucker of the New Liturgical Movement have made available the 1962 Missal online in pdf format (72Mb). The file is hosted at Musica Sacra , the website of the CMAA, thanks to a generous gift from Fr Robert Skeris While you are at it, take a look at the articles clarifying the rules for music at Low Mass and music at High Mass .
Read more

Plenary indulgences not impossible

Dilexit Prior in Letters from a Young Catholic asked some useful questions today about indulgences. I thought it would be best to do a post here especially to cover the controversial question of detachment from venial sin. But first the other questions: The conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence Pope Paul VI set down a number of norms relating to indulgences at the end of Indulgentiarum Doctrina . Norm 7 states: To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfil three conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. It is further required that all attachment to sin, even to venial sin, be absent. If this disposition is in any way less than complete, or if the prescribed three conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will be only partial, except for the provisions contained in n.11 for those who are “impeded.” It is worth reading the other norms bec
Read more

Request for Novena to Blessed Pius IX

Image
A priest friend of mine is ill in hospital. He has a special devotion to Blessed Pius IX. Could I ask you, of your charity, to say a Novena for his speedy recovery. Novena In Honour of Blessed Pius IX Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, hear our prayers and glorify your servant Pius IX, who consecrated the Universal Church to you. (Our Father...) O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, hear our prayer and glorify your servant Pius IX who declared you Immaculate. (Hail Mary...) Saint Joseph, spouse of the most pure Virgin Mary, hear our prayer and glorify your servant Pius IX who declared you the Patron of the Universal Church. (Glory be...) Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Mary, our Hope, and Saint Joseph hear our prayers and glorify your servant Pius IX , granting to us through his merits and intercessions the graces which we ardently desire: that the glory of God be revealed through Father's illness. (Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory be
Read more

Saint Gabriel

Image
The angels call for our veneration and awe as part of God’s creation. Part of the destructive modernism of the 1970s included advice to Catholic school teachers that they should not talk to children about angels. This wrought lasting damage which continues to need rectifying. We should include in our prayers a heartfelt recourse to our own Guardian Angels. The Archangel Gabriel “God is my strength” would be terrifying were he to appear to any of us. Our Lady was “troubled” at the word of Saint Gabriel and wondered at the manner of the salutation. Immediately, according to his mission, the awesome messenger explained himself. Modern retelling of the event is often reduced to the jejune “Mary said Yes to God”. In fact, she said “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word”. This conveys more accurately the flawless faith and trust of the Immaculata. In the infinitely wise providence of the Father, we now know the structure of the event in even more detai
Read more

God bless America!

Image
I wish you all a very happy Fourth of July over there in the land of the free and the home of the brave. I thought I was a bit late but then realised that it is still early evening for you. I hope you had an enjoyable day. For the video this year, here is Kate Smith IN 1938 introducing the new composition "God Bless America."
Read more