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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Charity Donation request	Michelle	Sunday, October 31, 2010
Question: I frequently received unsolicited requests for donations for various charities. Often with the request will come personlized address labels, Greeting cards, flower seeds etc. I do not donate to all these charites. And I am left with these gift offering that I didn't ask for. I have tried to return them but the post office won't take them back. I contact the charities to stop sending requests and it stops for a while and then starts again. My question is do I use these "gifts". I didn't pay for them but I also didn't ask. I have always believed that throwing things away is wasteful and a sin. Clearly no one else can use address labels with my name so I can't donate them. What do I do?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r) Dear Michelle: There are three types of "gifts" that are offered in fundraising by non-profits: The first type is like what you see when Public Television has their fundraisers. For a donation of a certain amount one receives a particular gift. The person does not receive the gift unless they donate the stated amount. The second type is when a charity or religious organization has, for example, a book they wish to offer to the public. The deal is that the book is not for sale, but is offered for a "suggested donation." While I am not a lawyer, I think that these offers are such that if one cannot afford the "suggested donation" the organization would have to give the person the book to anyone who request it no matter what donation amount is made. The third type is what you are talking about. These gifts are given to us unsolicited and included in a fundraising letter. There is no obligation to donate. The gift is yours even it you do not donate. There is no legal or moral requirement that you make a donation in this third type. Thus, you may use these gifts as you please. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Charity Donation request

Michelle

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Question:

I frequently received unsolicited requests for donations for various charities. Often with the request will come personlized address labels, Greeting cards, flower seeds etc. I do not donate to all these charites. And I am left with these gift offering that I didn't ask for. I have tried to return them but the post office won't take them back. I contact the charities to stop sending requests and it stops for a while and then starts again.

My question is do I use these "gifts". I didn't pay for them but I also didn't ask. I have always believed that throwing things away is wasteful and a sin. Clearly no one else can use address labels with my name so I can't donate them. What do I do?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r)

Dear Michelle:

There are three types of "gifts" that are offered in fundraising by non-profits:

The first type is like what you see when Public Television has their fundraisers. For a donation of a certain amount one receives a particular gift. The person does not receive the gift unless they donate the stated amount.

The second type is when a charity or religious organization has, for example, a book they wish to offer to the public. The deal is that the book is not for sale, but is offered for a "suggested donation." While I am not a lawyer, I think that these offers are such that if one cannot afford the "suggested donation" the organization would have to give the person the book to anyone who request it no matter what donation amount is made.

The third type is what you are talking about. These gifts are given to us unsolicited and included in a fundraising letter. There is no obligation to donate. The gift is yours even it you do not donate.

There is no legal or moral requirement that you make a donation in this third type. Thus, you may use these gifts as you please.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum