...and assuming that you haven't done so already, you might want to give a thought to Christmas cards.Yes, I know that it's almost indecently early, but the problem is finding any good Christmas cards nearer the time. First of all, most of the cards in the shop have very little to do with Christmas... robins, snowmen and holly abound, as do Christmas trees. But trying to find actual Christmas cards is like trying to find hens' teeth. The variety packs in various shops might have a small handful of religious cards among the dross, but if, like me, you refuse on principle to send any non-religious cards, then that's rather a lot of variety pack cards heading for the dustbin (sorry, did I say dustbin? I meant "recycling centre"!)
The other problem is that "charriddy" cards have become very, very popular. This seems like a good idea... until you look a little more closely at the charities concerned. The majority are the sort of organisations with which, as a practising Catholic, I do not wish to be associated. The Parkinson's Disease Society, for example, supports embryonic stem cell research. The Cystic Fibrosis Society supports pre-natal testing. I could go on, but you'll have got the general drift...
Hence the need to get the cards sorted early... last year I left it too late, and all the best designs were out of stock. This year I noticed that Aid to the Church in Need has a good selection of cards, as well as small decorations and rosaries made by Christians in Bethlehem and the Holy Land (and they've been having a tough time of it lately.) You can even order them online!
And, of course, SPUC has a great selection of cards available, a particularly apposite charity to consider when preparing to celebrate the birthday of the God who became a baby for our salvation.
So, go on... you know you want to... And don't worry, you don't need to start writing them just yet...!
5 comments:
I was starting to think it was only me, in regards to buying charity Christmas cards. There are signs in our Church, promoting the sale of charity cards, the selling of these cards is being organised by Christian Aid. Initially I was going to help with these sales until I looked at the list of charities the money would go to. Charities involved with activities I do not support.
I often wonder whether I should do more to make others in my Church aware of this, but I am not sure what would be acceptable.
Sometimes I feel I am being over sensitive, awkward, even uncharitable myself. Until I read what you posted here, I've never known of anyone else to share my views on these charities.
jay3gsm - don't worry about what is "acceptable" (a nasty little weasel word beloved of the left-liberal thought police), just do what your conscience says is right - if posssible. There are so many charities, and little way of knowing exactly what they stand for. If Mac hadn't said so, I wouldn't have had a clue about the fact that the two charities she mentioned support things which, as a pracitising Catholic, I could never condone.
Is there anywhere a Catholic website which gives the facts about which charities we should - for moral resons - avoid?
On the SPUC website there is a section called "Charities Bulletin" - this is a document which details many charities and their pro death/pro life position -I never give to a charity or buy any of their promotions before consulting this essential document.
Rusticus - Thanks. Sometimes it is hard, I have no desire to appear to be the one who knows, telling everyone else what they need to know. Not my style, plus I know so little myself,, and have so much to learn.
I found an excellent list on the SPUC blog, detailing charities and what their stance is on subjects like stem cell research, euthanasia, etc.
Right to Life of Michigan sells Christmas cards each year .
I actually got my Christmas cards back in September - I happened to be at the National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe in Libertyville, Illinois, and found some beautiful ones at an amazingly good price (even considering that it was September!). I don't know if they do online sales at all, but you might see if they do...
(And I still had a box of dross-y ones left over from previous years for those family and friends who will be frightfully offended at my "Christ is the gift that fits every heart" cards...)
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