Why does the Catholic Church prey on old people?

Young Blood · 13-01-2015 9:02am #1

Recently my grand uncle entered a nursing home after been assessed by a doctor as not being fit enough to live alone.

I went through his personal belongings in his home and packed them up. I found boxes of anonymous donation cards for the Catholic Church.

Tbh it sickened me. The man was barely able to take care of himself never mind his finances and here was the Catholic Church preying on a vulnerable old man like him.

Is this a common thing in Ireland? Considering the envelopes were marked anonymous, there's no telling how much savings the Roman Catholic Church made off with!

I'm sure there are many other cases of this in the country. Imo this is no different from con-men preying on the rural elderly.

But in fairness, I did make off with two brand new watches still boxed, a Tissot and a Seiko, with a total value of around a thousand euro, so it's not all bad!

Mr. Incognito · 13-01-2015 9:04am

His money. He can burn it if he wants. None of your business mate.

If he gave it to you for birthdays is that you preying on him?

Its not like they broke into his home.

I am no fan of the church but this type of sensationalist bull is annoying.

sabat · 13-01-2015 9:06am

So you stole his possessions but the Catholic Church are the bad guys? Who runs or at least established the nursing he's going to?

Annasopra · 13-01-2015 9:07am

Are you for real?

You just stole 2 watches from your Uncle and you are ranting about envelopes from the church asking for voluntary donations.

padd b1975 · 13-01-2015 9:08am

Young Blood wrote: »

Recently my grand uncle entered a nursing home after been assessed by a doctor as not being fit enough to live alone.

I went through his personal belongings in his home and packed them up. I found boxes of anonymous donation cards for the Catholic Church.

Tbh it sickened me. The man was barely able to take care of himself never mind his finances and here was the Catholic Church preying on a vulnerable old man like him.

Is this a common thing in Ireland? Considering the envelopes were marked anonymous, there's no telling how much savings the Roman Catholic Church made off with!

I'm sure there are many other cases of this in the country. Imo this is no different from con-men preying on the rural elderly.

But in fairness, I did make off with two brand new watches still boxed, a Tissot and a Seiko, with a total value of around a thousand euro, so it's not all bad!

It's how the collection plate operates now in most parishes, you put your weekly donation in the envelope and then put it in the collection basket at weekend mass.

Are you worried about your inheritance?

Is that why you were needlessly mooching in his private things?

cournioni · 13-01-2015 9:10am

Young Blood wrote: »

Recently my grand uncle entered a nursing home after been assessed by a doctor as not being fit enough to live alone.

Maybe he resented the fact that none of his family took him in and he felt abandoned in a nursing home. Not uncommon.

Young Blood · 13-01-2015 9:13am

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Are you for real?

You just stole 2 watches from your Uncle and you are ranting about envelopes from the church asking for voluntary donations.

He is family, there is a difference. The man was in no condition to give voluntary anything.

But the church have covered their asses on that one though since it's 'anonymous' donations. They're conscience is clean as far as they're concerned!

murphm45 · 13-01-2015 9:14am

I assume these are the weekly collection envelopes everyone in the parish gets, it's how they pay for fun things like heating the church. I'd be surprised if they singled your uncle out and younger members of the catholic community weren't given the same thing. Also the fact that he had loads means it obviously didn't work even if it was targeted.

jaykay74 · 13-01-2015 9:14am

Young Blood wrote: »

The man was barely able to take care of himself never mind his finances and here was I the Catholic Church preying on a vulnerable old man like him.

But in fairness, I did make off with two brand new watches still boxed, a Tissot and a Seiko, with a total value of around a thousand euro, so it's not all bad!

.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy · 13-01-2015 9:14am

cournioni wrote: »

Maybe he resented the fact that none of his family took him in and he felt abandoned in a nursing home. Not uncommon.

Oh Christ. You don't know why he's gone into a nursing home. He could need 24 hour care from qualified carers. And if you saw the bill from those places, you definitely wouldn't say that he's being "abandoned".

Penny Tration · 13-01-2015 9:14am

Young Blood wrote: »

He is family, there is a difference. The man was in no condition to give voluntary anything.

But the church have covered their asses on that one though since it's 'anonymous' donations. They're conscience is clean as far as they're concerned!

Him donating money to the church and you stealing from him are two very different things.

I can't believe you'd steal from an elderly relative. Fcuking disgusting thing to do.

cml387 · 13-01-2015 9:15am

The church drop those donation envelopes into many houses.
It's not compulsory to put anything into them.

Young Blood · 13-01-2015 9:15am

padd b1975 wrote: »

It's how the collection plate operates now in most parishes, you put your weekly donation in the envelope and then put it in the collection basket at weekend mass.

Are you worried about your inheritance?

Is that why you were needlessly mooching in his private things?

No, I just think anonymous donations are targeted at people like him!

Young Blood · 13-01-2015 9:17am

Jingle_Balls wrote: »

Him donating money to the church and you stealing from him are two very different things.

I can't believe you'd steal from an elderly relative. Fcuking disgusting thing to do.

Its not theft, im holding them in trust.

Penny Tration · 13-01-2015 9:17am

Young Blood wrote: »

Its not theft, im holding them in trust.

Of course you are.

cml387 · 13-01-2015 9:20am

When you go visiting your grand uncle in the home, as I'm sure you will, just don't go in wearing the watch and you'll be ok.

The Peanut · 13-01-2015 9:21am

Offical line from Catholic church is Pray For, not Prey On.

Young Blood · 13-01-2015 9:21am

I bet if it was the Church of Scientology it would be a different story.

'What's custom isn't theft', me eye!

The Peanut · 13-01-2015 9:22am

Young Blood wrote: »

I bet if it was the Church of Scientology it would be a different story.

'What's custom isn't theft', me eye!

Tom Cruise would be hunting you down as we speak to recoup those watches.:D

Ocean Blue · 13-01-2015 9:23am

Young Blood wrote: »

No, I just think anonymous donations are targeted at people like him!

Do you actually understand the meaning of the word donation? It's entirely up to him if he wants to donate, no-one is holding a gun to his head. In fact if the envelopes weren't anonymous it could actually be perceived as more pressure. In that case, it's clear who does or doesn't donate and some people may feel obliged.

Young Blood · 13-01-2015 9:25am

There's no telling who owned the watches anyway. My grandmother lived in the same house with all her other siblings so they could of belonged to any of them, most whom are dead!

Young Blood · 13-01-2015 9:28am

Ocean Blue wrote: »

Do you actually understand the meaning of the word donation? It's entirely up to him if he wants to donate, no-one is holding a gun to his head. In fact if the envelopes weren't anonymous it could actually be perceived as more pressure. In that case, it's clear who does or doesn't donate and some people may feel obliged.

Yes I understand what donation means but it requires sound body and mind, does it not?

If he had some mental illness, which he had, how is thst a genuine donation and how can it be recovered?

They are absolute gansters!

Atlantic Dawn · 13-01-2015 9:28am

I hope he leaves all his estate to the local cats and dogs home and you don't get 1 cent of it.

Vision of Disorder · 13-01-2015 9:30am

Young Blood wrote: »

There's no telling who owned the watches anyway. My grandmother lived in the same house with all her other siblings so they could of belonged to any of them, most whom are dead!

It's pretty obvious that they didn't belong to you.

Vulture.

One eyed Jack · 13-01-2015 9:30am

padd b1975 wrote: »

It's how the collection plate operates now in most parishes, you put your weekly donation in the envelope and then put it in the collection basket at weekend mass

This is your explanation right here OP. The Church aren't preying on your uncle at all. It's also quite common among other Religions too. For example Sunday just gone I attended a Catholic service in the morning, a Pentecostal service in the afternoon, and a CoI service in the evening. At each one they had the begging bowls out, but the Pentecostal service goes one better and asks for your PPS number! :eek: :pac:

I've never given any Church a cent. As far as I'm concerned they can take some of that gold and other ornate finery down to a Cash4Gold shop for all I care if they're that stuck.

That's not to say your uncle might well leave a substantial donation to the nursing home in his will though. It's not uncommon for elderly people to do that. If it were me, I'd be keeping a closer eye on him in the nursing home than I'd be wondering what he does with his money.

uck51js9zml2yt · 13-01-2015 9:31am

Young Blood wrote: »

There's no telling who owned the watches anyway. My grandmother lived in the same house with all her other siblings so they could of belonged to any of them, most whom are dead!

Good man yourself. Justify the theft of something that doesn't belong to you.

I assume since you found the envelopes that he hadn't sent them back with any contribution... Hence voluntary. Everyone in the parish gets a box even me, and I'm not Catholic.
Also they generally aren't anonymous as the persons name is eitheroon the box or referenced to the numbers in the church office.

Annasopra · 13-01-2015 9:36am

Young Blood wrote: »

He is family, there is a difference. The man was in no condition to give voluntary anything.

But the church have covered their asses on that one though since it's 'anonymous' donations. They're conscience is clean as far as they're concerned!

No. You stole the watches.

cournioni · 13-01-2015 9:36am

The Cunning Linguist wrote: »

Oh Christ. You don't know why he's gone into a nursing home. He could need 24 hour care from qualified carers. And if you saw the bill from those places, you definitely wouldn't say that he's being "abandoned".

Oh Christ yourself. Did you even read my post or did the red mist descend upon you the moment you saw the word abandoned?

Fact is, some old people resent the fact that they are put into homes, regardless of how much they cost or how much they need the care.

AudreyHepburn · 13-01-2015 9:37am

Young Blood wrote: »

Recently my grand uncle entered a nursing home after been assessed by a doctor as not being fit enough to live alone.

I went through his personal belongings in his home and packed them up. I found boxes of anonymous donation cards for the Catholic Church.

Tbh it sickened me. The man was barely able to take care of himself never mind his finances and here was the Catholic Church preying on a vulnerable old man like him.

Is this a common thing in Ireland? Considering the envelopes were marked anonymous, there's no telling how much savings the Roman Catholic Church made off with!

I'm sure there are many other cases of this in the country. Imo this is no different from con-men preying on the rural elderly.

But in fairness, I did make off with two brand new watches still boxed, a Tissot and a Seiko, with a total value of around a thousand euro, so it's not all bad!

His money, his business to be honest OP.

And considering you are willing to make off with his watches and laugh about it you really don't have a leg to stand on here.

Donations, by definition, are voluntarily made, so it's not a case of the church stealing his money at all. If anything he would appear to have given it willingly.

I'm not going to deny that the church has done some terrible things in it's time, but not every member is evil and hysterical nonsense like this does nothing to help the situation.

Young Blood · 13-01-2015 9:39am

Legacy Limited Choke wrote: »

Good man yourself. Justify the theft of something that doesn't belong to you.

I assume since you found the envelopes that he hadn't sent them back with any contribution... Hence voluntary. Everyone in the parish gets a box even me, and I'm not Catholic.
Also they generally aren't anonymous as the persons name is eitheroon the box or referenced to the numbers in the church office.

How can you argue that someone with a mental illness does anything voluntary?

AudreyHepburn · 13-01-2015 9:40am

Young Blood wrote: »

No, I just think anonymous donations are targeted at people like him!

No they aren't. These donations are usually parish wide and not compulsory, as think you probably know.

Your grand uncle made his own choice, it's not for you to tell him he's wrong, particularly as you admit to having stolen from him.

Why does the Catholic Church prey on old people?

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