Why does the Catholic Church prey on old people?

kylith · 13-01-2015 10:24am

Young Blood wrote: »

Do you think the church will pay for the nursing home?

Are you paying for the nursing home? Even if you are why would that give you licence to steal from him? Are you planning on selling the watches to pay for the nursing home?

suicide_circus · 13-01-2015 10:25am

EoghanIRL wrote: »

Cults pray on the weak , naïve and susceptible. They'd be out of business otherwise .

As bogie as the are, the CC look for voluntary anonymous donations. Cults such as Scientology have mandatory contributions and your level of salvation is based on the amount of cash you hand over.

neckedit · 13-01-2015 10:28am

Young Blood wrote:

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

how can you argue that stealing from someone with a mental ilness is justifiable?
You are as low as they come.

The Peanut · 13-01-2015 10:29am

suicide_circus wrote: »

As bogie as the are, the CC look for voluntary anonymous donations. Cults such as Scientology have mandatory contributions and your level of salvation is based on the amount of cash you hand over.

They're not actually anonymous. We receive a box of numbered envelopes for the year; the number tracks to our names/address on a spreadsheet somewhere. At the end of each year, we get a letter detailing how much we've donated as we're entitled to claim tax back.

Chloris · 13-01-2015 10:30am

Surely he's trolling, given the oxymoronic position he put himself in with his initial post.

"Why do the church prey on vulnerable people, asking for donations?"
"I stole two watches and â‚¬1000 from my elderly grandfather. "

Does not compute.

suicide_circus · 13-01-2015 10:30am

The Peanut wrote: »

They're not actually anonymous. We receive a box of numbered envelopes for the year; the number tracks to our names/address on a spreadsheet somewhere. At the end of each year, we get a letter detailing how much we've donated as we're entitled to claim tax back.

Oh right, didn't know that. Still at least you can claim it against tax and it is voluntary.

the cats pajamas · 13-01-2015 10:33am

i call shenanigans.
It might be for my own mental health but I refuse to believe OP is anything but a troll.

Should he not be though, stop coveting your uncles things.
what's his is his no matter how young or old he is.
You have no claim to anything of his.
I have seen this sort of stuff in others, lot so kindness to the soon to be departed with hopes of many returns and you are vastly underestimating your uncle if you think he'll leave anything to someone so transparent.

I hope your uncle is comfortable and happy for as long as he can be .

eviltwin · 13-01-2015 10:33am

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!

You steal property from your own grandfather and yet its the Catholic Church that are the bad guys?

People like you make me sick. That poor man. What did he do to deserve a toerag like you for a grandson?

qt3.14 · 13-01-2015 10:33am

Young Blood wrote: »

Its not theft, im holding them in trust.

"Made off" doesn't really suggest that. You're a thief

minikin · 13-01-2015 10:42am

"The watches were just resting in my house"

Gannicus · 13-01-2015 10:56am

minikin wrote: »

"The watches were just resting in my house"

"They are just waiting to be moved on to another house."

Baggy Trousers · 13-01-2015 10:58am

To answer the OP, older people have a much bigger stake in the game than younger people and tend to get even more "devoted" (even financially) the closer they come to the pearly gates. They never had the luxury of the internet and the ability to openly discuss religion/belief so they are less likely to back a different horse now.
I don't think Roman Catholic Church Inc will have the same influence whatsoever on the current generation and future generations.
They know that and that is why they are changing their revenue model and cutting costs which is why you will see women priests and marriage allowed within the next decade or so.

endacl · 13-01-2015 11:03am

Young Blood wrote: »

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!

Swop for anything in my ads?

RobertKK · 13-01-2015 11:07am

Young Blood wrote: »

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

Wrong. I live alone and I get the box of envelopes from the local church and I am far from elderly.

Mountain out of a molehill.

As far as I am concerned the church is a part of the local community whether one likes it or not, and your relation has a right to support the church whether you like it or not.

His money, his choices, just like those watches he bought and which you took.

Rubberchikken · 13-01-2015 11:11am

you took his watches?
if he wanted to donate to the catholic church or to aliens is his business.

maybe you should make sure someone else gets to mind those watches for your uncle.

witchgirl26 · 13-01-2015 11:27am

My mam gets those envelopes in too - they are posted through the letter box of everyone in her parish. No targeting more like mass distribution. And if he still had the envelopes then obviously he hasn't sent them anything back so hasn't been "duped" into giving them money or targeted or preyed upon.

Except maybe by yourself. Seriously you think it's ok to take 2 expensive watches from a man you have openly said can't look after himself any more?! Really? I looked after my granny in her house & I never, ever, would have thought to take anything from her house, before or after her death, without express permission coz otherwise that's stealing.

And the nursing home offering to take the house as payment upon his death? That's actually quite normal for people who are going into nursing homes & not expected to come back out. They will make that offer but it is subject to the house being owned by the individual going into the home etc but they don't ask that straight off - they'll just make the offer.

mrsbyrne · 13-01-2015 11:55am

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!

You heard that your parent's uncle had to go into a nursing home so naturally you went to his house to see how much cash and goods you could steal. Obviously he doesn't need this stuff anymore and you do and anyway you deserve it.
So disappointingly all you can find are 2 watches. You also find envelopes which are dropped off in every house in the parish so if church member want they can contribute to the upkeep of the church.
To your horror you realise that the old man may have been giving it to the church instead of giving it to you.
I don't blame you for being mad. You should ring Joe Duffy right away.

Baggy Trousers · 13-01-2015 11:59am

There was a time (very recently too) that lay people (usually two women) would come to the house to collect the "offering" envelopes. It was supposed to add social pressure to pay up. I remember having a very interesting conversation with them and they stopped coming.

Smokeyskelton · 13-01-2015 12:00pm

It is possible this tale is made up, and it is unlikely that the OP seeks a serious moral discussion on AH.

It is also possible that the OP has merely misstated the original question.

He / she asks "Why does the Catholic Church prey on old people?" Maybe OP meant to ask "Why do old people pray in the Catholic Church?"

13-01-2015 12:03pm

Young Blood wrote: »

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

What you think and what is fact are not the same

Mal-Adjusted · 13-01-2015 12:04pm

OP, did you make a thread basically saying "**** the church, amiright?" and sit back expecting a million thanks?
Tell the truth now.

mrsbyrne · 13-01-2015 12:11pm

Young Blood wrote: »

Do you think the church will pay for the nursing home?

Why do you think that the church would pay for his nursing home!? Im sure your uncle is availing of the Fair Deal Scheme?
If yii go back to his house and look again I can tell you you'll get good money for his:
Passport
Birth cert
Drivers licence
Medical card
Free travel pass.
It's not as if he needs any of these things now.

EoghanIRL · 13-01-2015 12:26pm

suicide_circus wrote: »

As bogie as the are, the CC look for voluntary anonymous donations. Cults such as Scientology have mandatory contributions and your level of salvation is based on the amount of cash you hand over.

Pressures voluntary donations. Is that an oxymoron ?

the groutch · 13-01-2015 12:29pm

EoghanIRL wrote: »

Pressures voluntary donations. Is that an oxymoron ?

you've obviously never heard of schools' "voluntary contributions" then

suicide_circus · 13-01-2015 12:33pm

EoghanIRL wrote: »

Pressures voluntary donations. Is that an oxymoron ?

Where's the pressure?

Buona Fortuna · 13-01-2015 12:36pm

Just realised, today is St Knut's day.

Explains a lot.

EoghanIRL · 13-01-2015 12:38pm

suicide_circus wrote: »

Where's the pressure?

The church sends donation envelopes to your personal residence . The envelopes have your name and you have a number to identify your envelope .

Maybe not all churches do this but it is something happening a lot recently . This would put pressure on a lot of people who are regular church goers.

Most church donations aren't anonymous any more either = more pressure.

guest2014 · 13-01-2015 1:00pm

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!

obvious Troll

Hercule · 13-01-2015 1:14pm

Old people who deal with mortality on a very regular basis (thinking about their own, losing people close to them) find great comfort in the Catholic church (or most religions for that matter) - It might seem daft to people who think its a big con but the church gives old people a great coping mechanism, as well as a social outlet.

I would have thought that the church's efforts to get money from the elderly were quite insidious too, but as is mentioned before, people have the right to piss away their money on whatever they see fit and only excluding cases where they exploit senility, (watch any TV ads that are on during bargain hunt re-runs - they are certainly not alone in this practice) the elderly do get something out of it.

thelad95 · 13-01-2015 2:17pm

On the off-chance that the OP is actually serious, it sounds like he's just trying to absolve himself of guilt for his own deplorable actions by taking the moral high ground over everyone's favourite whipping boy, the Catholic church.

It hasn't worked to be honest. Chances are your grand-uncle receives offers from supermarkets in the post as well. Are they preying on old people?

Why does the Catholic Church prey on old people?

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