I have never been a fan of lotteries. Can't say I feel strongly as to be repulsed, but I resent being expected to do such thing and the idea of asking others to "cough up".

I''d prefer to donate the equivalent in cash myself, or to do something more sociable like making and selling things at a fair.

I have never been a fan of lotteries. Can't say I feel strongly as to be repulsed, but I resent being expected to do such thing and the idea of asking others to "cough up".

I''d prefer to donate the equivalent in cash myself, or to do something more sociable like making and selling things at a fair.

Thanks.  One of my reasons!

Lottery fund raising in Catholic parishes of all stripes (including the SSPX if we can include them in the "parish" category) has no doubt been around for a long time.  I, for one, have always felt a sense of repulsion for this way of raising money on a number of grounds and have thus never -- as far as I can recall -- ever purchased or sold a lottery ticket in the SSPX or any other church setting.  I don't think this has always gone over well with my pastors, especially where all the registered members of the parish are given a set number of tickets (sort of like getting your annual packet of weekly collection envelopes) with the expectation that you will try to sell them to others and or buy them for yourself.

If anyone has any thoughts on this subject please share them with me and anyone else tuning in to this thread.  Thanks!

Not that I’m necessarily for them, but you haven’t given a single reason why You are against them. What are your “number of grounds”? 

SSPX does 50/50 raffles all the time.

They call them raffles, not lotteries.

Not that I’m necessarily for them, but you haven’t given a single reason why You are against them. What are your “number of grounds”?

Fair enough!  I just didn't want to "preempt" anyone else who wanted to voice their concerns.  In any event, if you had read the comments before your own you would have seen that I thanked Nadir and Mega-fin for listing two of my reasons or grounds.  I will repeat what they said here.

1.) Nadir: "I resent being expected to do such thing and the idea of asking others to 'cough up'.  I''d prefer to donate the equivalent in cash myself, or to do something more sociable like making and selling things at a fair."   (I agree.  You are immediately put on the defensive if you don't just go with the flow and do "your part.")

2.) Mega-fin: "I remember seeing 50/50 draws being done in Church hall, bizarre concept. Half the money to the Church, half to the winning parishioner? Uhhh, shouldn’t all the money go to the Church??"  (Exactly!  Why contribute when you know that half of what you contribute may very likely not go back go the the church/chapel, but instead be spent on who knows what.  When the tickets are sold outside to the public half of your money could even end up in the hands of a Mormon or a Baptist for their church.  Or all kinds of other bad/crazy scenarios!)

3.) Gambling may not be a sin per se, but it is a worldly amusement which is associated with all kinds of sins and may in many instances be a sin for the one involved.  Why should we as traditional Catholics have to resort to this novelty type of amusement to raise funds?  Are we no better than the pagans in this regard?  There are all kinds of things which may not necessarily be sinful for the individuals involved (cocktail party to name just one), but do we as traditional Catholics wish to be associated with such things?  I hope not.

4.) Some of the lotteries are for luxury items such as a new Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac.  If nothing else, does this not send out a wrong message to TradCats, perhaps especially those who are just trying to keep a roof over their head, food on the table, and their old car running?

5.) Raising money by lotteries has the distinct ring of novelty to it even if it's been around for a long time.  It's as if we just can't do any better so we have to rely on a lottery to help us raise money.  This is a therapeutic approach to the problem for the need to raise money.  If a parish cannot raise money without resorting to a lottery then there is something lacking in the Christian generosity of the parish.  This problem needs to be dealt with head on by some simple straight forward things said from the pulpit and perhaps even in private conversations at the priest's proper discretion.  I am not talking about haranguing the parish, but rather talking to the members and exhorting them if need be in a simple straight forward adult to adult type situation.   I think -- I hope --  the members could handle the truth and act accordingly.  Otherwise, the pastor, members of the parish and or both have a real problem which should be dealt with head on rather than pushed under the lottery bus.

I remember seeing 50/50 draws being done in Church hall, bizarre concept. Half the money to the Church, half to the winning parishioner? Uhhh, shouldn’t all the money go to the Church??

The winner could always donate the money to the Church.