Should I Give Money to Poor People? | Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. 

My husband and I immigrated to Jerusalem 15 years ago. There were plenty of homeless. There were soup kitchens. We went into one where we saw moldy bread on the table. Disgraceful. They were all closed on Friday because staff had to prepare for THEIR Sabbath feasts. That meant the homeless had two days of no food, when Shabbat is meant to be joyous. So, we started feeding them on Fridays. We could only do so much because we had no vehicle, but I would boil eggs, for kosher purposes, and make pita sandwiches with eggs and salad. We'd go to the shuk and get the cheapest decent fruit we could find and my husband would take the sandwiches and fruit on Friday mornings and give them out first come first serve. If some one asked for a second, he'd give it. Get off your phones and stop expecting some "charity" to do the work. YOU are the charity. MOVE IT.!

Ive worked with the homeless. The ones asking at intersections usually arent, the ones sleeping on the ground are.

We carry care packages in the car-- gallon ziplock bag filled with a water bottle and snacks. We're not comfortable giving money, but at least its not nothing.

This was a good video for me to hear. I currently harbor ill feelings towards the street dwellers in my area, who are mean, aggressive, and threatening to me and my family. I know they weren't always this way but were once innocent and good young children. I have seen that solving their money problem for the afternoon allows them more time to focus on acquiring drugs. No government, police, or other group seems willing or able to interrupt this terrible pattern. Their presence in large numbers hurts my community. My heart is stone when these people speak to me on the street directly. I feel I can only give money to the Church, whose charitable groups are in a better position to safely distribute aid to the needy. I sense my heart should soften but am having trouble.

We give out blessing bags that contain water, protein bar, travel size deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, or floss, Wet Ones, Mylar emergency blankets, shampoos or soap bars (I had collected from prior hotel stays), & a miraculous medal necklace (we had them blessed last night) & card explaining what it means. We keep one in each door pocket so we’re ready as the need arises.

We need to service the poor with the end goal of helping meet a need they’re having. Most homeless people who have approached me were nearby gas stations and I’d ask if they’re hungry or thirsty and more often than not they are and receive it with thankfulness.

Sometimes street drinkers need a drink and by giving a few bucks to relieve the shakes is being merciful.

Give money to responsible charities and churches that feed and shelter not cash for drugs that harm and kill.

Fortunately, there are Catholic charitable foundations to whom I can entrust my monetary donations, like Caritas.

I bought cigarettes for a guy a year or so ago. I know it's a weird thing to do but as an ex smoker who knows the anxiety of being out of smokes I felt sympathy for them. I get judged for that decision but I don't care.

Very helpful. It is such a confusing topic, I always grappled with it. But it is so much clearer in my head now. Thank you

Thank you for providing so much clarity on this topic. This is so incredibly helpful.

That was the most helpful video on how to give that I have ever heard, thank you so much 💗

Thank you- this is a topic that really needs to be addressed, and probably addressed more frequently. The danger is real. I've been chased, my husband has been attacked. The street people in downtown Austin do not seem like the "poor" of the Bible but I may be wrong. Some probably are hungry but many I see are obvious scammers and outright liars about their "veteran status", that they're "looking for work", that they're hungry but refuse food you bring them because they just want money, claim to need $10 to fill their car with gas, but reject your offer to wait fill the gas can for them, etc. Those who use their kids and pets as props especially do not inspire my mercy or love. I am working on it and pray about it frequently. Your counsel and approach are helpful and comforting. Thank you again.

Thank you

The money would better spent on kids and teenagers from broken homes for meals, therapy, and catechism classes. It's better to stop this problem at the root.

I offer people a drink, snack or a meal. More often than not, giving someone money sets them up for self destructive habits and the good intention behind the act of giving money is nullified. They can't pervert the goodness of a meal or drink.

It's great to have a video addressing this issue, but the comments are even better, as we're all dealing with complicated situations.

Thank you for this!

For one year I lived in Boulder, Colorado in 2005. Having come from Connecticut, the state I was born and raised in, one weird aspect of Boulder was the number of people who panhandled, usually carrying a large cardboard sign bearing the words "Anything Helps". I asked a relative what it was all about and did Boulder really have a high number of people seeking handouts. Big shock. Once I discovered most of the panhandlers in fact drove nice vehicles (think Benz and BMW), I thought to myself, were they too lazy to get a job? Obviously they were not really poor, being able bodied, and observing them soliciting from drivers at red stoplights. Yes, I have witnessed drivers handing these panhandlers $20.00 bills. However, this is Boulder. Seemingly a more convenient way of "redistributing wealth" in a very wealthy community 20 miles north of Denver. Just stating the facts here, as bizarre as they sound. Locally, the town is referred to as "The People's Republic of Boulder." Oh yeah, the same city which gave us the JonBenet Ramsey unsolved murder case.

I would be interested to know what Father Pine's perspective is on the considerations offered in such books as "When Helping Hurts", which systematically document the damage done to communities and even individuals by handouts. I'm of course more than willing to give money to those in need, but one also wonders sometimes if in many cases the misery is truly helped by being given more money.

THANK YOU!!!! Fr. Pine

Not only should you give money to the needy it’s necessary for salvation

We 100% have no clue what people are gonna use the money for, and to be honest it’s not my concern, unless they make it known to me that they’re gonna do something bad with the money. I mean it could be day 1 of someone trying to be clean, even though I may have seen them doing drugs before, I don’t know now. So I can’t judge or assume squat. I have a family member who was homeless. She would beg for money, some was for drugs some time it was for food. But when people just walked by and totally ignored her, it made her feel even more hopeless. At least when people gave her a buck or 2, it made her feel human to at least be acknowledged. So yea, when I see homeless people, I don’t see a drug addict or someone with mental illness, I see my family member who spiraled out of control. Thanks be to God, she is clean, married to a really good man, and has a daughter. Bro even if you just see if they want something to drink or a sandwich. Some places there are cons, but you just don’t know and can’t be 100% for sure. I’m not in their shoes and I don’t know what they’re going thru. I had a friend who was also homeless, he just made some bad choices at the wrong time and ended up on the street. He would eat out of dumpsters and beg for money, for food (because dumpster food is gross) and for alcohol (he didn’t do drugs). He ended up getting off the streets and got his act together and became a chef. Now he is the #2 chef (not the head chef but the one right below the head chef) in a fancy restaurant in Kansas City. Point I’m getting at is regardless of what you have seen or think, you really have no clue what is going on in that persons life at that exact moment you walk by them. I saw a comment that a person would have a couple bucks in their pocket, give those dollars out and say a prayer for those people.

Fulton sheen always gave the poor money. He said it was not for him to judge where a person would spend their money that’s between him and God.

Ive had some many poor experiences when trying to help homeless. I did lunches for the homeless with my church as a teenager and it was always grown men pushing and shoving to get as many lunches as they could. Then complaining about if there was or wasnt mustard and the ones who got extra would sell them to others in the homeless encampment for drug money. Ive offered to buy food for someone and been cursed at, I've brought food for someone who threw it away, ive bought food for someone who ordered $50 worth at McDonald's. Not to mention dozens of negative experiences on the NYC subway. The only one I can genuinely think of as positive was when someone asked me to help him tie a tie going to an interview for a dishwasher job after he got out of prison. I think more often than not, we're enabling bad behaviors when we try to help and without full time dedication we will all struggle to identify someone who truly has a need vs someone pretending to be in need in order to destroy their life.

I was raised with the “don’t give them money they will use it for drugs” mentality so I never really thought much of it. After becoming catholic I started to actually feel moved by those people so the other time I gave a man money, he simply took it without even looking at me, I’m not saying he had to jump out of happiness and thank me for it, but I mean his reaction, or lack of reaction, left me really disappointed with the experience… But I do plan on helping people with food or clothing when I get to be able to🙏🏻

To love is to will the good of another. Food, water, clothing, etc. are good for everyone. Money is NOT good for everyone. Some people will harm themselves with money. Better to give what will certainly be good. I like to give fast food gift cards. A group at church creates bags that include such gift cards, water, food, and kind words.

Give a dollar say hi say a prayer for them.Impossible to know what it’s used for.Assume the best.I always keep a dollar in my front pocket for that.I live in Chicago so it’s a regular daily thing.

Thank you for an other great video Father. In the case of the Franciscan, were the possessions of the convent his to give? And when have I crossed the line between "Evangelical madness" and imprudence?

Giving money to beggars these days isn’t charity or virtuous, it’s enabling

I have a relative who was homeless and hungry because of drugs and wouldn't have sought help for his addiction if people had enabled him.

For the longest time I had a great bias against giving to the homeless. Though, I was always thinking of financial giving. Mainly because of the common thought of "they're just going to go buy drugs or alcohol..." I have been very open the last few years, and I do give a few dollars at most, or majority of the time give them water or free coffee cards.

I'll be honest I was more interested in the question regarding that a beggar in the US is likely either on drugs or has mental illness and giving money may cause harm by preventing them from going to a shelter where they get help

I don't carry cash, as I have absolutely no reason to do so. Nevermind that all of the homeless in my area are mentally ill and addicted to alcohol/pills/random drugs. You give them a few dollars and they run to the nearest grocery for the cheapest vodka they can get their hands on. Its basically a greater act of charity to withhold giving them money.

Please talk about the Catholic movie The Shift. If it s a good movie, we must support it.

Our pastors and deacons have said to give money by way of the poor box at Mass to ensure the proceeds go where they are needed. I might give to people on the street once in a while based on the circumstances but normally I don't especially if I see them carrying phones, wearing nice shoes, wearing warm winter clothes, etc. as those appear quite abundant already. In our area it has gotten to the point where poverty is relative....i.e. having only 2 TV's is considered poor or not having a cell phone and so on....much different poverty in the States versus other parts of the world where there is true poverty....

The quote at 7:27 or so is from St. John Chrysostom 😁

"Christ calls us into deeper relationship with him, and those who are in him and unto him." Elegantly stated -- Amen.

You'd be surprised how much money (U.S) homeless people make per day. They make more than most minimum wage workers.

The problem is, most of the people that ask you for money now days WANT to do that and only that. In today's world there is really no excuse for someone to not get off the streets with all the programs etc available. They want to do that and they don't want to work or stop substances etc. To give to them is just enabling them. On the same hand, the fact that we have all these government programs, some of which you pay alot into through taxes in particular states, makes it so that it separates the idea that an individual would need to give money directly to the person asking because the individual already gives the government money to do so. I wonder of all government homeless/poor programs were completely taken away if 1) it would cause more citizens to actually engage with the poor AND 2) Give the poor receiving the money feel more of a sense of wanting to use it fruitfully since they know the person directly who is helping them and might see them often in the same area

What do you do when a person you were being charitable for has now been enabled to not ask for help from family thats perfectly capable of helping? For perspective I'm a single mom whose mental and physical energy runs out very quickly and can't handle the multiple requests at least once a day.

I am thoroughly disgusted by most of the comments I read here. "Whenever you give a cup of water to the least of these, you give to Me." Stop judging souls (motives). Smoking is an addiction but it's legal. You have no right to withhold because you saw someone smoking after you gave them money. How do you know that someone didn't give them the cigarettes? In a transactional society, it's not easy to give without assessing the reasons but you must because you have no right to their accountability. Their moral decision is between them and God, not between the two of you. Forget transactionality. Go for caritas. You'll be glad you did.

Father, you should have included how much to save for the future etc because it’s necessary in order to properly answer the question

❤🙏❤️

So....yes

If you find money on the street, I mean a substantial amount but there's no way to identify it, can you keep it? I heard a Jewish teaching that said if it's just say a random $50 bill you can keep it but if it is in a money clip or definitely a wallet which may have other identifiers in it you have to make every effort to give it back. Also if it isn't money, but a usable item, you are not permitted to use it while you are trying to find the owner and if you never do, you still can't use it. Every effort has to be made to restore it to the owner. Finders keepers only applies to unidentifyable money.

Would love to here a video on what the church teaches about divine impassibility and immutability.

I don't give to beggars, and I think it is the most charitable way to do that. Here how I think about it: I want to be merciful to beggars, but in Belgium (where I live) most of them seem not really in need of money (we have a broad social security etc), they need different things - like, a prayer. I have the impression most of beggars beg as a way of life, where giving money to them will *not* really help them. I prefer giving money to charity organisations, that can have a more organized way to help. The 'false' beggar needs help, of course, but to do that, you need to know their broader situation. E.g. a charity organisation can try to activate them. I can't do that by giving them some coins. But those are my thoughts.

Yea… I already give a lot of money to poor people in the form of federal and state taxes

Not giving the drug user money is not helping him - her either as they will get sick withdrawing and possible pyschosis.

I'm curious of your opinion on the people that stand at the corner of an intersection with a sign. Would that be considered asking directly for money or more transactional and remote? It's all over the area where I live.

Giving money to someone isn’t going to help their situation. Neither are “help” bags. The solution is a rehab center, a shelter, a job application, and a shower. People need opportunity and not handouts. One solves the situation, and the other is a band-aid. The unfortunate reality is sometimes withholding things from people can be the best charity for them.

I had chatgpt summarize the video transcript. It's frustrating when his videos ask a question and you see that the video length pushes 20 minutes. In this video, Father Gregory Pine, a Dominican friar, discusses the virtue of mercy, particularly in the context of giving to those in need. He emphasizes the two dimensions of mercy: perceiving the misery of another with pity and using one's resources to help. The video explores the expression of mercy through almsgiving, focusing on the Corporal Works of Mercy, such as feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, and clothing the naked. Father Pine delves into the theological background of mercy, noting its divine attribute and human virtue. He references the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus separates the sheep and the goats based on their acts of mercy. The discussion touches on the connection between mercy and charity, highlighting that charity is the love of God poured into our hearts. The video addresses practical considerations when encountering those in need, emphasizing responsible giving from one's excess while considering genuine need. Father Pine explores distinctions between precept and counsel, discussing how acts of mercy can be necessary for salvation while also promoting spiritual growth. The talk concludes with concrete examples of responding to those in need, promoting humanization through deeper engagement and relationship-building.

I’m sorry Father, I have to be honest here, this didn’t really clear things up for me. I’m someone who could be considered poor or rich and idk what to do. I am cynical because most people who are “in need” aren’t really and will just waste money on drugs or alcohol and throw away food that’s given to them. Not all, but many. I still am in the dark here about my obligations and I’m afraid I’m upsetting God by thinking twice about charity. Especially since my family is poor and we never had or have any help

We should give to organizations that actually help people in need. If you give money to someone who pretends to be poor but is scamming you then you actually take away money from someone who truly is in need. Unfortunately the vast majority of charities are either scams or are severely underfunded

And another thing, there are tons of homeless veterans. There are some folks who come back from war and it changed them forever. Stuff they can’t unsee, things they might feel guilty about, and drugs was the only way they cope. I’m not defending drugs anyway shape or form, but what I’m saying is that to just ignore them because you think they might do drugs is so messed up. Walk a mile in their shoes and then see how it feels to be part of the ignored and despised.

This is gonna be a long one. I'm 30 days behind on car and rent. I'm paying both in the final hour. I was laid off from a six figure job in June of 2022 and have been doing gig work to survive. I don't ever give money to panhandlers but I was able to help an older woman who's son took her rent money by giving her 150 dollars. This is the kind of giving, I feel, is right.

We give certain ammount of money to the those in need monthly, but trying to give something to all who ask of us if we have, because that is what God's word ask of us (give those who ask of you and give abundantly)

I don’t tend to give money but I prefer to buy a hot drink and food item if they decline it I’ll try to give it to someone else. Honesty that hasn’t happened to me

Thank you for this, Father Pine. You've helped me so many times with your videos. I pray for you, by name, every night.

There is many people in need but thry are not beside the road. What do you think about them they are in their home but they are not able to afford there life.

I give money to an agency that helps support poor mothers who choose to deliver their babies rather than abort them. There are no needier people in the world than the children of such women.

You raised so many issues to consider on this topic that it just became way more complicated.

I live in an area with high drug use so I just give them food usually. My cousin usually offers them work and only one has agreed and worked for him.

Thank you, Fr. Gregory. I’ve been seriously struggling with the extremes of this issue. You’ve provided me tremendous balance. Gratia et pax

8:30 to 8:46 How do you reconcile this statement with Luke 10?

when we give everything away, like Jesus recommends to be perfect, then there is THIS everlasting worry less 👍 about who and how much to give

Fr. Pine, in several videos you mention that God doesn't have emotions; so how are we to understand the Bible, especially the Old Testament, which is full of references to God's emotions? Thanks.

In my country unfortunately, there is so called 'professional beggars' people who are getting a social security payment from the government and yet spend their time begging. It has got so bad that its impossible to tell who has real need, so I started giving my money to a charity who helps the homeless/ I know then that my money will go to those in real need.

You do not have to give to anyone unless you want to. Yes its a nice thing to do but doing it in obligation does us no good. If your going to give give no question. Otherwise live your life.

We want more Sedevacantism Debates!!!!!

Its not enough i know but i like to tip big.

What do you mean "God doesn't have emotions"? Based on what philosophy or scriptures?

Oh my these comments! Geez guys take it easy…you are not responsible for them. Just be kind. Just talk to them even.

I was talking to a woman on this app who said Jesus speaks to her personally because she left her husband and her children and her job and lives on the street and cares for widows and orfans because thats what Jesus requires and the rest of us are not following him so were doomed. Who thinks Jesus wants us to abandon our families?! I think she was either lying or mentally ill

I dont carry cash

In my area, we have a lot of female gypsy beggars (sorry if that’s a derogatory phrase, I don’t know what the proper name is) who are very aggressive and will knock on your car window. They will also often have children with them. They will almost always have a male sitting in a nice car nearby watching them. I never give them money because it seems like it’s trafficking to me. I wish I could truly help these women but I know the money just goes into someone else’s very rich pockets.

Thank you for this video Father! I really struggle with this. On one hand, I do feel really bad for the homeless in my area. On the other, its a well-known fact that these folks are all using drugs at this point. You can see the track marks on their arms if you're paying attention and they're often high when they approach you. Carrying some granola bars solves that I guess. I do worry about how aggressive some of them can get. Maybe that's a flaw in me. I know Christ would help no matter the personal risk - but I have a family to support. There's no easy answer to this I guess - if there were, we'd all be saints!

There are truly poor people in Africa, parts of Asia and parts of Central and South America. The poor, so called, in the US have possessions and the availability of services that make that label suspect. I know a former soldier who has spent most of his adult life settling orphans in SE Asia, after serving in Vietnam. He makes the point that children in the Highlands there don't even have warm coats, much less cell phones, spare cash, etc.

I've given a little pouch with some change, prayer cards, a St. Benedict medal and a Miraculous medal. 🙏

Better than giving it to a church

Did I miss something, or did you not address the issue that in many cases giving money could actually be harmful, since the person receiving it may buy, alcohol, tobacco, or something much worse. Also the issue that, except for the mentally unstable, many of these people are exercising a certain measure of choice in the matter - choosing to be beggars (and live a lifestyle that most of us would consider incomprehensible), rather than taking responsibility for themselves and work to improve their own lot (2 Thes 3:10). In such cases contributing to their support can mean contributing to sustaining their awkward 'choice' in life.

I watch all your videos and follow your advice closely. Thank you. But with this question, I’m gonna have to disagree. I spent a lot of time working amongst homeless people and came to the sad conclusion that the majority of people asking for money on the street are intending to use that money For drugs or alcohol or something of that nature. Giving money enables and encourages them to indulge in that self-destructive behavior. I give the money and they spend it on something to their detriment. I then become an accessory to that If I am aiding someone in their own destruction, how can I see this as a good act? Many times I offered to buy that certain person, food or clothing, instead of giving money, and most of the time they declined the offer

Your Catholic, “donate” to them and write it off on the taxes.

I usually do, unless I don't have time to bust out my wallet at a stoplight or something, one time a guy said:" welcome to the apocalypse" 😂

According to scripture yes. I’ll stick with that

Wait....God had no emotion? Jesus has emotions no? Albeit perfect human emotion?

Wisdom as an Orthodox man

Thank you, friar!

Why are you a Father when you are a friar?

How can we discuss advice on this topic without even addressing the role of drugs and alcohol? The poor today are not like the poor in Jesus’ time or Aquinas’s time. In the West, there is so much prosperity, and so much charity as well as government-mandated welfare, that there is literally no excuse to be homeless and hungry on the street. It is 100% a lifestyle choice and any money you give will 100% go to drugs and alcohol. You are supporting their vices if you give them money. I would even go so far as to say it can be, and usually is, sinful to give in this kind of context. Every major city has a shelter with more clothing and food than they know what to do with (I’ve volunteered at several; they throw food away because there’s too much.) Know where the shelters are and direct homeless to them instead of giving. But the reality is, they already know where the shelter is and probably aren’t able to stay because they won’t give up their drugs. “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” The government already perverts this Biblical law enough with the welfare system; don’t contribute even more to this upside down situation yourself. You’re not helping any one except your own naive satisfaction of feeling charitable. Charity that goes against Biblical principal is destructive and Satanic, and if it were to stop, so too would our society’s homeless problem! The homeless today lie and abuse. Why do I say it is different today than in Jesus’ and Aquinas’ day? Did such sins not affect the homeless back then, are these sins new? No, but back then they would have been beaten for that behavior, not “helped.” There was far less prosperity and opportunity back then so a person on the street likely genuinely needed help, drugs didn’t exist and alcohol was not nearly as available, and the bad eggs had already been forcibly filtered out by the justice system.

Just giving money is a lazy way to assuage your conscience. Most of these people people need active accompaniment. Many many homeless will just blow it on drugs; that doesn't help them. Congratulations, you enabled an addict in order to feel better about yourself. The difficulty is in forming relationships, discerning their real needs and providing a path to virtue. Sometimes that means money, sometimes it doesn't, it depends on the individual. If universally throwing money at the issue worked then poverty would have already been solved, but no amount of money can solve deep psychological, interpersonal and cultural damage. Helping these things requires you to grow in wisdom and virtue.

I always say that we are no longer in the times of the bible where the destitute were widows, orphans and the disabled. The vast majority of the destitute now are severely mentally ill and/or substance abusers. Giving them money directly often provides the means to continue their substance abuse for another day. To approach them can even be dangerous. Sadly, we must rely on and financially support churches, organizations or social workers who are trained to deal with these challenges.

Timely piece for me. been on my mind lately.

God bless you

I carry Red Bulls in my car and when people ask for money I give them one and say “here, this will give you wings”

I no longer give money I will get them food I will ask them what do they want . I live in a high drug area a lot of mental health issues and crime .

GOD not emotional. Our God is a jealous God ... Jesus wept ... God favored Abel's sacrifice ... Jesus flipped tables ...

I give.... unless the Holy Spirit says "no" and that rarely happens. If they say they need money for food, we go to the store, and I buy want they need and what they want. Need gas, I go to the pump and fill up their vehicle. Now, if I know I gave them $200.00 last week and they are back on the same corner saying the same thing.. then "no". If they are in need and I do not help them.. it is my sin.. if they didn't need, then that is their sin.