The Catholic Message Board

Don't you think it is in terrible taste and more than a little unethical for Catholic charitable organizations to send unsolicited requests for donations through the mail with money in the envelope, which they ask you to send back with your donation? This kind of emotional blackmail "Please send this back or we'll go bankrupt if you keep it" is unseemly and I am strongly inclined to refuse to donate to any organization that does it.

I've never seen this done with any amount more than a penny.

I agree with ... with ... hey, it's been awfully warm of late.

Just this week I got one letter with three nickels attached and another with a $1 bill

They must think you're rich. I only get pennies.

Occasionally, I've received either a few pennies, sometimes a nickel or a dime, but there was at least once that I received a dollar.

But the other thing that I've routinely receive is a return address envelope with stamps, which I promptly cut out and tape to my own outgoing mail.

I sent a donation along with a note that I don't appreciate the emotional blackmail of being sent money and that if they do it again I won't respond

I think I've received about 6¢ in this manner. However, based upon several disillusioning revelations soon after my conversion, I now give directly to whatever Catholic cause I choose. The Little Sisters of the Poor, for example.

Doom wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 1:38 pm Don't you think it is in terrible taste and more than a little unethical for Catholic charitable organizations to send unsolicited requests for donations through the mail with money in the envelope, which they ask you to send back with your donation?

If this happens to me, I'll add the unsolicited dollar in a donation to an organization I already donate to, then send a letter to the shake-down group and thank them on behalf of the organization for their "generous" addition.