Case 1. Almsgiving

Titius, a workman who lived in a certain town, had sought in vain for several weeks for work by which he might support himself and his family. The money which he had was already spent, and the family lived on food given by a certain good woman. Yet for several weeks no rent due to the landlord on account of the letting of the house had been paid, and unless it is paid this Saturday, the house will have to be left. Since Titius knew that other housing could scarcely be obtained by a poor man, he went to Caius, a sufficiently wealthy Catholic to whom he was known, and asked him to help toward paying the rent. Caius, however, refused, on the ground that the poor rates were already sufficiently heavy and because he had determined with himself that he would never give alms unless it were necessary for saving someone’s life, since it is established that most beggars are pretended poor persons. But afterward, touched by a scruple because he knew that Titius was placed in true necessity, Caius asked his confessor whether in such a case he was bound to give alms. Hence it is asked:

1. To what does charity oblige in general?

2. What is the obligation of giving alms, and of what kind is it?

3. What is to be said of the case?

1. To what in general does charity oblige us? Charity, in general, obliges us to love God above all things, for His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves, for the sake of God. Love here does not designate a feeling, but an act of the will by which we are determined to cling to God and not to be separated from Him by sin, because we esteem Him above all other things whatever. The first material object of charity is God Himself; the second is our neighbor. Charity for our neighbor obliges us to both internal and external acts. Internally we are bound by the law of charity to wish well to all, to pray for all, and never to allow ourselves any thought, word, or deed, to the injury of any one. This internal love shows itself in deed by helping our neighbor in his necessities as far as we can.

2. Of what sort is the obligation to give alms?

Alms is help given to the indigent in their necessity, and that there is an obligation to help the indigent as far as we can follows from the nature of charity, and from the express words of Holy Scripture in many places.¹ In order to measure the gravity of this obligation, we must consider the necessity in which he who is to be helped is placed, and the capacity of helping him of the person who is to be bound by the obligation. Theologians distinguish three degrees of necessity. A poor man is in extreme necessity when he is in danger of dying from starvation, and can do nothing to help himself. If one is in the same danger, but can, with difficulty, do something to help himself, he is in grave necessity. Ordinary beggars are in common necessity. The goods out of which alms can be given are either necessary for the support of one’s own life and the lives of those who are dependent on us, or are necessary to live in the style suitable to one’s condition in life, or they are superfluous. As a general rule, we are bound to give alms only out of our superfluity. This obligation is grave when we find a neighbor in extreme, or in grave necessity; in the common necessity of another it is probably only light.

1 Compare 1 John iii. 16.

3. The case. Titius was a workman in a certain town, but he had been out of work for several weeks. All his savings had been spent, and his family lived on food given them by a good neighbor. The rent for his house was in arrears and the landlord gave him notice to quit unless the rent was paid by the end of the week. He knew that there was little chance of getting other lodgings in the circumstances, so he went to Caius, a well-to-do Catholic to whom he was known, and asked him for help toward paying his rent. Caius refused on the ground that the poor rates were heavy and because he had made a resolution never to give alms unless to one in extreme necessity. However, Caius was afterward uneasy about what he had done and asked his confessor whether there was an obligation to give alms in such a case.

His confessor will doubtless tell Caius that there is a grave obligation to give alms in such a case as is here given. Titius and his family were in grave necessity, as they were in danger of being thrust out of their home without the prospect of being able to find lodgings elsewhere. Caius knew that this case at any rate was genuine. There was no indication of the help required being obtainable from some other source. Caius could afford what would have been sufficient to relieve the distress of Titius. Under these circumstances Caius was strictly bound by a grave obligation to help a poor fellow-Catholic.¹ The reasons why some theologians allow that grave sin may not be committed by refusing alms in such cases are excluded by the circumstances of this case. It is no excuse to say that the man and his family might have gone to the workhouse. A respectable workman would not unfrequently rather die than subject himself and his family to such a disgrace and moral danger, and such feelings claim our respect and consideration.

1 Compare Matt. xxv. 42.