We have added a NOT RECOMMENDED category to our Charities Reports page for charitable organizations that do not flagrantly violate Catholic teaching but act in such a way that we must urge caution for those considering their support.
Chalice Canada does much laudable work in giving aid to the poor and claims with its tagline that it “Brings Christ to the poor and brings the poor to Christ.” However, this Catholic organization flat out states in its FAQ section that it will NOT evangelize the people it serves. This makes this organization no different than a secular NGO and makes the second half of its tagline a lie. Catholic charitable organizations have a duty to feed souls as well as bellies and must be held to a higher standard. Even if evangelization is not the primary aim of a Catholic organization, we are all called as Catholics to spread the Gospel, not disavow evangelization as if it were shameful.
Chalice missionaries would be taking their lives in their hands if they evangelized in India and Bangladesh. As well as any converts to Catholicism there would have their lives threatened. I have been a Chalice sponsor for many years. My first child that I sponsored was a Hindu in India. When his family moved out of the sponsor area I requested to sponsor a Catholic child. No problem. I now sponsor a little girl in Guatemala. What I like about Chalice is that very little goes towards administration; I believe over 95 percent goes directly to the sponsor areas.
We have the obligation to evangelize, but in some places we have to evangelize through how we live not by what we say. It is true that Chalice could limit its work to those places which permit evangelization but one cannot turn away from any request for help.
Well… this report makes me sad.
I have been sponsoring 2 children at a time for Chalice for over 12 years.
Just managed to get my child’s school on board to help a school in Africa get more books through Chalice.
I would feel really bad leaving those 2 children. I’m not sure what to do.
Always thought Chalice was a great Catholic organization.
One can evangelize by how you live, but that should not discount the fact that many people are evangelized because they invited someone to Christ. Many smart people are evangelized by what they read and because they can reason.
It is a copout to suggest there is only one way to evangelize.
just a little correction….it should read,
“…because they were invited by someone”
Thank you very much for this report! I don’t think I’m too concerned about this. Chalice does excellent work and we will continue to support them – and strongly recommend them to others!
May God bless you!
I sponsored a child in Northern Ghana trough Chalice from age 9 to age 22. I don’t regret it, but I found communication very difficult. Long delays and cookie-cutter type answers to letters did not allow for questions to be answered. No dialogue. Although there were formulas such as “the Almighty bless you and your family”, I never was able to know whether he was even Christian, received catechism, first communion or confirmation.
Jesus tells us that man does not live by bread alone, and asks what good it does to us if we save our bodies but loose our souls. At least, help should be openly brought in the name of Christ. To be fair, Chalice changed its name from “Child Care International” to “Chalice”, still I felt that my sponsorship through Chalice was lacking the spiritual dimension.
Now, in this day and age particularly, I look for organizations that promote and defend the faith.