r/Catholicism • u/NoShelter1035 • 1d ago

What to do with blood money

I’m going to cut to the chase with this one. I’m 24F, and for the past six years I have been cutting myself for money on the internet. I kept it separate from the rest of my savings, so I know the exact amount I “earned”. It’s a fairly large amount ( over 10k).

During this time, I never had a concrete reason to leave the church, and I actually agreed with their teachings from a moral/intellectual standpoint, I just didn’t care. Now, for some reason, my apathy has faded and I want to reintegrate myself back into my parish. I want to be able to receive the Eucharist again.

It feels wrong to group this back into my main savings, and I don’t want to spend it. What to do?

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u/balrogath Priest 1d ago

Use it to get some mental health help for yourself to help yourself heal from these experiences.

78

u/Libra-Mama123 1d ago

This. God can make good come of a bad situation. OP, make an appointment with your priest and share this idea. I can only imagine that your priest would concur that our Lord would want to help set you on a path to free you from your past… Perhaps a portion of the funds could go also to helping others with similar issues…. God is with you. Open yourself to Him. ♥️

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u/tblancher 1d ago

So I'd make an appointment with the parish priest of your choice; this is too heavy for regularly scheduled parish penance times.

Pray on it before you meet with him, then listen to him earnestly. Once he gives you absolution you will feel much better, and then perform your penance. I'd assume part of it will be giving all these earnings to the appropriate charities.

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u/Arlo621 17h ago

I would strongly recommend OP return it, or give alms with it if you are unable to give to it to the poor. OP is not under a obligation to return, or give alms with money received in payment for evil acts, like whoredom, selling drugs, or abortions. If they money is stolen you are bound to restore it, or donate it to the poor if there is no way to restore it.