Something has been bothering me for a long time about our church. It’s about the churches occasional way of raising funds through inviting people to casino. I just want to clear the question in my head and I really think it will help me, my faith. I am from the Philippines, a country whose majority of the people are Catholics. Complete Question.

The Church does not restrict activities meant for entertainment unless someone is being exploited. The Church does see that addiction to gambling is a hurtful malady and the addict should receive professional help to overcome this problem.

Gambling done as a fund raiser is, in itself, not a bad thing. Using a commercial gambling casino could cause problems because there are no limits on the amount of money that can be lost or no way of assuring how much the charity will receive. It would be wise for any parish to avoid a fund raiser where the parish did not have full control.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, in paragraph # 2413, states: "Games of chance (card games, etc.) or wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice.They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement. Unfair wages and cheating at games constitute grave matter, unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonable consider it significant."

I hope this help you. Most things in this world, done in moderation, are part of the richness of God's gift of life. It is the abuse of the gift that is of grave concern.