[Update: I just heard from a Catholic Charities employee that the CC president, Brian O'Malley, has cancelled the event. Great news! Hopefully this is the last time that crops up...].
I recently received an email from a friend (actually, I received a few emails, from a few different friends) advertising a fundraising dinner for St. Patrick Center (a Catholic Charities affiliated organization that does a lot of great things for the homeless and jobless in St. Louis).
The email advertises a dinner at Hooters, which will help raise funds for St. Patrick Center:
Dine & Donate - Hooters in Kiener Plaza will donate a percentage of food sales to St. Patrick Center from any guest participating in the LAST Dine & Donate event!
Screenshot of the email (which can be read online here):
I really don't think it's necessary that Catholic organizations patronize this dining establishment, no matter what the cause. I need not discuss why Hooters is not an organization in line with Catholic moral teachings on human sexuality—at least, I hope I don't need to...
I wonder how the decision could've been made to send out an email to hundreds (thousands?) of Catholics in St. Louis asking them to come and dine at Hooters for charity. I can understand this coming from a more secular organization, but not from Catholic Charities.
Comments
I have been informed that, to make your voice heard, you may contact Kelly Peach and/or Jan Rasmussen (Chief Development Officer of St. Patrick Center). See there about page for more info: http://www.stpatrickcenter.org/about/executive-officers/
Thanks for posting this, Jeff. It was very shocking to me as well. I would like an explanation of how this was decided and approved.
Thanks Jeff. I'll call that office. You're stating the obvious. But, we all know there are a lot of Catholics who do not know or do not want to promote the Kingdom of God, but rather they prefer the sulfuric acidand stench of hell, and the demons who are envious of the Kingdom of God.
I'd actually like to know why you believe "I need not discuss why Hooters is not an organization in line with Catholic moral teachings on human sexuality." Could you mention the specific moral that Hooter's is violating? Last I checked, other than discriminating in the gender of the waitresses (is that what you're talking about?) the waitresses are clothed (albeit scantily) and not having sex with the patrons.
The problems I have with Hooters are as follows:
I, for one, do not think I am a saint. I strive to be one, but Hooters (and similar restaurants, where women wear low-cut, tight-fit clothing (don't get me started on public pools!)) is yet another roadblock on my path towards Heaven. I try to avoid them, because the only thing they are good for is temptation—definitely not hot wings.
Is this strict/severe? Yes... I also see television commercials, billboards, print and web ads, etc. with scantily clad women. But I need not seek them out. For 99.9% of us men, it's easier to avoid temptation by not seeking it out :-)
Thanks for your prompt and detailed reply to my query, Jeff. I must admit that I'm a bit confused as to your response. I'll admit right now that I'm not religious, much less Catholic, so bear with me if I don't fully understand your faith.
First, are you saying that if a female, no matter the venue, is scantily clad, and may cause lust/temptation in a male of the species, this is immoral on *her* part, or *your* part, or both? Second, do you believe that if you experience a certain level of lust/temptation, that you won't be able to enter Heaven?
Finally, I would think that those who are strong in their faith could dismiss the temporary temptation offered by the Hooters staff, and enjoy the benefits of the funds they could provide to help those in need. Is this not a worthy goal, or is the money tainted by what some may perceive as their immorality?
I cannot judge a female that dresses in such a way as to incite lust in another person, for a variety of reasons. Just as I cannot say that a woman is raped because of how she was dressed. But I can say that what you wear and how you wear it can definitely be immoral, especially if you are doing so only to receive compliments, payments, or even extra glances from the other sex—guys or girls.
The body is a beautiful thing, and it's a shame so many people believe it should be displayed in a sexual manner to everyone. Rather, the body should be kept 'holy', and a big part of that is making sure you only reveal the body to those to whom it should be revealed—just as the Jews revered the two stone tablets that held the ten commandments, and didn't reveal them to anyone after they were sealed in the Ark, or how Catholics reserve the Eucharist inside a closed tabernacle.
Pope John Paul II writes much more eloquently than I in his 'Theology of the Body'—I refer you to his work for further info.
No, not at all. Experiencing lustful feelings or temptations are not immoral or wrong in any way. It's what I *do* with those temptations. If I take a second look at a racy image, or if I let my temptation influence my thoughts about a person—that is when I sin, and need to make up for it. I still might be able to enter Heaven, but only after I rectify the wrong I've done (through penance / reconciliation).
There are a few males I know (very few) who could walk right into a Hooters, enjoy a meal, and walk out without giving into any lustful thoughts. And those people are living saints, in my book! Even so, knowing that the majority of Hooters' constituents are not living saints, and Hooters' business model is based on their mis-projection of the female body, I do not think that any organization should accept donations from them.
It's the same thing as Playboy sending their bunnies out to a children's hospital in nice clothes to volunteer or raise funds—it doesn't make what Playboy does right, it just (a) eases Hugh's conscience (that's debatable), and (b) makes Playboy seem to be a 'good' (or at least acceptable) organization because of the charity they do.
The ends never justify the means in Catholic moral teaching. Some good reading on ends and means from our philosopher friend Thomas Aquinas is helpful here.
Jeff ... I'm not sure what one would be confused about. The vast majority of people (e.g. men) go to 'Hooters' to gawk at women ... or do you think they are going there for the intellectual stimulation? Of course one can go to 'Hooters' without sinning or being immoral, but holding a Catholic fundraising event at Hooters is clearly a bad fit. Are you saying you can't understand that? The focus is to elsewhere ... not on women's body parts. Just keeping it real.
Oops ... This was directed at John, not Jeff.
Oh, and I so wish women (including young girls and teens) could be taught what is proper to wear in church.
Amen
I'm not Catholic,nor do I support St.Patricks,but it shocked me,that they'd have something like this cause,somewhere like that.I've been in Hooter's back in the 1990's,and no way,w'd I take my Daughter,there.I'd feel like that be okaying to dress like that. There's supposed to be a Moral Line,sending out a message,or representation.This shocks me.If Rev.Larry Rice done this,imagine the "backlash".
Did the Catholic Church cancel the event because they learned the waitresses wouldn't be 12-year-old boys?
Ad hominem.
I just wanted an answer, and I get evasion.
You are a gentleman.