The Power of Almsgiving: Why Fewer Catholics Do It Today

Ever wonder why your prayers go unanswered? St. John Chrysostom once said that it is because you deny the needs of the poor when they ask for help. He taught that when someone asks for alms, we should not worry about how they will use it—our duty is simply to give.

Yet today, many Catholics hesitate—or outright refuse—to give alms. Why?

Why Are There Fewer Catholics Doing Almsgiving?

Despite the Church’s long-standing tradition of almsgiving and its powerful spiritual benefits, fewer Catholics practice this act of mercy. Many do not realize:

• Almsgiving is a powerful way to be forgiven from sin, especially in reducing temporal punishment.
• It assists the holy souls in Purgatory, who cry out in need of spiritual help.
• It protects the giver from harm and evil, as Scripture and saints teach.
• It is a spiritual bank, where what you give today will bless you tomorrow—sometimes in unexpected and miraculous ways.

Selfish and Demonic Excuses That Stop Almsgiving

Here are some of the most common bad and selfish reasons Catholics fall into for neglecting almsgiving:

1. “I might need it later.”
This fear-driven excuse forgets the providence of God. Clinging to money as security is a form of distrust.

2. “They might misuse the money.”
St. John Chrysostom rebukes this excuse. Our job is to give; what they do is between them and God.

3. “I give in other ways.”
While time and service matter, monetary alms is uniquely sacrificial and impactful—especially for the poor and suffering souls.

4. “I’m not rich enough to give.”
The poor widow in Scripture gave all she had and was praised by Christ. Almsgiving isn’t about amount—it’s about love.

5. “Let someone else help them.”
This mindset ignores personal responsibility. You are called to be a channel of God’s mercy, not a bystander.

6. “I’ll give when I’m more financially stable.”
If you don’t give when you have little, you won’t give when you have much. Charity grows through practice, not wealth.

7. “What if I don’t get anything in return?”
This is a demonic temptation to doubt God’s promises. The Lord repays, sometimes spiritually, sometimes materially—but always abundantly.

8. “It’s not my problem.”
The soul that hardens itself to the cry of the poor is resisting grace and mercy. This coldness is a step toward spiritual death.

Scriptural and Saint Warnings

“For alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness" (Tobit 4:11, Douay-Rheims).

“The gate of heaven is opened by alms.”
— St. John Chrysostom

“Give, and it shall be given to you: good measure, and pressed down, and shaken together, and running over…" (Luke 6:38).

Almsgiving does not replace confession, but it lessens temporal punishment, especially when done after a good confession or in a state of grace. When done in mortal sin, it earns no merit—but when grace is restored, past acts of almsgiving are applied retroactively.

Examples of the Power of Almsgiving

• The Mysterious Poor Soul

A woman gave all she had to offer a Mass for a poor stranger. Afterward, she delivered a letter to a young man who realized the letter was from his deceased father. Her almsgiving helped a soul in Purgatory and returned a blessing a hundredfold.

• St. Martin of Tours

He gave his cloak to a shivering beggar, later seeing Christ in a vision wearing the same cloak. From then, God repaid his charity with overflowing blessings, allowing him to care for thousands of poor.

• St. John the Almsgiver

He gave to a beggar not once, not twice, but three times—each time doubling the amount—even though he knew it was the same man in disguise. His reason? “It may be my Lord Jesus Christ is testing me.” Would you pass that test?

Almsgiving and Financial Blessings

“He that hath mercy on the poor, lendeth to the Lord: and he will repay him.”
— Proverbs 19:17

“Almsgiving causes an increase in spiritual and even temporal goods.”
— St. Thomas Aquinas

Many Catholics who give generously have witnessed divine help in their financial or personal struggles. Those who sow generously, reap generously—not always in money, but in grace, protection, peace, and unexpected blessings.

The Choice Is Yours

When was the last time you gave without overthinking it?

Do you find yourself hesitating—perhaps out of fear, judgment, or selfishness?

These are not just human doubts—they are often temptations inspired by the enemy of souls, who fears the power of charity. Every soul you help lifts the weight of your own sins. Every act of mercy makes you more like Christ.

“There is no excuse for not giving, as a widowed woman gave all her money in the temple of God. No rich person is too wealthy to receive, and no poor person is too poor to give.”

Final Reflection:

Almsgiving is not about money—it’s about love.
It is the medicine for a cold heart, a ladder for souls in purgatory, a sword against evil, and a mirror of God's mercy.

If you want to see Heaven open its doors to you, start opening your hand to the poor.

God is watching. And He will not forget.

Source

Personal Testimony 

Many people are uncomfortable giving money to a homeless person. My brother lived as a homeless man for 18 years. God used the generosity of others to sustain his life as is recounted in his obituary below:

Tom Nolan, Jr. (Tommy) was taken from us in a tragic automobile accident on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, after a long and courageous battle with mental illness. Tommy was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on September 27, 1963, on the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, to his father, Tom Nolan, Sr., and late mother, Carole Jeanne Nolan. Tommy led a life of intense suffering but never gave up. He maintained a positive attitude throughout most of his life.

In his early twenties, he entered the seminary and was studying and preparing to become a Catholic priest. One summer break, while living at home, he met a lovely girl and fell in love. He struggled to discern whether or not he was called to the priesthood or to the married state. He eventually discerned that he was not called to the priesthood. However, during this time he also suffered greatly through the severe test of a chemical imbalance which led to a psychotic episode that changed his life forever.

He was in the hospital for six months until his doctor was finally able to figure out the correct medication for him. Once that happened, he returned home but was never the same again.

His family agonized over his mental deterioration, but Tom and Jeanne’s strong faith in God and His Providence was the rock on which the family leaned. During this time of darkness and pain, Jeanne read Pope Saint John Paul II’s encyclical on “The Christian Meaning of Human Suffering” (Salvifici Doloris) which enabled her to find peace and to pass that peace on to the rest of the family.

After this time of intense suffering and confusion, Tommy gradually regained the ability to function in daily life but led a very simple way of life. For the next 20 years he maintained a strong faith in God and focused on loving his family and six nieces and nephews. “He was the best uncle!” they all fondly recall. He would play with them for hours upon hours. He held simple jobs and was eventually able to live on his own.

In 2006, however, he suffered another bout with a chemical imbalance and psychotic episode that was ultimately diagnosed as “Schizoaffective Disorder.” Unfortunately, the sickness affected his thinking and at this point he decided that he would no longer take any type of medication because he didn’t like the way it made him feel and he didn’t think he needed it. Because he was an adult, there was nothing his family could do about this. His ability to reason was lost and his simple life began to fall apart. He eventually lost his apartment and had to move back in with his parents, Tom and Jeanne.

This was a very difficult period for everyone because the sickness made him dangerously angry. He ended up in the hospital but was only kept there for three days and then released without notifying the family. They eventually found out that his plan was to walk/hitchhike to California.

This began the last period of his life where he would live as a homeless person for the next 18 years as he traveled all over the United States. Over those years he would come home at different times but he always left again a few days later. His family continually pleaded with him to stay and to take his medicine but he would not even consider it.

Of course the family was distraught about this and continually prayed for God’s help and guidance. Jeanne continually felt the Lord telling her “I want what you do not want, but I can do what you cannot do.” From hindsight it could be seen what was meant by this:

“I want what you do not want” = The family did not want him to live this way but it was an unfortunate situation with no human solution because the family had no legal recourse to help him. However, they eventually realized that this walking and traveling from city to city was actually good for Tommy. It kept him moving and, with this continual activity, his anger issues went away. When he came home for a visit he was always positive and joyful. He continually talked about his faith in God and read the bible from cover to cover many times.

“But I can do what you cannot do” = There are so many people who help the homeless every day in very generous ways. God inspired many of those people to help Tommy, and because of their acts of love, he had a continuous supply of money, food, and hotel rooms for days and even weeks at a time. One person even let him stay in a trailer on his property for several months; another person let him stay in his second home for a few months.

Sadly, on February 4, 2025, he was walking on the side of a 2-lane highway, as he had done for the last 18 years, however, this would be his last time. The police report stated: “According to the DPS Sergeant Justin Ruiz, a 2002 Ford-150 was traveling northbound on the highway when it had to move onto the shoulder to avoid colliding with another vehicle driving southbound in the northbound lane. The driver of the Ford then struck the pedestrian, who was walking on the northbound shoulder. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.

In lieu of flowers please consider having a Catholic Mass offered for the repose of his soul and helping a homeless person in some way. One suggestion is to make a donation to your local Society of Saint Vincent De Paul in Tommy’s name.