St. Maria Goretti and Scammers for Cash!

++ See the additional information added April 29 below.

Are you aware we, as Catholics and members of SMG and the Ft. Worth Diocese are not to give out cash to those asking for it, for any reason? There are charities and other avenues for those truly in need to receive assistance.

The majority of those seen around not only SMG but other parishes, mall and other parking lots and on street corners are really professional beggars.   Many are members of their own groups of what is referred to as professional scammers.    Some have homes and others live on the street.

If the person truly needs help they will appreciate the opportunity to receive food or come to the SMG Peace & Justice food pantry on Tuesday or Saturday or other appropriate shelter, charity or other avenues such as calling 211 for assistance.

If the person is persistent about wanting cash, then ask them to leave or tell one of the hospitality ministers.  If possible, get their license plate number and report it to the parish office along with a description of the car and person(s).

Brad Maunders, the Director for Peace and Justice is here every Sunday for the 7:30 AM Mass and is generally here most of the day, either in the church, at fellowship or at the Peace & Justice office.

Please read Father Jim's verbiage from the January 24, 2010 bulletin below followed by specific happenings here on the SMG campus Sunday, February 14, 2010.

Also, I AGAIN ask you be careful and avoid being duped by people who come onto our property as Masses are leaving and beg for MONEY for alleviation of their alleged needs for gas and food. Among Church and social networks, these people are called “Sunday scammers.” They prey on the gullibility of the public and Church hop up and down streets and avenues asking for cash. We are not permitted to give out cash in the Diocese. If someone is really in need they can go to the varied and many shelters and out-reach faith-based and city operated assistance offices. Refer them to these when you are approached. Our own efforts at responding to acute requests take place six days- a-week, and these folks know this is generally the rule all over the place. The Sabbath provides rest for our workers and volunteers, who need to recoup their own energies and reconnect with their families and communities. You will hear very sad stories and pleas and some will even be true. Most are not. Professional beggars are very good at melodrama and they persist in their requests for cash and cash only with many reasons why they don’t want food and gas vouchers. Hard as it may be to believe, we have “regulars” who come here in a different disguise every two weeks or so. Or they go to certain faith communities one week and others at different times so they’re not discovered or found out as deceivers. Please do not give cash to such people. This includes the occasional meanderings for money from wanderers into our Oratory of the Sacred Heart. The tell-tale trade mark is their INSISTANCE on cash and cash only. As any agency will tell you, this means the collected money is going for drugs or alcohol and whatever other addiction of the moment needs to be fed. Refer them to Mission Arlington or our Food Pantry. Another give-away is yet another detail on a list of proffered woes after you’ve refused the request and given information about social and faith based outreach efforts and ministries all throughout the Metroplex and from most Churches in the area.

One Arlington policeman told me if we give out cash, they carry that news to other professional scammers and the next thing you know, a Church campus is inundated with waves of people of like-mind. Bottom line…do NOT give them cash but refer them to Mission Arlington or other charities you may know of. I have also been told by the Administrators at Mission Arlington that if people come and tell us Mission Arlington has turned them away, they are not speaking the truth.

Sorry to put forth such information that’s far from the edification we strive to celebrate! It’s a shame that some give the needy financially poor a disservice when our only aim is to “hear the cries of the poor,” a Biblical mandate. Besides feeding addictions by these poor souls, some live better than many of us with their Church hopping and welfare scamming. We and many others have standards and structures time tested and trusted which serve those who are truly in need. The majority come humiliated and even desperate, graciously complying with our minimal screening we must have in place to reassure the greatest number are appropriately served. Beware the tenacious story-tellers at Parish exits and parked cars. You know this is common at malls and strip-stores. But it’s even more common at Church-based gatherings. Catholic Charities is a particularly excellent, sanctioned referral for you to make to these people. They’re in the phone book. This is informed stewardship and protects those who are really, truly in need.

Additional Information: April 29, 2010

Please be aware there is also a lady in her late 50's that consistantly comes around to functions using a crutch under her left arm normally and a cast boot on her left foot. She asks for money for prescriptions and other reasons. She initially came with two men in an older car the first time and they now drive a fairly new off white car. All three can be seen smoking in the car before she makes her move. She has gone to Peace & Justice twice asking for money, to the Knights of Columbus meeting and recently, during a youth function on Saturday evening, April 17, strolled into the Cafetorium asking for money. Ironically, even though this has been discussed a number of times in homilies, in the bulletin and on the web, a volunteer gave her money.

Situation / Circumstances on Sunday, February 14, 2010

This past Sunday, February 14, 2010 St. Maria Goretti was selected as one of the parishes for some of the regional professional scammers to appeal to our parishioners for cash.

After the 7:30 AM Mass there was a woman with a young boy at the south entrance of the church asking for money. Another one was at the front of the church with a child in a stroller and yet a third woman was in the back of the church with another child asking for money. The woman in the back was able to get at least two parishioners either leaving the 7:30 AM Mass or coming to the 9:00 AM Mass to give her money. Another parishioner saw this and asked her to leave the campus advising her it was not allowed to beg for money here. She also followed her to the car where a male driver and another child were waiting. He was also informed of the rules and both were told of our food pantry and Mission Arlington.

The woman at the front of the church also received money from at least one parishioner seen by another that reported the person begging. The person begging also got in the same car as the woman in the back of the church.

Father Jim confronted the woman at the south entrance and advised we do not and are not allowed to give out cash. He requested she wait in the church and had a Peace & Justice volunteer get food for her from the pantry. When they tried to assist her with taking it to her car she took it and left, refusing assistance. She was also given a card and told of the food pantry and hours.   She too got into the same car as the other women.

The woman at the south entrance to the church and the other people in the car were identified by the Peace & Justice director as being from the Kurdish population here in Arlington.

During the Christmas holidays we had a gentleman ask for money for gas and was informed we do not provide cash for gas. He was offered to be taken to his car by a parishioner who was willing to put some actual gas in the car. Instead, the gentleman ran away leaving behind a brand new bicycle from Walmart with the actual vendor signage still on it. It was returned to Walmart who reported it as stolen. (Since it had been scratched and written off Walmart donated it to be used as a Christmas gift.)

Please, if someone comes to you asking for money tell they you cannot give them money but will find someone to get food from Peace and Justice or tell them to come to the pantry at the carport in the back of the church on Tuesday or Saturday by 8:00 AM.  Peace & Justice also directs the clients to other assistance for things like rent, utilities, medical, etc. The person can also be referred to 211 assistance. 211 is staffed to provide direction to those in the Tarrant County area to the appropriate charity, shelter, etc based on their need .