«At that time, the Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in his speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Knowing their malice, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”»

(Mt 22:15-21)

The freedom of giving

In this Gospel passage, the Pharisees, together with the Herodians, ask Jesus whether it is lawful to pay the tribute to Caesar. He asks to be shown a coin and inquires whose image and inscription appear on it. When they answer “Caesar’s”, he speaks those words that still invite us to reflect today: repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

Listening to this Word, I found myself reflecting on the difference between what we are required to give and what we freely choose to offer as a gift. Tribute responds to an obligation, to a responsibility established by law. The gift, by contrast, arises from a personal choice, through which we decide to place something of our own at the service of others.

But Jesus’s answer also invites us to go beyond this distinction. If the coin bears the image of Caesar imprinted on it, the human being bears the image of God within (Gen 1:27).

“Rendering to God what belongs to God” means, then, recognizing that our entire life is called to be oriented toward Him: who we are, our abilities, our time, our desires, and even our possessions.

In this perspective, the gift can become one of the concrete expressions through which we choose to place what we have at the service of the mission. It is not a tribute paid to fulfill an obligation, but a gesture that can express our willingness to take part in that mission.

From this arises a question that directly concerns fundraising within the Church: how can we invite people to support a mission without turning the gift into an obligation?

Taking Part in the Mission

As we have already emphasized in other articles, the mission needs resources in order to be carried out. The Church’s pastoral, educational, social, and charitable activities require people, expertise, tools, and economic resources. Fundraising makes it possible to identify and gather these resources, contributing to the continuity of the works and their capacity to respond to the needs of communities.

Those who choose to support a mission can recognize in their contribution a meaning that goes beyond financial support. Indeed, this participation can take different forms, depending on each person’s circumstances: a financial gift, time dedicated to volunteering, professional expertise made available, or a relationship that helps broaden the network of support.

An economic gift is therefore one possible form of participation, but it cannot become the sole measure of participation itself. A person’s willingness to contribute to the mission is not exhausted by what they offer materially.

Saint Paul, in the Second Letter to the Corinthians, writes: “Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7).

In the Church, the call to charity and responsibility toward one’s neighbor is an integral part of the Gospel teaching. However, when we ask for a contribution to support a mission, we must be careful not to turn this call into moral pressure.

Belonging to a religious community, as well as sharing the same faith, cannot become grounds for demanding a donation. Each person has different possibilities, sensitivities, and priorities, which must be respected.

If we want the gift to be an expression of authentic participation, we must leave people free to choose whether, how, and when to contribute.

The role of fundraisers in religious organizations

This reflection has concrete implications for those who work in fundraising within religious organizations.

If the gift represents a form of participation in the mission, the fundraiser should be able to communicate the value of that mission and help people recognize how they can contribute to it.

To do this, it is necessary to deeply understand the identity of the organization one works for, grasp its charism, and be able to convey the meaning of the works that express its mission. This makes it possible to engage even people who, while not sharing the same experience of faith, recognize the human and social value of the activities carried out.

This is an awareness that should guide operational choices, starting with the design of fundraising campaigns. Before building a campaign, I believe it is worth asking what image of the mission we are conveying and what kind of relationship we wish to establish with the people we are addressing.

The choice of words, images, and testimonials should reflect this same attentiveness. We can communicate the urgency of a need without leveraging guilt, make explicit requests while respecting the freedom to respond, and recount people’s difficulties without compromising their dignity.

This same attentiveness must accompany the relationship with the donor even after the gift has been made. If we have invited them to take part in the mission, it is important to continue engaging them, sharing the results achieved and listening to their point of view. The fundraiser thus helps build a relationship in which the donor can recognize the value of their gesture and feel part of the work they have supported.

Those who work in fundraising within religious organizations therefore have the responsibility to translate the values of the mission into the way they address donors as well, building relationships founded on respect, trust, and the freedom to participate. Because the dignity of the person, which guides our works, must also be recognized in those who choose to support them.

In this perspective, fundraising can become part of the Church’s witness, offering people the opportunity to recognize themselves in a mission and freely choose how to contribute to its realization.

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