Why Are Church Buildings Not Open To Shelter The Homeless From The Cold?

The poor, hungry, and homeless are also God’s children

Everyone I know refers to a church building as the church. I don’t. The building is not the church; the members of the congregation are the church. The people are the church.

The church building is not the church.

“Church, in Christian doctrine, (means) the Christian religious community as a whole, or a body or organization of Christian believers.” — Britannica

With few exceptions, most of these buildings remain closed during the week, but on Sundays, they are open for church services.

In the case of some churches with large memberships, the buildings might be used during the week for religious services, and meetings.

Many years ago my office was a five-minute walk from St. Patrick Basilica in Ottawa. Masses were celebrated in the mornings and again at noon. After the mass, the doors were closed, but not locked, so anyone could walk into the building.

I took a later lunch than most of my colleagues so I could spend a few minutes in an almost empty church building, after mass, to meditate.

No one ever stopped me from entering the Basilica or asked me about my religious faith, or for identification. I walked in and out as I pleased.

Interestingly, before mass, some of the poor and homeless stood outside the building begging for alms, but I never saw any of them in the building when I was there.

This building was probably closed at night but was put to good use most of the week.

How many others are similarly used, or not?

The story broke a few days ago about a deep freeze in the southern United States. In the Great State of Texas, churches decided to open their buildings to offer shelter from the cold to anyone in need.

The homeless and the destitute were not the only ones who needed help. People lost power and were cold, and hungry, and needed help.

The churches in Texas stepped in to help.

I was delighted to see this news. Then I thought, “Isn’t this how it should have been all along?”

Aren’t we supposed to help the less fortunate among us?

I am happy that it’s happening in the Lone Star state, and I say God bless all the good people of Texas.

In Canada, some homeless people freeze to death in the winter.

Everyone in Canada knows how cold it gets in the winter, but not enough is being done to prepare to help the homeless.

I have never heard of churches in Canada opening their buildings to create warm and welcoming spaces for the needy in the middle of our Canadian winters.

On the contrary, every year there are stories of people freezing to death in the cold of Canada, one of the richest countries in the world, and a G7 nation. It is shameful and inexcusable.

We can all learn from the good people of Texas who stepped up to help their neighbors.

References: 1. Meaning of church as defined by Britannica. 2. Churches across Texas open doors in cold weather. 3. Lakewood Church helping in the frigid weather.