The very charitable director of a Catholic Worker charity was sentenced Friday to 10 days in jail after he was caught offering $500 in alms to a woman in need, in exchange for sex. The woman claimed that the director, Michael Niece, made his charitable offer of money for sex when she went to the director asking for help to send her child to private school. The woman went to the police who set up a recorded phone call during which Niece repeated the offer and arranged to "meet at a taco stand" (so that's what they're calling it these days.) Niece's lawyer said the director was only planning on talking to the woman, not having sex with her. Prosecutors jumped to conclusions, claiming that Niece was indeed prepared to do the deed and exhibiting "predator behavior." So he arrived at the taco with a mattress, sheets and pillow in his van. (He likes to nap.) He also had a sex toy in his pocket. (Or was he just happy to see her?)
Well, even if Niece is guilty under the U.S. law, he isn't guilty under the higher law. The bible tells us to be fruitful and multiply. Check. Give alms to the poor. Check. But it doesn't encourage handouts. God helps those who help themselves. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a life time. Well, give a woman money for her son's education and she'll be able to send him to school for a semester. Teach her to sell her body for sex and she'll be able to send him to highs school, college and grad school.