The closest thing I can think of is the time period when the Roman Catholic Church was selling indulgences.
Some Roman Catholic priests were definitely selling indulgences, which was forbidden to do by the Magisterium of the Church.
I am a Catholic, and I think there are, unfortunately, many bishops in the USA and around the world today who are like money-changers. Their recent money-changing scheme was to apply for and receive USA government grant funds for their own NGOs in order to aid and abet their unscriptural position on illegal immigration. There were many other leaders of other churches who were doing this same thing.
Why do I think their current position on illegal immigration is unscriptural?
These bishops are pushing the members of their dioceses to accept unlimited illegal immigration. They expect us to provide for them with our tax dollars, regardless of what it costs us, even if we are already in debt for $39 trillion dollars.
This is not the teaching of the traditional, historical Magisterium of the Church.
What these bishops should be teaching is the following:
1. Every country has the responsibility to protect their own citizens by limiting and vetting who is allowed to enter. Every country has the responsibility to protect and defend its borders.
2. Countries must not harm the culture of their countries by admitting people who do not share the traditions and religious values of their own citizens.
3. No country should admit unlimited numbers of illegal aliens. It will cause disastrous consequences. The illegal aliens will birth many children, and when they become the majority, they will impose their cultures and religions upon you, even by violence if you do not submit to their laws.
4. Tell illegal aliens to return to their own country, humble themselves, pray, seek God's will, and repent of their sins. Then God will listen to them, have mercy on them and their country, forgive their sins, and heal their country so that it will be a good place for them to live.
2 Chronicles 7:14
if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
The church leaders also need to teach the following:
If you are a
legal immigrant, you must pay for what you need and do not expect others to support you.
2 Thessalonians 3:8
and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you.
2 Thessalonians 3:10
For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.
