---
title: "Valentine's Day: Glorious, Notorious, . . . Ethical?"
description: Catholic Relief Services Ethical Trade celebrates the dignity of work while improving the lives of the world’s most vulnerable.
---

[![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/)

[![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber)

[![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/01/25/valentines-day-glorious-notorious-ethical#)

# Valentine's Day: Glorious, Notorious, . . . Ethical?

Jan 25, 2017 8:30:42 AM  |  by [Catholic Relief Services](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/catholic-relief-services)

[![](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/vday_fashion.jpg?width=300&height=400&name=vday_fashion.jpg)](http://ethicaltrade.crs.org/) [CRS Ethical Trade](http://ethicaltrade.crs.org/) helps you bring justice to the marketplace. Photo courtesy Mata Traders

Should we feel a little uncomfortable that a day dedicated to love and friendship is so closely associated with sinister deeds?

St. Valentine of Rome and St. Valentine of Terni were both martyred for their faithful following of God’s call for us to love one another. Each is widely recognized as the inspiration of St. Valentine’s Day. At the opposite end of the love spectrum lies the notorious 1929 St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, when seven men were murdered in a Chicago garage by members of a rival gang. (Rumor has it they were all involved in *extremely* unethical trade.)

[We side with the saints](http://catholicmom.com/tag/saints/). And one of our favorite ways to do that on Valentine’s Day is with ethically sourced and produced gifts from our wonderful partners.

[Tweet "Better than candy hearts: #ValentinesDay gifts from @CatholicRelief Ethical Trade partners."]

[![](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/ethical-shopping-guide.jpg?width=350&height=300&name=ethical-shopping-guide.jpg)](http://ethicaltrade.crs.org/guide/?utm_source=catholicmom.com&utm_medium=partner-link&utm_campaign=ethical-trade-holiday-2016) Bookmark the [CRS Ethical Trade Shopping Guide](http://ethicaltrade.crs.org/guide/?utm_source=catholicmom.com&utm_medium=partner-link&utm_campaign=ethical-trade-holiday-2016), and use it for purchases that make the world a better place.

Catholic Relief Services Ethical Trade celebrates the dignity of work while improving the lives of the world’s most vulnerable. When you buy fair trade, you help create a better world.

Our partners bring fair prices, safer working conditions and environmentally sustainable practices to poor and disadvantaged communities. Part of every purchase goes to the CRS Fair Trade Fund, which invests in CRS projects around the world. We’re helping farmers adapt to climate change, improving access to markets, and supporting education and advocacy in the United States.

Try putting *all that* on a candy heart.

Visit our [ethical trade shopping guide](http://ethicaltrade.crs.org/guide/?utm_source=catholicmom.com&utm_medium=partner-link&utm_campaign=ethical-trade-holiday-2016) to select gifts that express your love and your commitment to a just world.

Valentine’s Day is grounded in supreme acts of sacrificial love. Let it inspire us to give gifts that express our love and make a difference.

### Share this article

[![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F01%2F25%2Fvalentines-day-glorious-notorious-ethical%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F01%2F25%2Fvalentines-day-glorious-notorious-ethical%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F01%2F25%2Fvalentines-day-glorious-notorious-ethical%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Valentine%27s%20Day%3A%20Glorious%2C%20Notorious%2C%20.%20.%20.%20Ethical%3F) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F01%2F25%2Fvalentines-day-glorious-notorious-ethical%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F01%2F25%2Fvalentines-day-glorious-notorious-ethical%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) 

**

#### About the Author

![Catholic Relief Services](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/CRS.jpg)

### [Catholic Relief Services](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/catholic-relief-services)

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. We are the official overseas relief and development agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and a member of Caritas International and the National Catholic Development Conference. Find us on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/CatholicReliefServices), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/CatholicRelief), [YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/catholicrelief), [Google Plus](https://plus.google.com/104550074809687046792/posts) and [Pinterest](http://www.pinterest.com/catholicrelief/).

## Related Blog Articles

[

 5 Reasons to hate Valentine’s Day—And one reason to LOVE it

Read

](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/02/07/5-reasons-hate-valentines-day-one-reason-love/)

[

 Maternal and Infant Health Meet Smartphones

Read

](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/04/01/maternal-and-infant-health-meet-smartphones)

[

 Refugee Crisis: Delivering Aid, Experience, Commitment

Read

](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/09/23/refugee-crisis-delivering-aid-experience-commitment)

## Comments

## Donate now

[![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545)

[![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/)

##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify

[![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ)

##### CatholicMom on Social Networks

[![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber)

##### About Catholic Mom

[Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us)

[Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact)

[Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)

 

##### Associated Links

[Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/)

[Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/)

[Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/)

[Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/)

[Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/)

<https://www.avemariapress.com/series/20/CatholicMomcom-Books/>[The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/)

### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! Sign up to receive our free daily digest email.

Copyright © 2026 CatholicMom.com. All Rights Reserved.