Anniversary mass. Pay the priest?

[remey]

Hi,

We've arranged an anniversary mass for a family member. Just wondering if there's a 'going rate' to give the priest. It is spefically for the family member, well actually they'll be the only name mentioned at the normal weekday mass. I do feel we should put something (how much??) in an envelope or is that not the done thing?

 

[ngwrbc]

I think we give the priest 50euro annually at our anniversary mass, yes in the little brown envelope, leaves it with the church office in advance of the mass. I also think my father gives the lady in the office 20euros when he confirms the mass.

 

[bigbertha]

I would normally give 10-15euros for getting a mass said. Even though
I feel you shouldn't have to pay at all!!! I would get a few masses
said a year so this would all add up.

 

[Billo]

I would normally give 10-15euros for getting a mass said. Even though
I feel you shouldn't have to pay at all!!! I would get a few masses
said a year so this would all add up.

That's a strange attitude. You feel that you should not pay, and still get a few masses said a year. Why do you think you should not pay?

 

[Caveat]

Why do you think you should not pay?

Well the poster can answer for themselves and I'm not putting words in their mouth but my attitude would be that the mass is being said anyway - it's not like there is any extra work involved.

Just as it is the duty of a priest to take an interest in the welfare of his parishioners I would consider it part of his job to remember the departed.

I think 'paying' for something like this is bizarre. No offence.

(Unless of course I've got it all wrong - is there such a thing generally as a specially arranged mass specifically dedicated to a particular person? I would have thought this was unusual.)

 

[BillK]

When our second grandson was stillborn at full term we asked our parish priest if we could have a mass for him. He agreed immediately and put a notice in the church entrance. We had the dedicated mass in a side chapel with standing room only. Talking to him afterwards I asked him what was the cost to which he replied that there was no cost; when I suggested that there must have been some expenses involved he flatly denied it and refused point blank to take even a donation.

God bless Father Frank Daly, a Limerick man serving at a church in the English Midlands.

 

[Complainer]

I also think my father gives the lady in the office 20euros when he confirms the mass.

Does this go to parish funds, or into her pocket?

 

[Billo]

(Unless of course I've got it all wrong - is there such a thing generally as a specially arranged mass specifically dedicated to a particular person? I would have thought this was unusual.)

There must be as the OP is getting the Mass dedicated to a particular person.

Anyway I think in this instance it would be appropriate to give a donation to the Priest, maybe €20, The Priest has to live too.

Rgds
Billo

 

[Caveat]

But the OP went on to say

Hi,
...well actually they'll be the only name mentioned at the normal weekday mass.

...so I take from that he was just saying his normal mass anyway. So my understanding of that is that the proposal is that the priest be be paid for saying someone's name.

As regards 'making a living', well that's another story...

 

[bigbertha]

To answer Billo, why should one have to pay the priest for a mass they're saying anyway? Can't see anything strange about that.

I'm sure I heard somewhere recently that priests are on an annual salary so this
extra money is an extra bonus and I imagine it's straight into their pocket. Can't see the clergy declaring extra income over the year for tax purposes.

 

[Caveat]

I'm sure I heard somewhere recently that priests are on an annual salary

I'm not saying you, but I honestly cannot believe the amount of people who think priests exist only on donations and don't receive regular fixed income like any other employee - it's one of the biggest myths going.

Have a look at this long thread and see what you think - particularly from post # 120 onwards.

 

[Brianne]

To answer Billo, why should one have to pay the priest for a mass they're saying anyway? Can't see anything strange about that.

I'm sure I heard somewhere recently that priests are on an annual salary so this
extra money is an extra bonus and I imagine it's straight into their pocket. Can't see the clergy declaring extra income over the year for tax purposes.

Surely your last sentence is a sweeping generalisation!!!
In most dioceses there are regulations re income from Mass contributions, weddings, baptisms and funerals. Where I live, all contributions go to missions abroad.
People who attend Mass and are of the belief that they like to get their families mentioned during the Mass also know that if they had no money , they will not be refused and also know that by contributing money they are maintaining their clergy. Unlike many churches, members of the Catholic church do not pay tithes but still have an obligation to financially support their clergymen.

 

[ANORAKPHOBIA]

So the priests are the problem. that tax take should solve all our problems.

 

[micmclo]

Unlike many churches, members of the Catholic church do not pay tithes but still have an obligation to financially support their clergymen.

The last time I heard about tithes was in secondary school learning about Penal Laws.
Are tithes where you donate 10% of your income to your church?

Wow, that's a lot to pay
I didn't know that still existed

 

[Purple]

In Germany (and other countries) you note your religion on your tax return and a portion of your income tax is given to it.
The practice of paying priests in Ireland dated to penal times when priests were allowed to function openly but could not be paid (as they were not allowed to overtly organise a diocesan level).

 

[remey]

Well today was the day of the mass. About 20 family & friends arrived to be told that the mass was cancelled and they were sorry for not letting us know.....
Envelope stuffed firmly back into pocket!!

 

[Swallows]

That must tell you something!!! do you think the priest knew you were discussing payment?

 

[remey]

He's probably a member and had me sussed!

 

[usapriest]

Mass offerings should not be thought of as a payment to the priest for mentioning a name during Mass, but as a thanksgiving offering to God and His Church for the many blessings He has given us. A priest will not refuse a Mass intention only because there is no stipend attached (if he does, he has serious problems he needs to deal with). A parish worker who takes down the intentions may not be so understanding, but mistakenly so.

What happens with the stipends varies from diocese to diocese and sometimes from parish to parish. Sometimes it goes to the missions, sometimes it goes to the parish, sometimes it goes to the priest, sometimes it is divided up. A priest may only accept one stipend per day (to avoid abuse). Generally, in my diocese, the suggested offering is USD10, but we frequently get other amounts, from nothing to USD5 to USD30. The average is a little above USD10.

Most priests in the West are paid a salary. It ranges from barely above the poverty level to enough to be comfortable, but never enough to be wealthy. If a priest is wealthy, the money comes from family wealth or a previous occupation. Keep in mind that most priests have to pay from their salaries/stipends for such things as automobiles (and repairs thereof) and provide for their retirement and long-term care.

As for myself, I receive in stipends much less than I spend on unreimbursed expenses such as books and materials given to people I counsel or to our youth group and other items for which my parish has no budget. And I'm in a relatively wealthy parish in a very wealthy town.

Since I've been a priest, my bank account has not grown noticeably, and I've only been able to make a small provision for my retirement. That's even with an important contribution from family investments. I can't imagine how a priest who does not come from a well-to-do family, with student loans, in a poor parish, manages to get by without stipends.

To the poster that doubts if priests declare the mass offerings and stipends they receive in their tax declarations, I can't speak for anyone else, but I just did an hour ago.

 

[Purple]

I'm a devout atheist but I have the height of respect for most of the priests I know. The notion that they are making lots of money for themselves is laughable. The main practical reason stopping the Catholic Church from allowing priests to marry is that they can't afford to pay them enough to support a family. Most Church of Ireland clergy who are married have working wives/husbands for much the same reason.

As for declaring offerings for tax; I doubt most priests earn enough to pay tax.