Christening & how much to priest

deisemum

There are a lot of very wealthy priests and plenty of them have been left houses and other property by old wans or old lads who didn't have close family or even their own families.

The only poor priests I've seen are those in the missions. Having married into a family that have priests and nuns in it and from having discussions with them as well as other priests that I have known over the years I know how well heeled a lot of them are.

As for their declared income it's very like the taxi drivers who were all putting in the similiar low amounts a few years back. Every single one of the priests that I know take a number of holidays every years.

That aside I do think people should offer something if they're having an occasion at the church. The one thing that I think is disgraceful is where it's a month's mind mass and the family of the recently deceased stand like beggars at the back of the church so that the congregation put money in a box that will then be given to the priest. I don't think this is carried out in urban areas. It's a few years since I was at a month's mind mass so I only hope they stopped that dreadful practice.

deravarra

littlecat wrote: »

I pity the OP who asked a simple question!

No priest will mind not being given a contribution after a christening - however I think that considering what will be spent on the outfits for various family members and for the function / caterer, it's nice to offer something to the only person present apart from the baby without whom the occasion would not be happening at all. €50 sounds about right I'd say but it really depends on the family's circumstances whether they increase or decrease that amount.

A simple friendly thank you, a chat, and a show of appreciation might make his day, especially if he, like the majority, is an innocent hard-working man who has spent the rest of his day listening to how much the church is hated.

I'd have to agree with you there. I don't think anyone would be refused on the basis of inability to afford a contribution. But the bare faced cheek of some people going all out and no expenses spared for a day out and they pull some excuse out like a magician with a rabbit...

Try that with the photographer and see where it gets you

Yes Boss

deisemum wrote: »

There are a lot of very wealthy priests and plenty of them have been left houses and other property by old wans or old lads who didn't have close family or even their own families.

The only poor priests I've seen are those in the missions. Having married into a family that have priests and nuns in it and from having discussions with them as well as other priests that I have known over the years I know how well heeled a lot of them are.

As for their declared income it's very like the taxi drivers who were all putting in the similiar low amounts a few years back. Every single one of the priests that I know take a number of holidays every years.

That aside I do think people should offer something if they're having an occasion at the church. The one thing that I think is disgraceful is where it's a month's mind mass and the family of the recently deceased stand like beggars at the back of the church so that the congregation put money in a box that will then be given to the priest. I don't think this is carried out in urban areas. It's a few years since I was at a month's mind mass so I only hope they stopped that dreadful practice.

That's it in a nutshell - They should all be audited!!

deravarra

deisemum wrote: »

There are a lot of very wealthy priests and plenty of them have been left houses and other property by old wans or old lads who didn't have close family or even their own families.

The only poor priests I've seen are those in the missions. Having married into a family that have priests and nuns in it and from having discussions with them as well as other priests that I have known over the years I know how well heeled a lot of them are.

As for their declared income it's very like the taxi drivers who were all putting in the similiar low amounts a few years back. Every single one of the priests that I know take a number of holidays every years.

That aside I do think people should offer something if they're having an occasion at the church. The one thing that I think is disgraceful is where it's a month's mind mass and the family of the recently deceased stand like beggars at the back of the church so that the congregation put money in a box that will then be given to the priest. I don't think this is carried out in urban areas. It's a few years since I was at a month's mind mass so I only hope they stopped that dreadful practice.

I think this is very misleading. Im not sure how "well heeled" you think priests are, but it's nothing like you suggest!

Diocesan priests get far below the minimum wage. How many people with a good few years of study would do that? and for the hours they do ...

And as for holidays ... everyone is entitled to time off work - and priests are the same in this regard. As for the suggestion of a few holidays a year ... nonsensical!

"plenty of them left houses" ... again, doubtful.

I know plenty of priests - diocesan ones, and they depend on their families to subsidise them in their day to day living ... even down to groceries ... because they arent being paid enough.

Did you know that in Waterford, they get paid once every three months? And from what I recall from a recent conversation with one of the priests down there, their salary is quite small. Dublin pays €29,000 per year - but Waterford would be about €17,000.

deravarra

Yes Boss wrote: »

That's it in a nutshell - They should all be audited!!

Yes, they should - so it would stop people going off on a right oul' rant and speculating about how much was earned.

I'd be laughing when you guys would then realise how little they earn!

deisemum

deravarra wrote: »

I think this is very misleading. Im not sure how "well heeled" you think priests are, but it's nothing like you suggest!

Diocesan priests get far below the minimum wage. How many people with a good few years of study would do that? and for the hours they do ...

And as for holidays ... everyone is entitled to time off work - and priests are the same in this regard. As for the suggestion of a few holidays a year ... nonsensical!

"plenty of them left houses" ... again, doubtful.

I know plenty of priests - diocesan ones, and they depend on their families to subsidise them in their day to day living ... even down to groceries ... because they arent being paid enough.

Did you know that in Waterford, they get paid once every three months? And from what I recall from a recent conversation with one of the priests down there, their salary is quite small. Dublin pays €29,000 per year - but Waterford would be about €17,000.

My husband's uncle has been left property including property in Ballsbridge during the boom and he's not the only one. If as you claim their earnings are so low how come a lot of them can afford to go off to the Algarve/Florida etc for a few weeks holidays playing golf then come back and head off again shortly after and it's paid for out of their own pockets.

I'd be delighted to earn €17,000 and have accommodation provided.

deravarra

deisemum wrote: »

My husband's uncle has been left property including property in Ballsbridge during the boom and he's not the only one. If as you claim their earnings are so low how come a lot of them can afford to go off to the Algarve/Florida etc for a few weeks holidays playing golf then come back and head off again shortly after and it's paid for out of their own pockets.

I'd be delighted to earn €17,000 and have accommodation provided.

There may be some, but they are in the minority - and I know that for a fact!

17000, and accomodation provided for the duration of their time in the parish - then they must get a place of their own. At least with our mortgages we have a place after a few years. Somehow, I dont think you would be on call 24/7 for 17,000 ...

Again, I think you are generalizing, and its very disingenuous.

dayshah

deisemum wrote: »

The only poor priests I've seen are those in the missions.

What about the Franciscans?

Also, a lot of the Brothers in De La Salle are not well off. They donate most of their teaching salary.

deravarra

dayshah wrote: »

What about the Franciscans?

Also, a lot of the Brothers in De La Salle are not well off. They donate most of their teaching salary.

Perceptions can be misleading ... people could see a nun driving a 2010 reg car, and figure out they are loaded ... but that car could have to do between 10 of them...

and you are right about the salaries ... quite a lot of those salaries go to fund the mission activities of those religious orders.

spikadelica

Well don't we just love our religious orders, can't comment on nuns but have a very close relative who is a CBS brother .. he can claim two pensions having worked in both UK and ROI education system.. however all his income is given towards the running of the household that he and several other brothers are living in. The days of housekeepers and all the easy living is well gone for these old lads now.. and they are allocated pocket money on a needs must basis... if my relative left the order and did his own thing he would have close to 900 Euro /p/w nice work if you can get it.

deravarra

spikadelica wrote: »

Well don't we just love our religious orders, can't comment on nuns but have a very close relative who is a CBS brother .. he can claim two pensions having worked in both UK and ROI education system.. however all his income is given towards the running of the household that he and several other brothers are living in. The days of housekeepers and all the easy living is well gone for these old lads now.. and they are allocated pocket money on a needs must basis... if my relative left the order and did his own thing he would have close to 900 Euro /p/w nice work if you can get it.

But you see, they have bigs houses, lots of land, money left to them, etc etc etc ... so they must be loaded ...

moan moan moan.

spikadelica

You see there is a perception of wealth but the individual guys in these orders are not all that well off.. they get by but in comparison to other teachers from their generation they lag behind in terms of cash and respect.. !

deravarra

spikadelica wrote: »

You see there is a perception of wealth but the individual guys in these orders are not all that well off.. they get by but in comparison to other teachers from their generation they lag behind in terms of cash and respect.. !

better stop there, or they'll make out that we're in the brothers or the nuns lol ...

that would be difficult for me - since they dont take muslims lol

spikadelica

I agree.. my relative is one of the reducing number of good ones... HaHa..( a lot of offense intended). However a lot of policies are not the idea of the lower members and they are the ones who suffer the complaints at the front line.

However their bosses never made a good case to begin with..

deravarra

anyhoooo - back to the op ...

as much as you can afford, and would be a reasonable amount for the time and effort put in by the priest.

something as small as a tenner would do grand, and if you feel you want to give more, do so ... but there is no obligation for anything big.

if you cant afford anything at all, im sure the priest would understand.

merlante

Just dug up something I half remembered from the Bible, which may or may not be relevant to what I suspect are a la carte, lapsed catholics on here.

15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; 16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. 17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. 18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

So lads, a house of prayer, not a place where things, or services, are bought and sold. I could be wrong, but I would have thought the selling of sacraments went out around the time of counter reformation?

For those of you who don't believe in god, and just use the church cynically as a 'period' location for weddings and baptisms, have some respect to the men and women who do believe, grow a backbone, and go elsewhere for your day out.

If you're so much of a cretin that you are willing to lie to the priest's or bishop's face about your beliefs, and waste the man's time, and insult actual believers (if there any left), then I suppose you could leave a communion dresses worth of cash in a brown envelope in the sacristy.

I know that little Fintan or Shamona might feel left out when the hypocritical parents of all of the other children cross the necessary t's and dot the i's, but look at it this way, you'll save money on dresses and tanning salons, and your kids won't grow up as morally bewildered as the rest.

FOXFISH1

mozattack wrote: »

Hi All,

Christening for little son on Sunday and I don't know how much we 'have to' pay the priest. We are not regular church goers are anything and things are tight.

I am hearing €100 but also heard €200... is it really that high*

*(i know it is voluntary but there are certain expectations which we would probably have to honour)

Thanks!!

I usually give 20eu...but it depends on what i can afford at the time.


If you partake in the ceremony (ie.responses/readings etc) this will mean more to the priest than any financial donation.
I see many baptisms were only a small percentage of those present put any effort into partaking in the ceremony.

deisemum

merlante wrote: »

Just dug up something I half remembered from the Bible, which may or may not be relevant to what I suspect are a la carte, lapsed catholics on here.



So lads, a house of prayer, not a place where things, or services, are bought and sold. I could be wrong, but I would have thought the selling of sacraments went out around the time of counter reformation?

For those of you who don't believe in god, and just use the church cynically as a 'period' location for weddings and baptisms, have some respect to the men and women who do believe, grow a backbone, and go elsewhere for your day out.

If you're so much of a cretin that you are willing to lie to the priest's or bishop's face about your beliefs, and waste the man's time, and insult actual believers (if there any left), then I suppose you could leave a communion dresses worth of cash in a brown envelope in the sacristy.

I know that little Fintan or Shamona might feel left out when the hypocritical parents of all of the other children cross the necessary t's and dot the i's, but look at it this way, you'll save money on dresses and tanning salons, and your kids won't grow up as morally bewildered as the rest.

The way the prices of communion dresses have fallen this year there may not be much to leave in an envelope. My sister bought a new communion dress in Dunnes for my niece for €25 and it was later reduced to €15 and looked nicer than some of the more ornate meringues. This sister and family go to mass every week bar illness.

When I got married many moons ago my parish priest had 2 rates for weddings. Regular mass attenders got a much reduced rate than those who didn't attend on a regular basis.

Things wont change until people get off the fence.

dayshah

I know the OP is about baptisms, but for weddings I think people should give something for the altar boys too.

mozattack

Hi all, I am the OP on this thread. I checked it Thursday and there were two responses, today there are over 80! WOW.

In the end we gave €60. We were lucky as we were the only ones in attendance and €60 is fair enough. Priest was good - a little bit serious for my liking but who am I to judge?

I know someone said earlier that they didn't like people worrying about how much they will pay the priest when they may later go an spend X amount on food for everyone. It is true but when you have 20 people there solely to see the child being baptised you do have to supply food and the only real way is to go somewhere (Oscars - see another thread for that) for food.

merlante

mozattack wrote: »

Hi all, I am the OP on this thread. I checked it Thursday and there were two responses, today there are over 80! WOW.

In the end we gave €60. We were lucky as we were the only ones in attendance and €60 is fair enough. Priest was good - a little bit serious for my liking but who am I to judge?

I know someone said earlier that they didn't like people worrying about how much they will pay the priest when they may later go an spend X amount on food for everyone. It is true but when you have 20 people there solely to see the child being baptised you do have to supply food and the only real way is to go somewhere (Oscars - see another thread for that) for food.

The really important thing, though, is that your child can now be saved:

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that "Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament."

and

The Catholic Church holds that non-Christians who seek God with a sincere heart and, moved by grace, try to do God's will as they know it through the dictates of conscience can also be saved without water baptism as they are said to desire it implicitly.[160] As for unbaptized infants, the Church is unsure of their fate; "the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God" (Catechism, 1261)

You're probably better off with a serious priest, it's really not the sort of thing you want to **** up.

With the casual way people approach these things, it's as if they don't really believe in them at all, and that the whole thing is just a bit of a joke. When you think of it, 60 euro is a bargain, when you consider the stakes.

dayshah

merlante wrote: »

You're probably better off with a serious priest, it's really not the sort of thing you want to **** up.

You mean like at the end of the Godfather, when the baptism leads to all the killings? (If my understanding of that film is correct)

As well as the whole salvation thingy, baptism is about welcoming a baby into a community of believers.

In that sense its a pity its not done as part of a Sunday mass, and its a point completely lost on some of the people here.

Deise Tom

Smiley Burnett wrote: »

not all priests are paedophiles you know!!

I might not agree with what you say on here alot of the times, but this is one time that i do. Alot of them are tarred and feathered because of a few bad apples.

deravarra

Deise Tom wrote: »

I might not agree with what you say on here alot of the times, but this is one time that i do. Alot of them are tarred and feathered because of a few bad apples.

And the whole situation made even worse by the woefully poor handling of such heinous crimes by those in charge!

The vast majority of these priests (the good ones) are paying for the crimes of the bishops who did nothing to protect the vulnerable

Deise Tom

snuggles09 wrote: »

I cant even remember if I gave anything on my last daughter..i'm full sure i didnt..he's a priest..it's his job (sorry vocation).. does the money thats given go back into the church fund to pay for heat etc? is that why you pay the priest? or is it to give to him personally? never thought much about it but now you mention i'd be interested to know

If the priest is not allowed to keep the money for himself, how do you think he will live. does he get petrol for his car etc for free. does the same apply when it comes to feeding himself. Have you ever heard what some priests get from the various collections for their pay.

deravarra

Deise Tom wrote: »

If the priest is not allowed to keep the money for himself, how do you think he will live. does he get petrol for his car etc for free. does the same apply when it comes to feeding himself. Have you ever heard what some priests get from the various collections for their pay.

From what I recall in a conversation, and from some articles in newspapers on this very issue - a small portion is allowed to be kept, and the rest goes to a central fund which is used to pay the priests' salaries.

merlante

dayshah wrote: »

You mean like at the end of the Godfather, when the baptism leads to all the killings? (If my understanding of that film is correct)

Well if the baptism is botched and the infant dies before it can demonstrate a desire to be a christian and to do the right thing, then the destination/status of its eternal soul is in doubt, according to the catholic catechism (see quote in post above).

Mafia killings only affect us in this life.

littlecat

mozattack wrote: »

I know someone said earlier that they didn't like people worrying about how much they will pay the priest when they may later go an spend X amount on food for everyone. It is true but when you have 20 people there solely to see the child being baptised you do have to supply food and the only real way is to go somewhere (Oscars - see another thread for that) for food.

Hi OP,

I agree completely that you have guests who you want to treat for the occasion - it's all part of the day. My comment was honestly aimed more at those with the "why should we give him anything" approach, rather than at someone who was not only going to give something to the priest but went to the bother of trying to find out what was appropriate.

Hope you all had a lovely day

Deise Tom

deravarra wrote: »

The vast majority of these priests (the good ones) are paying for the crimes of the bishops who did nothing to protect the vulnerable

Can i take it that you feel all the bishops are bad men, even the ones that were just preists when the abuse was going on.

deravarra

Deise Tom wrote: »

Can i take it that you feel all the bishops are bad men, even the ones that were just preists when the abuse was going on.

No, just the ones who sat back and did nothing, but colluded with authorities, both within and without the catholic church to conceal the most heinous of crimes perpetrated against the most vulnerable in society - the very ones they should have been protecting.