Cost of church for wedding

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Observer said:
Are you serious or taking the proverbial?:confused: Of course a single person with no dependents can survive on €230 per week. (So could a Senior Counsel or a Hospital Consultant but so what?) But do you think mere survival level existence is appropriate? It is the duty of the faithful (if they wish to practise their religion) to support their clergy. What standard of living do you think should be provided? Bear in mind that a priest is a qualified professional with 7 years third level education, irregular and unsocial hours and virtually always on call.
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Do priests not have to take a vow of poverty when ordained?
 
All of the above argument of the fact that wedding are carried outside of working hours or that the priest did extra then they were expected to and therefore they were due extra payment makes me wonder that when my grandmother died and the local priest called to the house at 9pm at night that we should have slipped him a few quid. He even went to ask some details about my granny so he could mention them the next day at the church.
 
brodiebabe said:
All of the above argument of the fact that wedding are carried outside of working hours or that the priest did extra then they were expected to and therefore they were due extra payment ...
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Priest nixers - that's a new one on me.
huskerdu said:
You will be pleased to know, that the union Mandate has a section for clergy.
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Excellent! Would that be an ecumenical matter - i.e. does it cater for all denominations? Do they engage in collective bargaining and, if so, with whom - a corporeal or a mystical entity? Have they ever gone on strike?
 
I would like to know has anyone ever refused to "pay" the "donation"? I ask because as a child aged about 11, I went to my local parish priest to have a mass card signed for a friend who had been killed..he told me to come back when I had put a fiver in it. This despite the fact that we were giving the "donations" in an envelope every week.
 
gauloise said:
I would like to know has anyone ever refused to "pay" the "donation"? I ask because as a child aged about 11, I went to my local parish priest to have a mass card signed for a friend who had been killed..he told me to come back when I had put a fiver in it. This despite the fact that we were giving the "donations" in an envelope every week.
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Sounds like a horrible priest.

Are you talking about for the church or the priest? If you refuse to pay for a church that charges (like university church) then I assume you just cant use the facility and would have to use a free one (like my local parish).

The money for the priest is a voluntary donation and I do know people who havent paid it. It was their choice, they choose not to.
 
My mother has repeatedly tried to have masses said in my father's memory (I believe he'll get indulgences for this which will expedite his exit from Purgatory or something like that) and the local priests have individually told her that they were too busy and to contact one of the other priests. I'm sure she'd pay the required mandatory gratuity but she can't even get them to provide the service (sacrament)! Maybe we need a Religious Services Authority to deal with complaints like this?
 
Neil, you could just ask the Priest to advise you about 'costs' or 'donations'. I'm sure he will answer you and there'll be no misunderstandings!
 
Hi all,
We got married in 2005, having moved to the area 8 months prior to that. We were supposed to get married in our local parish church but due to building works going over the time, the priest said we would have to get married in another church in the area. No problem there. Anyway - my point is, we gave the priest a book voucher for 50 euros, same to the altar boy and invited the priest to the meal. My personal opinion is, the church is a very, very wealthy institution and its part of the priests job to marry people. Besides, as far as I know the priest who married us, didnt have any children to support.............
 
I find it amazing how people can begrudge a donation to a Church for their wedding, yet most of these people will have spent an outrageous amount of money on :flowers,their outfits,bridesmaids dresses,hiring suits,limo hire,ott meals,bands,DJ's and honeymoon yet crib over what seems to me a very small ,and in most cases with no obligation, donation to the church where the most important part of their wedding takes place (if they are religious at all in the first place) Would these same people not tip at a restaurant (staff paid already) etc... no priest will expect any couple to pay beyond their means and if the couple are trying to have a small inexpensive church wedding then most priests will accomodate them. But it seems hypocritical of people to splash out on all the fancy stuff yet not contribute to the venue where their wedding takes place.

My personal opinion is, the church is a very, very wealthy institution and its part of the priests job to marry people. Besides, as far as I know the priest who married us, didnt have any children to support.............
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The Church itself is a wealthy institution but the priest himself is not as even the house,car etc he has is part of the church and not his own personal belongings. Seems a lot of begrudgers on this thread who think just because of a few rotten apples in the priesthood that all priest are somehow greedy and in it for the money.

My father's cousin is a priest and he has spoken to me of the often lonely life that priests have but it is a vocation. They are there at the happiest (weddings,christenings) but also the saddest times of people's lives (death,dying,crash scenes,comforting parents who lose kids etc..) and are on call 24 hours a day. I don't think of many priests who do this for a house,car or 200 euro donation for a wedding.

I think people should get their priorities right and if they want a Church wedding then a donation of what they can afford is not unreasionable IMO!
 
Well I think the church should clarify when a donation is expected and when it isn't as it's quite confusing, Baptism a donation in my experience is expected, First Confession no, First Holy Communion No, Confirmation No, marriage and death yes. I am not a begrudger but I feel when people are contributing to baskets or envelopes every week, this should cover the services of the priest for the above. I do not tip my childrens' teachers, nor the gardai when they come to my aid and do not see why a priest should be treated any differently, regardless of how much is being spent on the day. But at the end of the day it is as others have said a personal decision.
 
gauloise said:
....but I feel when people are contributing to baskets or envelopes every week, this should cover the services of the priest for the above.
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Gauloise,
These basket collections are not for the priests, before every collection goes out the priest should say what the collection is for (if he doesnt you can lodge a complaint with the secretary of your parish) or its usually up on the notice board inside the door. The first collection is usually for an external charity (like st. vincents de paul) and the second for the maintenance of the church. The money for the maintenance of the church goes towards heating, lighting, roof repair, purchasing, etc. Neither collection goes to the priest.
 
Well this is contrary to what is published for a number of parishes who put their collection details on web where it states that the First Collection is for priests and retired priests in the parish, while second fund is for developement. Charities are normally at the gate of the church apart from perhaps 10 mains contributions throughout the year.
 
Some of this is straying OT-if there is a wider issue, please open a thread in LoS or StB.

Thanks.
 
gauloise said:
Well this is contrary to what is published for a number of parishes who put their collection details on web where it states that the First Collection is for priests and retired priests in the parish, while second fund is for developement. Charities are normally at the gate of the church apart from perhaps 10 mains contributions throughout the year.
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Can you post the link please? By the way I do agree there are collections for retired priests, but that is a different issue, they normally dont say wedding masses. In all my years going to mass, Ive never been handed a basket or an envelope that is for the parish priest.
 
Actually after a bit of searching I found this myself from dublindiocese.ie which shows that both what gauloise says and I say to be true:

"How are priests paid?

This varies quite a bit from on diocese to another. In Dublin, the first collection at every Sunday Mass is for the support of the priests. The income from this collection is put together with the Christmas and Easter offerings, and the offerings that are given on the occasion of weddings, baptisms, and funerals. The second collection (Share) is a solidarity fund, to enable the diocese to help developing parishes, or parishes which have major building projects going on. It has nothing to do with the income of the priests.

In order to ensure that a priest is not at a disadvantage because he works in a poorer parish, the relevant income from all the parishes is added together, and then divided among the priests. The emphasis we find in the teaching of This post will be deleted if not edited immediately is on making sure that those who preach the gospel have what they need to live, and to carry out their ministry effectively. Nobody is meant to become rich by being a priest; but in general priests are adequately and even generously provided for by their parishioners. As with most things, some people contribute more than their share, while others contribute nothing, (although they still expect the church to be there when they need it). "
 
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