Is there a customary gift or stipend for the Priest who is performing a Baptism? The Baptism of my firstborn is right around the corner. I will probably get him something to show my appreciation, but I wanted to check if (1) there is a customary amount; or (2) whether it is somehow improper to give him a gift in such circumstances. Thanks for any insight.
You should check with your parish office. The Secretary should have that information on what the customary stipends for each service is for your parish.
Check with the parish office. The “typical” offering for sacraments varies greatly by location and custom.v
In all honesty, the easiest thing to do is just to ask him. In some dioceses, donations given in connection with sacraments are handed over to the diocese so it may not make much difference from his point of view.
Don’t forget though, it is a donation - God’s grace is given for free!
Absolutely NOT. Baptism is the rite of initiation into the Church. A priest who expected a stipend for this would be comparable (but worse) to a priest who expected a stipend for celebrating Eucharist or hearing Confession.
Unlike weddings or funerals, a Baptism is typically conducted within the ordinary construct of a regularly scheduled Mass. It imposes no extraordinary burden upon the priest, and, even if it did, it may be considered a priest’s most fundamental duty (even moreso than celebrating Mass, as Baptism is a prerequisite for Eucharist and all other Sacraments).
News flash. Priests do get stipends for celebrating Mass. Pretty much every single Mass a priest celebrates has an intention with a stipend attached. The distinction is that the person making the donation for the stipend is not paying the priest to celebrate the sacrament, but rather to pray for the requested intention. And parishes frequently assess stipends for baptisms, weddings and funerals. It is simply to support the priest in his work, it is always considered a donation and charged on a sliding scale, where the charges can even be totally waived if there is financial hardship. All of these qualities go to distinguish it from simony, which would be a grave sin.
Also, I am not so sure you can place Baptism above the Eucharist in the hierarchy of a priest’s duties. Even a deacon, or in an emergency a layperson, can baptize validly. Baptisms in my parish are frequently delegated to the deacons, so how necessary is it to have a priest doing them? Not very. I would say that a priest’s fundamental duties are to offer the Eucharistic sacrifice as well as hearing Confessions and anointing the sick. These are three duties that simply can’t be delegated or done by anyone else without sacerdotal ordination.
A priest MIGHT receive a stipend for offering a particular Mass in remembrance of someone, but the priest would still offer the same Mass if no such offering were made.
The Mass is not, in any way whatsoever, conditional upon the stipend. Furthermore, there is no expectation whatsoever of a stipend.
I agree that abuses such as you describe were once, unfortunately, common. Priests would say many “extra” Masses to benefit from the stipends. This is one reason why the Council of Trent imposed strict limits upon how may times a priest may offer Mass each day. One of my brother’s seminary instructors told the class that any priest may binate (ie, say Mass two times a day). With a bishop’s approval for reasons of pastoral necessity, a priest may trinate. But, under no circumstances is a priest to fornicate.
It’s nice to know that Benedictine seminary instructors have a sense of humor 
Pretty much every single Mass a priest celebrates has an intention with a stipend attached.
I’ve heard that many Masses celebrated by Religious will often have particular intentions (with associated stipends). These intentions are sometimes announced. In most cases, the priest does not personally receive the stipend (it goes to his Order).
My brother (a diocesan priest) infrequently celebrates a Mass of remembrance for a particular intention (with a stipend).
However, as the Celebrant, he is also free to bring any number of private intentions to the Altar. He asked his seminary instructor what was the difference, and the instructor could not provide any specific answer.
The distinction is that the person making the donation for the stipend is not paying the priest to celebrate the sacrament, but rather to pray for the requested intention. And parishes frequently assess stipends for baptisms, weddings and funerals.
I would be very interested to know of ANY parish or ANY priest who asks a stipend for Baptism. Can you give me a link to a website?
Also, I am not so sure you can place Baptism above the Eucharist in the hierarchy of a priest’s duties.
Well, let me put it this way. Without Baptism, there would BE NO EUCHARIST. Eucharist would not even be possible.
Without Baptism, there would be no priests, and there would be no Bishops.
Even a deacon, or in an emergency a layperson, can baptize validly.
This is true. But the ordinary minister of Baptism is a priest or Bishop. A deacon is considered a delegate of the priest (who may operate only with a priest’s approval), and a layperson is considered an extraordinary minister (who may operate only in matters of grave necessity).
Baptisms in my parish are frequently delegated to the deacons, so how necessary is it to have a priest doing them?
It’s not. My second child was Baptized by a deacon in a monthly “Baptismal service” apart from a regular Mass.
But I have never heard of a priest presiding over such a service. I believe that, when a priest Baptizes, he does so within a Mass (there’s an extension in the GIRM for a Baptismal Mass).
The OP asked about stipends for priests performing Baptism. I said that this is never expected or appropriate. Feel free to correct me.
I would say that a priest’s fundamental duties are to offer the Eucharistic sacrifice as well as hearing Confessions and anointing the sick. These are three duties that simply can’t be delegated or done by anyone else without sacerdotal ordination.
I think you are confusing “fundamental” with “necessary.” A priest’s most fundamental duty is to make people Christian (through Baptism). If he doesn’t do that then he cannot administer any other Sacrament to them.
A priest may readily delegate this duty to a deacon. That reduces a priest’s necessity, but it does not reduce his fundamental duty (which he is not neglecting, but delegating).
Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut everyone. I decided to donate $50 to the church to get a small prepaid gift card for our Priest, along with note of appreciation. Both without asking first, so they were purely unsolicited donations. 