Can we give a stole to our priest as a gift for presiding at our wedding?

[pumpkinbeast]

I was wondering if it would be appropriate for us to give a stole to the priest that is going to preside at our wedding as a gift? Could we give it instead of the usual gift of money to the priest, or in addition to? And will he have to have it blessed or something to use it? Can the stole be made by anyone, or does it have to be made to certain specifications? Is there anything else we should know about stoles that I haven’t asked here? Thanks!

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Giving a priest a stole as a gift in honor of his service presiding at your wedding is a lovely idea, but I encourage you to give it in addition to the ordinary stipend. The stipend is income, not a gift, and priests depend on stipends in the same way you or I depend on our paycheck.

As for the details of purchasing a stole, I recommend contacting the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, a Benedictine community that makes liturgical vestments as support for their community. Not only can you purchase a stole from them, I would imagine they could give you information on whether the stole needs to be blessed before it is presented to your priest.