Do you think our Catholic church need to get rid of stipends?

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

Is anyone else finding it ironic that we had an extremely long thread on tithing which basically accused every last person of not giving enough, living too extravagantly and ignoring the church needs…and now we have a thread that is basically demanding that those who serve the church live on air, drive magical tiny vehicles with super fuel efficiency and live in a 4x4 hut?

People, what is it? Does the church get too much money or too little?

Do priests deserve to be housed and fed and still given a few thousand a year for their own amusement or do they not? Do musicians deserve to be paid to elevate the music to chant and all the fancy things people like to demand or not? Does the DRE deserve to be paid so that they are knowledgeable in theology and education or are you fine with whatever comes your way?

Seriously.

 

[FrDavid96]

You are just DETERMINED to be insulted by something.

I put up the pro life donation box next to the confessional every year at Christmas because-- it’s the only place to put it in the back of church. Does anyone going to confession think they have to give a donation? No. Do they think confession is for sale? No.

Honestly, your posts are getting quite tedious with this salacious, out of context descriptions of supposed wrong doing that are not anything of the kind.

Unfortunately, I’ve noticed the same pattern.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

You are just DETERMINED to be insulted by something.

I put up the pro life donation box next to the confessional every year at Christmas because-- it’s the only place to put it in the back of church. Does anyone going to confession think they have to give a donation? No. Do they think confession is for sale? No.

Honestly, your posts are getting quite tedious with this salacious, out of context descriptions of supposed wrong doing that are not anything of the kind.

Thank you for saying this.

 

[Xantippe]

BTY we have to pay the music director, who is not catholic, NOT to play at the wedding.

That reminds me of a popular joke t-shirt that says something like this:

“I’ll play my ukulele for free, but I’ll stop if you pay me.”

 

[stinkcat_14]

It’s funny there some things some people just think they shouldn’t have to pay for. My mother used to sell vegetables at a farmers market. She had a neighbor who thought she should give her vegetables for free. When my mother stopped giving her the vegetables, the neighbor stopped coming around. That didn’t bother my mother

 

[Xantippe]

That’s all well and good, but there’s not really a storehouse of trained organists who are independently well-off enough that they can volunteer their time every single weekend in perpetuity. I know a lot depends on the parish and the talent pool, but in some cases, having volunteer musicians just means that the Church becomes a lower priority. If they are receiving payment (however modest it might be), there is a stronger level of commitment. Some people don’t need that financial component to be committed and invested. But some do.

I’m afraid I’ve heard a lot of volunteer church musicians over the years.

 

[LittleFlower]

I’ve said it in a different thread, but here there is an actual price list—sorry, suggested donation list—for all sacraments and they truely don’t like giving discounts or doing anything for free.

Most parishes are ageing, and their income stream is drying up hence the reluctance.

I have no problem donating to the priest, and paying musicians etc. but when it because a fixed donation amount that is not negotiable regardless of whether you use the musicians, have flowers, or use the parish hall afterwards—I have a problem with that.

The ageing parishioners get around 10-15 specific collections a year plus regular giving on their pension. It just isn’t going to cut it.

A Catholic agency recently told me their average donor age is around 65 years old and they lose around 25% a year of donors because they, well, die.

Parishes and priest need to sit down, and actively look at these issues.

Also, pretty sure my Archdiocese does not release an annual report at all nor do the parishes.

 

[FrDavid96]

I’ve said it in a different thread, but here there is an actual price list—sorry, suggested donation list—for all sacraments and they truely don’t like giving discounts or doing anything for free.

…

That is simply not true.

You can’t just go making outrageous claims like that.

 

[LittleFlower]

It is not an outrageous claim. It is the truth.

This was heavily debated in another thread and multiple posters went and investigated and found that there was, like I said, a donation list stated on parish websites.

I know of multiple couples who were refused discounts on these suggested amounts.

This was a parish that another poster found was clearly shows a donation list, which is generally not negotiable.

http://www.sppchurch.org.au/sacraments/weddings

 

[FrDavid96]

It is not an outrageous claim. It is the truth.

This was heavily debated in another thread and multiple posters went and investigated and found that there was, like I said, a donation list stated on parish websites.

I know of multiple couples who were refused discounts on these suggested amounts.

So tell me then…how much should I be charging for Confessions? I don’t charge anything. But you say that there is a price list. What is the price? What does this list say?

 

[LittleFlower]

So tell me then…how much should I be charging for Confessions? I don’t charge anything. But you say that there is a price list. What is the price? What does this list say?

The sacraments I am referring to are baptisms and matrimony. These have, at least in Australia, a strict donation amount. Some will budge but many won’t.

 

[pnewton]

My priest once said if he had it his way, he would charge a percentage of the wedding (or quinceanera) cost, all to go to the poor. Some has a fifty dollar wedding, let them pay five bucks. They have a twenty thousand dollar wedding, pay couple of thousand. He wasn’t serious, just tired of seeing people spend money what he considered frivolously.

 

[FrDavid96]

FrDavid96:

So tell me then…how much should I be charging for Confessions? I don’t charge anything. But you say that there is a price list. What is the price? What does this list say?

The sacraments I am referring to are baptisms and matrimony. These have, at least in Australia, a strict donation amount. Some will budge but many won’t.

That website does not have what you claimed it has:

You wrote

I’ve said it in a different thread, but here there is an actual price list—sorry, suggested donation list—for all sacraments and they truely don’t like giving discounts or doing anything for free.

Which is patently untrue. It’s a false accusation against that parish.

 

[LittleFlower]

It has a suggested donation amount for marriages.

I didn’t say it to mean all sacraments for that parish. This was an example found by another poster in the thread, showing that yes, parishes do charge set amounts for sacraments, mostly for baptisms and marriages.

Notice the words SET CONTRIBITION.

Offering for use of the Church -Couples wanting to get married at Sts Peter and Paul’s are asked to make a set contribution of $800 when a resident priest celebrates the Wedding or $850.00 if you bring your own priest. This contribution goes towards the conservation and upkeep of our heritage churches, as well as the provinsion of gardeners, cleaners and secretarial services. A deposit of $100 needs to be made before the booking can be confirmed. The balance is due one month prior to the wedding. The $100 deposit is not refundable in the event of a cancellation. The offering made for the use of the Church does not, however, include the donation which is made to the Priest for celebrating your marriage which is customary around $300.00 to be handed to the celebrant in an envelope on the rehearsal night or on the wedding day.

It isn’t a false accusation. They state it themselves on their website, as above.

 

[FrDavid96]

The sacraments I am referring to are baptisms and matrimony. These have, at least in Australia, a strict donation amount. Some will budge but many won’t.

A false accusation.

The website says this

Baptism
Booking
Bookings can be made by email to [omitted]
A donation, according to ones means is customary but if there is financial difficulty, please speak to the parish secretary or indicate this on application

It says nothing about any fee for baptism.

 

[LittleFlower]

You did in fact say it, then you went back and edited it once I called you on it.

Which post are you referring to?

I clarified that I did not mean it to say all sacraments for all parishes, or for this specific parish.

This parish charges a set contribution for marriages.

Bringing the discussion back to topic, I think this is wrong.

 

[FrDavid96]

I’ve said it in a different thread, but here there is an actual price list—sorry, suggested donation list—for all sacraments and they truely don’t like giving discounts or doing anything for free.

This is what you wrote. Now you try to deny it.

 

[LittleFlower]

This is what you wrote. Now you try to deny it.

I am not. It’ still there, unedited. I have clarified my position in further posts. Unsure what the issue is?

If you would like to discuss this any further, please feel free to PM me, I would like to focus on stipends here.

 

[Duesenberg]

Ok. You’re right. He should have put the donation box in a broom closet where no one would be scandalized by seeing it.

So you resort to silly hyperbole rather than admit you were wrong – that it was bad form for Fr. Ron to put a donation box with a sign “Alms for Father Ron” directly in front of those seated in the confession queue?

 

[Duesenberg]

Like I said earlier, raising money is a tricky business. To give this the most charitable spin, and one I think likely, the box was placed at a blank spot on the wall with no thought of where the confessional was. Signs with ironic placement is kind of an internet meme. Maybe this was the case here.

You are wrong.

It was placed on a table directly in front of the queue of chairs.