Gifts for a Priest friend. Is it a bad idea?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Samson01
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I don’t think it’s a bad idea.

I have other thoughts about this but don’t want to assume or say anything wrong…but all in all buying a person a gift is always a kind gesture.
 
I guess it depends on what the gift is…porn, blow up doll…BAD IDEA

Gift card, restaurant gift cert., vestments…GREAT IDEA
 
Nothing wrong with it if done for the right reasons, birthday, Christmas et cetera.

My parents were good friends with many priests, and we often got them gifts for the above days, and sometimes just randomly. The priest who baptised my brother and sister [God rest his soul] was into the horses, so my parents often got him tickets to the local horse meets - not so much the gambling, rather just being there for a day out and he liked animals.

If you got a priest underwear and you were a single woman, then there’d be issues I think.

Common sense will rule here.
 
I ususally give gifts to our parish priests twice a year: Christmas and Easter.

The gifts are usually: something edible I bake myself; gift cards to restaurants; holy icons; sweet treats from a nice bakery.

Other things I have heard parishoners give include: college/professional team clothing (caps/hoodies/etc.); religious books, dvds,: donations in their name to a particular Catholic organization or charity; etc.

Gifts should be something appropriate that if they opened it in front of a group of people you would not feel embarrased about it!
 
Thanks for your answers. The gift is a juicer because he is fighting cancer. I have given him a challenge coin, maple syrup from VT and a t-shirt from a airshow, because he is ex- Air Force… Just friendly gifts. I was wondering if his vows make it difficult for him to recieve gifts, mainly a vow of poverty? Thanks again.
 
Samson01 said:
Thanks for your answers. The gift is a juicer because he is fighting cancer. I have given him a challenge coin, maple syrup from VT and a t-shirt from a airshow, because he is ex- Air Force… Just friendly gifts. I was wondering if his vows make it difficult for him to recieve gifts, mainly a vow of poverty? Thanks again.
Click to expand...
In my diocese (and I’m sure in others), parish priests do not make a vow of poverty. Religious priests do though.
 
Samson01 said:
Thanks for your answers. The gift is a juicer because he is fighting cancer. I have given him a challenge coin, maple syrup from VT and a t-shirt from a airshow, because he is ex- Air Force… Just friendly gifts. I was wondering if his vows make it difficult for him to recieve gifts, mainly a vow of poverty? Thanks again.
Click to expand...
A secular priest (i.e. a diocesan/parish priest) does not take a vow of poverty. So, if you are talking about a priest in your diocese or parish then it’s not a conflict.

Priests in various orders (like Jesuits, Dominicans, etc) do take a vow of poverty. But, I don’t think giving someone a useful gift such as a juicer would violate a vow of poverty, if anything it would just be communal property of the order and not his personally.

If the priest had a conflict with you giving him gifts, he would likely just tell you.
 
1ke said:
A secular priest (i.e. a diocesan/parish priest) does not take a vow of poverty. So, if you are talking about a priest in your diocese or parish then it’s not a conflict.

Priests in various orders (like Jesuits, Dominicans, etc) do take a vow of poverty. But, I don’t think giving someone a useful gift such as a juicer would violate a vow of poverty, if anything it would just be communal property of the order and not his personally.

If the priest had a conflict with you giving him gifts, he would likely just tell you.
Click to expand...
Thanks 1ke. He is just quiet about it. He is a secular parish Priest, so I guess no conflict then. 👍
 
I have given a number of Priest friends gifts over the years. they have ranged from home made bread to a Chalice.

There is nothing wrong with giving a gift to anyone, so long as your motive is pure. You can even give gifts to religious, who will share them with their community.
 
Thank you all for clearing that up for me. I was confused about religous vows. Samson
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top