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Zoopdedoopdeboo
Guest
It must not be because it happens, but I don’t understand why people pay money to have a mass said for someone.
Is it wrong that people pay money to have masses said for a person?
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Teflon93
Guest
Okay, first off, let’s get something clear:
There is no fee schedule for the Catholic Church.
When my father had his funeral Mass in a Catholic Church, no request for money was made. Ever.
After the Mass, I went back to the church and slipped an envelope under the office door.
At our parish (and I’m sure many if not all others), one simply writes down the name of the person to be honored in a book.
People give of their own free will in the Catholic Church. Unlike the Methodist Church, where my wife and I were presented with a table of tithing and where one places one’s tithing commitment on the altar when accepted into the church.
Unlike the Pentecostal Church, where tithing was mandatory for my wife when she was a member.
So to answer your question, no, it is not wrong to donate to the Church for Mass. Nor for any other reason.
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thomasf
Guest
Mormons give 10% of their income to thier church. If they don’t, they can’t get a recommend for the temple. Is it wrong that they have to pay $$ to get in the door of one of their churches?
I can go to my catholic church and take part for free. I don’t have to give a dime. I get all the sacraments, etc.
Do you know how much people typically donate to say a mass? I just had one done for my parents. $5. The church is niether getting rich nor ripping anyone off for donating to have the mass said. Especially at the rate of 3 masses per weekend, 4 per week. At best, they’re making $35 per week if they book all the masses.
It’s a donation. It goes towards paying for the costs of having a mass. Especially since many people don’t bother to contribute or give during the mass.
I can go to my catholic church and take part for free. I don’t have to give a dime. I get all the sacraments, etc.
Do you know how much people typically donate to say a mass? I just had one done for my parents. $5. The church is niether getting rich nor ripping anyone off for donating to have the mass said. Especially at the rate of 3 masses per weekend, 4 per week. At best, they’re making $35 per week if they book all the masses.
It’s a donation. It goes towards paying for the costs of having a mass. Especially since many people don’t bother to contribute or give during the mass.
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BeeSweet
Guest
People pay money to have a mass said for someone because they love their church, and they want to support their church. They don’t have to pay money to have a mass said for a particular intention, they pay out of love and to fulfill a need.
Do you know of an abuse that you want to illuminate?
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Teflon93
Guest
And that’s the key word—donation. I have never heard of someone being refused a Mass because they didn’t donate. Given the Catholic Church’s track record of ministering to the poor, a practice such as that simply runs against the grain.
I will be doing this myself soon enough—my father passed away in March a few years ago and we intend to have a Mass for him around that time next year.
For Catholics, it is a way of honoring those who have gone before us, and hearkens back to the days when Mass had to be held in catacombs alongside the remains of one’s ancestors.
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Jaguar
Guest
When we have a Mass said for loved one that has passed, we simply asked someone that works in the office. That way our pastor would not feel uncomfortable. Our parish secretary told us $5 would be fine, but that itis only optional. That seemed way to little, so we usually give $20-25, because we love our parish, and that Mass is so comforting to us. 
I also know that the money will go where it is rightfully needed.
I also know that the money will go where it is rightfully needed.
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Scottgun
Guest
On a lighter note, one of my favorite Simpsons scenes is when Rev. Lovejoy presides at Otto’s wedding and after comes up to Otto and says,
“Now for the matter of my honorarium.”
Confused Otto: “Huh?”
Rev. Lovejoy: You know, my emolument.
Otto: “Wha?”
Rev. Lovejoy: “PAY ME! THREE-HUNDRED DOLLARS!”
“Now for the matter of my honorarium.”
Confused Otto: “Huh?”
Rev. Lovejoy: You know, my emolument.
Otto: “Wha?”
Rev. Lovejoy: “PAY ME! THREE-HUNDRED DOLLARS!”
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Texas_Roofer
Guest
How to pay for items above the budget is always an issue. Our Priest is worked to death and our church is always in debt so what to do? It is customary to reimburse the church for the (electric, cleaning, labor as locking and unlocking, etc) expense if you can. If you can not the church simply goes deeper in debt. So it is good when you can to give more than the $50-$100 actual expense, and offer more. So the answer to your question is any donation made goes to relieve some church debt. Hope that helps
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Red_Wolf
Guest
No!! It is not required. Any request must be honored. I suspect most requests are superfluous. A member dies, mass will be said. Even for a former member has not lived in that diocese for 50 years. Used to be that the baptismal record kept track of marriage, death, etc.
That said, there are abuses. At one time I was tempted to ask how much it would cost to receive Last Rites. Talking to a board member who can’t imagine where have all the members gone? I tried to explain to him the poor track record of our area in the past. Our diocese is now beyond any expectation of fantastic. But in the past, was not so.
The reason for giving money is a form of morning. Mass will be said, anyway. Your loved one will be mentioned, anyway. The money is your act of morning. Not much more, unless you’re far less cheap than most of us.
That said, there are abuses. At one time I was tempted to ask how much it would cost to receive Last Rites. Talking to a board member who can’t imagine where have all the members gone? I tried to explain to him the poor track record of our area in the past. Our diocese is now beyond any expectation of fantastic. But in the past, was not so.
The reason for giving money is a form of morning. Mass will be said, anyway. Your loved one will be mentioned, anyway. The money is your act of morning. Not much more, unless you’re far less cheap than most of us.
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jmcrae
Guest
At our parish, the money goes to pay for the men who come looking for handouts at the door. Our priest asks them to do some small task, such as weeding the garden or raking the leaves, or sweeping up the front walk, and then when they are done, he gives them whatever he has received in Mass stipends for that day - usually $5.00 or $10.00.
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Zoopdedoopdeboo
Guest
Does it cost money for a mass to be said? I’m think of electricity, wine, and unleavened bread. Is that what some donation could help pay for?
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anniemart
Guest
I have the honor of volunteering regularly in our parish office and have learned that the stipend for a funeral mass is paid by the family through the funeral home that is used for arrangements. This is usually $100. I was surprised to read from other postings that some parishes don’t receive a stipend. What a considerate act by the church. Our parish does need the finances to cover electricity and so forth so I know that these stipends are counted on. When the family is unable to pay, the funeral home provides the stipend. Also, for masses like weddings, quincenieras (15th birthday celebrations) and masses for deceased loved ones, the donation requested varies.
Without disprupting the intent of the thread here to a great extent,
I just wanted to add a note you might find useful on offering masses for loved ones…Several months ago, at the request of a religious order, I was scheduling some masses for the intent of a nun who had passed away just over 20 years ago. Her fellow sisters told me that it was important the mass be scheduled ASAP. According to them, their sister appeared to one of them in a vision one night while sleeping and sadly revealed to her that she was not yet in heaven (the sister who had the vision had asked her to describe it). Hence, that’s why they were in the office that day.Your take on this story is certainly your own, but it made a difference to me. Fr. Groeschel, I believe, has pointed out also, that one mass that you *fully and completely assist *at while on earth, will do more for you than a 1000 masses offered in your honor once you’re gone… hope I haven’t confused you any…
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InLight247
Guest
Recently my mother in law passed away. She was a Protestant.
I flew oversea to attend her funeral. I also called the local Church to request a Mass to be offered for her reposed soul. The priest took down all the information. I asked for the direction to the church for dropping my donation. Father was so kind to say it is not necessary, and a Mass would be said for MIL’s reposed soul any way. I went to the church and dropped a check of $600 (NT dollar) anyway.
The donation we offer for Mass is for the priest, not for the church.
We donate money as a thank you note to the priest.
I flew oversea to attend her funeral. I also called the local Church to request a Mass to be offered for her reposed soul. The priest took down all the information. I asked for the direction to the church for dropping my donation. Father was so kind to say it is not necessary, and a Mass would be said for MIL’s reposed soul any way. I went to the church and dropped a check of $600 (NT dollar) anyway.
The donation we offer for Mass is for the priest, not for the church.
We donate money as a thank you note to the priest.
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Nevarlander
Guest
It’s not wrong - what they’re doing when I’ve seen this is paying for the “supplies” used in each Mass - candles and such, you know?
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Joan_M
Guest
The donation we make when requesting that Mass be offered for someone is not for the Church, it is for the priest.
One of the precepts of the Church is that we contribute to the support of our pastors.
Priests are paid by the diocese, yes, but this is not a lot. I believe that priests in the U.S. receive somewhere in the region of $1,500 - $2,000 per month. That is not a big salary there. Where I live it is approximately the same, except that US$1.00 is $6.30 of our money. Basically, this means that our priests are paid not much more than the minimum wage!
Being able to receive a small stipend in thanksgiving for offering Mass assists the priest to supplement his small salary.
There is also a rule that he cannot receive more than one stipend per Mass. He is not going to get rich with these stipends, and we have a way to show our gratitude to him
One of the precepts of the Church is that we contribute to the support of our pastors.
Priests are paid by the diocese, yes, but this is not a lot. I believe that priests in the U.S. receive somewhere in the region of $1,500 - $2,000 per month. That is not a big salary there. Where I live it is approximately the same, except that US$1.00 is $6.30 of our money. Basically, this means that our priests are paid not much more than the minimum wage!
Being able to receive a small stipend in thanksgiving for offering Mass assists the priest to supplement his small salary.
There is also a rule that he cannot receive more than one stipend per Mass. He is not going to get rich with these stipends, and we have a way to show our gratitude to him
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quiet52
Guest
There was an announcement in our parish bulletin which said the fee for a mass intention has been raised from $5 to $10. The money goes to the priest celebrating the mass. Only one intention per weekday mass, no specific intentions for Sunday masses. Mass intentions are scheduled by the parish secretary.
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GregoryPalamas
Guest
They probably should not have used the word “fee”. It seems that would cause confusion and leave the door open for criticism as in the charge of “simony.”.
CDL
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Altesse
Guest
At my church a $7.00 “offering” is requested before the name is put on the mass schedule. I didn’t ask if they would do it without the “offering”, the tone suggested I didn’t have an option
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mercygate
Guest
Absolutely. It is canonically illegal to “charge” for these Masses. The stipend is just that: a donation to help defray expenes. Think about what it costs to air condition 60,000 cubic feet of space for half an hour on a 90-degree day. Do you think more than $5? You bet!. since the building has to be heated/cooled for more than just the specific time it is in use.
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Spirithound
Guest
The worker deserves to be paid. Luke 10:7
The money paid to have a mass said is not a donation, it is a stipend, and it goes to the priest. Each priest is only allowed to collect one per day, except on Christmas, when he may collect 3.
The collection money goes to the upkeep of the church and supplies and such.
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