Is paying for Sacraments allowed?

[gzh]

** A Catholic Church, at which I am teaching CCD, has an overwelming population of Latinos and Filipinos who are in attendence. They are poor. The priests at this Church are charging a sum of $300 per child to attend. I think this is evil. The children have only once a week class, for only one hour. In return, they get a book, and me as a teacher. I am free. Why is this cost so outrageous? Now I have learned that these priests at this Church charge set fees: $200 per Baptism, $1000 per matrimony, and, as one teacher who teaches at the Catholic Church said to me, “They charge for all the Sacraments”…

Isn’t this like the old days pre reformation of ‘selling indulgences’??? Why is this happening? Is this common practice? What has happened to the Catholic Church now?

I am shocked and ashamed of these practices! gh **

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Dear friend,

I’m shocked at such simony as well. I have never heard of children paying for religious instruction-let alone paying for sacraments.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (#2121) states: “Simony is defined as the buying or selling of spiritual things.” Jesus said. “You received without pay, give without pay (Mt 10:8). “It is impossible to appropriate to oneself spiritual goods and behave toward them as their owner or master, for they have their source in God. One can receive them only from him, without payment.”

This is information that your bishop needs to know since the sacramental ministry in the diocese is his responsibility.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.