Priests, money, etc

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I was always under the impression that priests generally took a vow of poverty. That they don’t really earn any money, but rather the parish provides a place to live, vehicle, clothing, etc for them. Is this correct, or do priests ‘earn’ a wage?

What about priests that write books, produce media, or other products that they sell? Are they allowed to keep that money?

This question came up to me when I was viewing Fr John Corapi’s website. He does a lot of speaking, sells a lot of merchandise, etc. I wonder what happens to the profits from the sales, the proceeds from speaking fees, etc?
 
Priests aren’t required to take a vow of poverty, unless they’re also a member of a religious order (Franciscans or Dominicans or what have you).

Having said that, I’ve known plenty of priests and the odd Bishop or two and they’ve all lived very modestly indeed. Pope John Paul 2, for example, had no personal property of any kind to leave in his will.

I’d imagine given the running costs of most churches and the many and urgent needs of most communities any moolah that someone such as Father Corapi may make would not be spent on themselves.
 
yup yup diocesan priests do not take vows of poverty. Nuns, sisters, brothers, monks, and religious priests like your jesuit or dominican father do take vows of poverty. This just means that they dont like save up all there stuff in a bank account or something, i dont know. They can earn money like a teaching job. I asked a dominican sister, she teaches ESL and whatever she gets paid, she gives it all to her religious community. All the other sisters in her community do as well, and the money is used to pay for community stuff. I think thats how it works, at least thats whut I was told thats how her religious community does it.
 
My parish priest doesn’t have a vow of poverty, and he lives quite modestly. He recently had some big expenses (car wreck, medical) and so he said he can’t go to Rome this year like he’d planned. He certainly doesn’t live the high life at all.
 
So how does it work then? Do parishes pay the priests a salary? What about those priests that write books, etc. They keep the $$ for themselves? If so, what do they do with their money?
 
Assuming he is a diocisean priest:

The rectory is provided, obviously, and usually there is a “rectory budget” for the parish that is supposed to cover the maintainence of the house and the food.

few dioceses actually provide cars for the priests (I think LA does, that’s the only one I have heared of) but most give the priest a stipend for his work related travel (sickj calls and stuff) generally they give him the option of a flat stipend or a reimbursed-by-the-mile plan. where and how often the priest drives determines what he chooses.

On top of that, he gets a small salary that would cover things beyond the basics: vacations, incidental purchases, saving for “retirement” (priests dont actually retire per-se), buying stuff for the parish when donations arent enough :p, car payment, insurance, and so forth.

BUT while diocisean priests do not VOW poverty, they do promise upon ordiation to lead a simple life. So they arent supposed to be living the high life (nor is their small salary enough to really do so in general)
 
Brain said:
. . .
few dioceses actually provide cars for the priests (I think LA does, that’s the only one I have heared of) but most give the priest a stipend for his work related travel (sickj calls and stuff) generally they give him the option of a flat stipend or a reimbursed-by-the-mile plan. where and how often the priest drives determines what he chooses. . . .l)
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A few years back the diocese of Orange, adjacent to LA, required that priests provide their own car and adjusted their salary accordingly. I think it was to relieve the diocese of insurance liability. I suspect that LA may have done the same since our policies are the same in most things.
 
As has been said, dicoesan Priests do not take a vow of poverty. However, their salaries are certainly not large. I don’t imagine any Priests in my city make what a Baptist minister of a good size congregation makes. They often may have a relatively nice car because a car dealer who attends lends them one (an example I knew). I have known of a couple of retired military Priests who did reasonably well because they had a military pension. Without it they would not have.

Those in a religious order (as far as I know) turn their money over to the order. I had a class in University taught by a Basilian Fr. (great professor). He used to tell us to make sure we came and saw him with questions and so on because we were paying him. Reality was that the salary he earned was turned over to the Basilian fathers. I had a class with a nun as well and same deal. None of that fact effected their dedication to their duty one iota. They were very giving and generous with their time even though their salaries were technically not their own. Two of my best professors in college:thumbsup:

Rev North
 
  1. From what I understand, the typical salary for a parish priest is in the range of $12-19k, so it is not exactly CEO money.
  2. I have heard that Fr. Corapi receives NO money from the Church at all. His speaking fees and media sales are what supports him and his ministry.
 
I don’t know how much money priests are comfortable earning from book sales. Even Fr. Andrew Greeley donates much of his book sales to charity or education. We may not agree with the charities he chooses, but he has not taken the vow of poverty. A typical priests salary is very low and that is why many people send money to priests.
 
LikeDismas said:
  1. From what I understand, the typical salary for a parish priest is in the range of $12-19k, so it is not exactly CEO money.
  2. I have heard that Fr. Corapi receives NO money from the Church at all. His speaking fees and media sales are what supports him and his ministry.
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Fr. Corapi is a Religious Priest. He has taken a vow of poverty and the money will go to his order SOLT
 
I didn’t realize dioceson priests didn’t take a vow of poverty until about 10 years ago, I thought their stipend was to run the rectory, bills, etc. not for themselves, but I see how they would need to take care of themselves being alone. I hate it when I hear of priests stealing money from their parishes though and “living it up” as one did in my state. I always wonder what they are thinking, but that’s between them and God and their bishop.

Some groups though do live better than others…Fr. Groechels friars live on donations, sleep on the floor, no air c.,no computers in their friary, TV’s either…on the other hand, the wonderful Dominicans where I go to church, live in a a beautiful priory, have decent cars, plenty of food, many donations of desserts, etc. and comfortable beds, furniture, computers, TV, etc.
It’s all what you would feel comfortable doing and the “fit” as they say when descerning your vocation and type of order.
 
There is an EXCELLENT book chapter to be found on this topic in Archbishop Timothy Dolan’s Priests for the Third Millennium. Other chapters are excellent as well – all speeches/meditations/reflections that he wrote while serving as rector of the North American College in Rome (the seminary that U.S. priests study at there). Highly recommended for anyone considering the seminary, as it gives a very reflective but at the same time realistic picture of what life as a diocesan priest is like.
 
Just to confirm what has already been pointed out, diocesan priests (like myself) do not take a vow of poverty, but do strive to live a simple life (as we all should). I do earn a meager salary, and being that we are considered “self employed,” we have to pay HUGE amounts of taxes, and so I keep records of everything under the sun that could be considered tax exempt or a business expense. Being a member of the “clergy” is one of the most underpaid yet heavily taxed occupations there is.

Unlike many religious orders, most of us diocesan priests also have to provide for our own retirement along with covering the cost of the things we need (vehicle/gas/computer/etc…) to live and minister in the secular world, while at the same time not being of it.

Being an author myself, any royalties that I make go to pay off my still looming educational debts, to save for retirement and of course to charitable causes. I will freely admit that I also put a little aside for vacation too, but even my vacations are very simple and don’t require more than some fishing tackle and arrows.👍

Fr. Joe
 
Fr.Joe said:
I will freely admit that I also put a little aside for vacation too, but even my vacations are very simple and don’t require more than some fishing tackle and arrows.👍

Fr. Joe
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I assume you offset your grocery bill by butchering and freezing whatever you catch? (It’s nice to be self-reliant, isn’t it? I think “hunting and fishing” should be mandatory courses in high school, along with vegetable gardening and canning.) 👍
 
jmcrae said:
I assume you offset your grocery bill by butchering and freezing whatever you catch? (It’s nice to be self-reliant, isn’t it? I think “hunting and fishing” should be mandatory courses in high school, along with vegetable gardening and canning.) 👍
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In all seriousness, I do. My freezer is loaded with fresh venison and fish fillets. I agree with your curriculum ideas, if not to learn the actual skills, to gain a deeper appreciation for one’s food and a sense of stewardship.😃

Fr. Joe
 
Fr.Joe said:
In all seriousness, I do. My freezer is loaded with fresh venison and fish fillets. I agree with your curriculum ideas, if not to learn the actual skills, to gain a deeper appreciation for one’s food and a sense of stewardship.😃

Fr. Joe
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My proudest moment is when my niece caught her own moose, butchered it into steaks and roasts, and made a nice coat and pants out of the hide. That’s when I knew she’d be able to look out for herself. Getting good grades in school is good, of course - and she did that, too - but I really knew she would be okay when she showed that she can catch a moose, and know what to do with it when she gets it. 🙂
 
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