Second-hand or inexpensive markets for church supplies

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Has anyone any good hints on any good ways to find such things as candlesticks, vestments, plate, and so forth, on the secondhand market? I’m with an Una Voce chapter of rather limited means, and we’re having a heck of a time negotiating with local parishes to part with goods that they are no longer using–and that we fear might wind up at the smelter.

Thanks for your time.
 
One visiting parishioner expressed that he had bought a rosary at a thrift store.
 
eBay is surprisingly helpful (even found a confessional and marble altar rails), but be forewarned, most liturgical items have either been blessed or Conscrated and set aside for sacred use. Unfortunately these items cannot be sold without committing a sacrilege, which is why they will often be melted down and made into something new. This may sound a bit sick, but retirement homes for priests are often over-flowing with chalices, patens, Mass kits, etc from priests who have died and they will often give them away since they can’t be sold.
 
You might talk to the people at SPORCH, as they often “rescue” and restore church stuff, and then get it to good new church homes. They also have a lot of contacts with other people doing similar things.
 
eBay is surprisingly helpful (even found a confessional and marble altar rails), but be forewarned, most liturgical items have either been blessed or Conscrated and set aside for sacred use. Unfortunately these items cannot be sold without committing a sacrilege, which is why they will often be melted down and made into something new. This may sound a bit sick, but retirement homes for priests are often over-flowing with chalices, patens, Mass kits, etc from priests who have died and they will often give them away since they can’t be sold.
Although the Church prohibits the selling of relics, it is my understanding that blessed items may be sold, but only for their intrinsic value; no value may be added for the blessing itself. It is quite common for churches that are closing to sell religious art and furnishings, even the altars to other churches. A local church recently acquired a new altar in this way.
 
Has anyone any good hints on any good ways to find such things as candlesticks, vestments, plate, and so forth, on the secondhand market? I’m with an Una Voce chapter of rather limited means, and we’re having a heck of a time negotiating with local parishes to part with goods that they are no longer using–and that we fear might wind up at the smelter.

Thanks for your time.
It’s difficult to get a parish to part with anything liturgical that has real value because, canon law restricts a pastor’s ability to alienate (ie “sell” or “give”) the temporal goods (“property”) of the parish. It might seem like a simple thing “the pastor doesn’t use it, he doesn’t want it, so he’ll be willing to sell or give it” but it just doesn’t work that way. For items that are actually valuable (we’re not talking selling cupcakes) there are restrictions on what the pastor can and cannot do on his own authority. Keep in mind that these laws are in place to protect these items from going to the smelter. The Church learned a hard lesson during the Bolshevik years in the 1970s when all beauty was obliterated (and the law was ignored). Thankfully, bishops are more aware today, and more likely to protect the Church’s patrimony.

The good news is that there are some places to buy very good vestments and other church goods. Yes, many can be bought on eBay, at a good price. If they’re new (unblessed) there’s no problem. Many overseas manufacturers do sell their products direct to U.S. customers on the internet, or through sites like eBay (which is not exactly “direct” but it avoids a distributor/retailer).

I can share a few sites for church goods if you’d like. I’ve had very good luck equipping my parishes over the years from these sites, and doing it at a tiny fraction of what comparable items would cost from the catalogues.
 
Although the Church prohibits the selling of relics, it is my understanding that blessed items may be sold, but only for their intrinsic value; no value may be added for the blessing itself. It is quite common for churches that are closing to sell religious art and furnishings, even the altars to other churches. A local church recently acquired a new altar in this way.
Here is a website which specializes in brokering the sale of such items from church to church, with the goal of preserving their sacred use.

fynderskeepers.com/
 
Has anyone any good hints on any good ways to find such things as candlesticks, vestments, plate, and so forth, on the secondhand market? I’m with an Una Voce chapter of rather limited means, and we’re having a heck of a time negotiating with local parishes to part with goods that they are no longer using–and that we fear might wind up at the smelter.

Thanks for your time.
While not used, I would recommend www.autom.com as an option. They are much less expensive than the local Catholic goods store.
 
So being with an Una Voce chapter, I’m assuming you are searching for EF items. Although not a member of an Una Voce chapter, myself, our group went through a similar set of challenges in setting up an EF Mass. We were fortunate, at least to start, in that we had an OF parish that was friendly towards us. They lent many items and even hosted our monthly EF Masses. As time passed we were able to raise funds for a complete set of candlesticks (6 plus an Altar crucifix). I was able to purchase several items myself to help out.

We bought Roman vestments (fiddle backs) from Ebay and several Humeral Veils. Still lacking in Copes, only have gold. There are several sellers that offer inexpensive low Mass sets for about $200 plus some shipping. We have purchased several. The red missals are available from a number of sources but Ecclesia Dei Coalition has the best price for a quantity purchase.

Keep the Faith and as a priest friend told me, “keep pushing the rock up hill”. 😉
 
Thanks for all the suggestions here. It’s not a dire issue as yet, because our host parish gives us run of the place, and one of my colleagues has come to an agreement with his home parish to borrow anything necessary if we can’t find it. However, we’d like to be able to have a few more things so as to add to the solemnity of our masses as we expand. Our first priority, though, is a good altar missal, so our guest priests needn’t lug theirs around.

Father, I’d be very interested the sites you’d suggest, as the vestment link you gave me a few weeks ago was superb. In fact, I’m putting in an order with them for a surplice after next paycheck. Could you post the details of these sites or otherwise PM me with them?

Thanks a million.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions here. It’s not a dire issue as yet, because our host parish gives us run of the place, and one of my colleagues has come to an agreement with his home parish to borrow anything necessary if we can’t find it. However, we’d like to be able to have a few more things so as to add to the solemnity of our masses as we expand. Our first priority, though, is a good altar missal, so our guest priests needn’t lug theirs around.

Father, I’d be very interested the sites you’d suggest, as the vestment link you gave me a few weeks ago was superb. In fact, I’m putting in an order with them for a surplice after next paycheck. Could you post the details of these sites or otherwise PM me with them?

Thanks a million.
What I can do is provide some bookmarks. Nothing here should be taken as an endorsement. I also feel I must mention that some of these sites are nothing more than bookmarks of sites I’ve learned—meaning that just because I have a bookmark doesn’t mean I’ve actually done business with them. That’s just a general reminder that one should use caution and common sense when making purchases over the internet, so use a trusted payment method that will protect one’s financial security.

vestment.co.uk/

vestments.pl/

liturgical-robes.eu/index.php?jezyk=en

birettabooks.com/go/webstore/product/missale_romanum_1962_-_editio_iuxta_typicam1/
(travel edition of the 1962 Roman Missal)

albaliturgia.pl/
(for chalice linens mostly)

churchsupplies.pl/

churchgoods.pl/

liturgiczny.pl/

chasubles.eu/
(I have ordered from this one, and they have the best prices for copes, as far as I have found. The quality is very good).

catholicliturgicals.com/
(that’s the vestment site for anyone who needs it).

I hope these can help.
 
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