I think that’s very fair - especially if the parishioners are very active in the parish. That is sort of how it worked with when my husband and I were married. We were active, volunteer members in the choir since college prior to getting engaged and getting married. So they allowed us to use the cathedral basilica for nothing as we gave so much of our time during the week and on Sundays for a number of years. Most of the couples who marry there are not parishioners, so they do pay the full price. With the present pastor, he has now incorporated a fee for parishioners and a higher fee for non-parishioners.The parish can’t force you to pay if you absoultely can’t pay.
However, I’ve been to a few meetings where this has come up.
The basic feeling is that people are willing to pay oodles and oodles of money to the caterer, the wedding planner, the reception hall, and for the floral arrangements, and the wedding dress-but when it comes to paying the church for it’s electricity bill-all of a sudden “we can’t afford it.”
That having been said, at my parish, there is a very low stipend fee for parish members (and when I say low, you might have the money in your wallet right now).
Our former pastor felt that people who were members should get the church for (almost) nothing. They put money in the envelopes every week, they are the lectors and extraordinary communion ministers and the ushers. They bring food for the bake sale, they donate gifts on the giving tree, they help decorate and un-decorate for Christmas. They support the parish, so the parish supports them. Our new pastor agrees.
The non-members pay a larger rental fee-one that is more accurate to pay the bills.
Hey, I’m going to be getting married in the not so distant future, what music would you recommend? I really like traditional hymn type stuff.I’ve seen several threads on different forums about the cost of a church/coordinator. Below is a response that I have made before…Not everyone is like this, but I hope this puts it in perspective. I have been doing wedding music for 14 years, and been a music director for 5 1/2 years. If you could see what I have seen…phew.
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The Church involves having to pay to heat/cool the place and the electric.I understand charging fees to have use the Church’s services for the weddings, but what I don’t understand is why are these fees so high and why do I have to use their wedding coordinators, I know there are rules to where things can go in the Catholic church, but can’t they just give a list of do’s and don’ts instead of charging $225 for their wedding coordinator and why are the marriage prepartion class SO expensive, I have to pay $600 just for the prep process! What exactly am I paying $600 for? That seems rather high.
Yes, you would think grown people could follow directions, clean up after themselves, start and end on time, and obey the rules without being supervised and having to give a hefty deposit.I understand charging fees to have use the Church’s services for the weddings, but what I don’t understand is why are these fees so high and why do I have to use their wedding coordinators, I know there are rules to where things can go in the Catholic church, but can’t they just give a list of do’s and don’ts instead of charging $225 for their wedding coordinator
That is a question you need to ask your priest. Each parish/diocese marriage prep program is different. So, ask what is included in this fee.and why are the marriage prepartion class SO expensive, I have to pay $600 just for the prep process! What exactly am I paying $600 for? That seems rather high.
Its the Catholic Church, the only thing they care about is money, it’s all they have ever cared about and thats all they will ever care about. If you want proof look at the past the church sold indulgences to make money. Look at the Vatican does that look like anything the Catholic Savior called Christ, a man who championed the poor and hated the rich, had in mind for his church?My sister is getting married and all of the churches she has checked into are charging between $150 & $1000 for the use of the Church, even if you are a member. When did this start? When my other sisters got married 10 years ago & 15 years ago, the church was free. Of course, you paid the musician & the priest but you didn’t have to pay to use the Church. This seems inherently wrong–You don’t have to pay to use the Church for any other sacrament–or are they charging for funerals now too?