Why do we have to pay for everything?

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1 Corinthians, Chapter 9.

The priest has a right to support for his labor.

Also read up on sacrificial offering.

And again: it’s not obligatory.
 
I don’t think God would let the prayers be wasted if they are not in Purgatory. And we don’t have to pay. Not a requirement. It’s like a “thank you” donation, if you will. A “thank you” for giving his time for your family. If it were “paying for prayers,” the priest wouldn’t pray unless you pay.
 
Loud-living-dogma said:
I can’t help but think that this seems like a customary exchange of money for prayers…
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Nope.

It is an offering you make, a sacrifice you make, because you are asking the priest to do something special FOR YOU.

You can go to any mass you want to and offer an intention.

When you ask a priest to offer an intention FOR YOU at the sacrifice of the mass, you make an offering if you are able as a show of gratitude and thanksgiving for what he is doing FOR YOU. It’s not an exchange. He will say the mass without an offering. In fact, he’s obligated to do so.

If our priest does not receive $300 per month in mass offerings, we pay it to him from the general funds of the Church.

In many countries, the kindness of those making the mass offering is the only source of income for the priest.

Let us not forget OUR PART here. The priest will do his part freely. But it is a kindness and good manners and good for OUR SOULS if we do a little sacrificial giving towards others, namely our priests.
 
Lane said:
I know it’s not obligatory but still some people PAY FOR PRAYERS
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They do not pay for prayers. They say “thank you” to the priest for doing something FOR THEM personally.

You can go to mass and offer prayers any time you want. But if if you are asking the priest to make the mass intention on your behalf, it is a kindness and a small sacrifice for you to say thank you to him.
 
1ke said:
1 Corinthians, Chapter 9.

The priest has a right to support for his labor.

Also read up on sacrificial offering.

And again: it’s not obligatory.
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Okay, well let’s say the priest is saying Mass at 8 am and 10 am on a Sunday. What is the extra effort required from him to offer a particular Mass for someone? In a sense he is being paid for his labor already, right, because he does make a salary?
You can try to explain this all you want, but it looks very fishy to non-Catholics and TBH it’s always bothered me since I became Catholic.
 
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0Scarlett_nidiyilii said:
masses, candles, mothers day and fathers day mass cards.
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If you absolutely do not have the money, or if it would cause a hardship for you to part with it (some people need that extra $10-$20 to make rent or pay for groceries), you can request the Mass without a stipend. I can’t see any compassionate, Christ-like priest telling you that you can’t light a candle unless you can pay full price. If it were me, I’d say just put in the slot what you can, and light your candle. I’d also hope that those of means might put in more to cover the slack for those who can’t.
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Even the priests of the OT had their portion in the offerings of the Israelites long ago - Leviticus 7:28-38 USCCB:

bible.usccb.org

Leviticus, CHAPTER 7

Daily Bible Readings, Podcast Audio and Videos and Prayers brought to you by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
bible.usccb.org bible.usccb.org

Portions from the Communion Sacrifice for Priests. 28The LORD said to Moses:29Tell the Israelites: The person who offers a communion sacrifice to the LORD shall be the one to bring from it the offering to the LORD.30The offerer’s own hands shall carry the oblations for the LORD: the person shall bring the fat together with the brisket, which is to be raised as an elevatedq offering* before the LORD.31The priest shall burn the fat on the altar,r but the brisket belongs to Aaron and his sons.32Moreover, from your communion sacrifices you shall give to the priest the right leg as a contribution.33The one among Aaron’s sons who offers the blood and the fat of the communion offering shall have the right leg as his portion,34for from the communion sacrifices of the Israelites I have taken the brisket that is elevated and the leg that is a contribution, and I have given them to Aaron, the priest, and to his sons as their due from the Israelites forever.s

35This is the priestly share from the oblations for the LORD, allotted to Aaron and his sons on the day they were brought forth to be the priests of the LORD,36which the LORD ordered to be given them from the Israelites on the day they were anointed, as their due throughout their generations forever.

Summary. 37This is the ritual for the burnt offering, the grain offering, the purification offering, the reparation offering, the ordination offering,t and the communion sacrifice,38which the LORD enjoined on Moses at Mount Sinai at the time when he commanded the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai to bring their offerings to the LORD.u

Numbers 18:8-32 USCCB: http://www.usccb.org/bible/numbers/18
 
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The stipend for a mass offered for a loved one is also an equivalent of the collection basket on Sunday.
 
I look at it more as a freewill offering.
 
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Any offerings to the church are optional. The Pope can’t just say ‘ oh I’ll sell the pieta in St. Peter’s basilica’ any more than the president can decide to sell the White House. You are supporting the work of the parish. Our priests here (and one of them told us ) get a personal ‘salary’ of about 5000 USD per year. That has to cover travel, visiting to see family, fuel for their cars, everything outside of the upkeep of their homes and clothing and food .
 
No, it’s not paying for prayers. There is a difference in paying for prayers, which is a sin vs offering up our tithes & offerings for God & the Church’s needs.
 
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