christening

brilou23

hi i was wondering what is the average cost of the priest is to do a christening in wexford

georgieporgy

there is no charge for baptism or indeed any sacrament in the RC church.

Some people make a donation to the parish for general upkeep. But generally you would be doing this already every sunday.

lilymc

I was wondering this until i went into Killarney Cathedral to book my daughter's christening... the cost was €50

Peregrinus

Georgieporgy is largely correct, in that most parishes would not make a formal charge, but will accept any offering that people may give.

Cathedrals are a slightly different kettle of fish. They are large and tend to be expensive to run, and they exist and function for the benefit of the diocese as a whole. There's a feeling that it would be unfair that the entire cost of running them should fall on the people who happen to live within the cathedral parish, and it's not uncommon for them to be quite upfront about levying formal charges for the use of the cathedral.

They'll often waive them for parishioners, though. So if you live in the cathedral parish, lilymc, it might be worth mentioning this to see if their attitude to charging changes.

Cato Maior

In my local Catholic parish, there is a 'price list', headed 'Charges', for all the sacraments in the church. It was put up my the new PP. It hasn't gone down well with the parishioners. The last PP, who seems to have been a genuinely good man, refused to take any money for baptisms on a point of principle. Even when I offered money for him to donate to a charity of his choice he refused. He believed that baptism was too important and central to Christianity to be sullied by money.

The new chap has different ideas. I'm told that a couple of weeks ago he threatened to bring in parking charges for use of the church car-park during GAA matches. This is a rural parish where GAA is in the blood and is very much part of the heart of the community. The local team is the most successful and dominant one in Galway and has been for almost two decades now. His threat did not go down so well.

PDN

Cato Maior wrote: »

In my local Catholic parish, there is a 'price list', headed 'Charges', for all the sacraments in the church. It was put up my the new PP. It hasn't gone down well with the parishioners. The last PP, who seems to have been a genuinely good man, refused to take any money for baptisms on a point of principle. Even when I offered money for him to donate to a charity of his choice he refused. He believed that baptism was too important and central to Christianity to be sullied by money.

The new chap has different ideas. I'm told that a couple of weeks ago he threatened to bring in parking charges for use of the church car-park during GAA matches. This is a rural parish where GAA is in the blood and is very much part of the heart of the community. The local team is the most successful and dominant one in Galway and has been for almost two decades now. His threat did not go down so well.

I have a lot of sympathy for that priest. Our church is opposite a rugby ground, and it is astonishing how many rugby fans think they should be allowed to park free on our property, and get most abusive when you point out that we need every single parking space for worshippers when our services are in progress.

Cato Maior

PDN wrote: »

I have a lot of sympathy for that priest. Our church is opposite a rugby ground, and it is astonishing how many rugby fans think they should be allowed to park free on our property, and get most abusive when you point out that we need every single parking space for worshippers when our services are in progress.

It never interferes with church services and as I said, the GAA club is at the heart of the community. I'm not from this area and had never come across the kind of devotion that the locals have for the club. From a community point of view, it was a poor decision by the priest.

From my understanding of Catholicism, his posting up a list of charges for sacraments is indefensible. If he had even headed it 'suggested donations' it would probably be fine, but 'charges'!

Paparazzo

Cato Maior wrote: »

In my local Catholic parish, there is a 'price list', headed 'Charges', for all the sacraments in the church. It was put up my the new PP. It hasn't gone down well with the parishioners. The last PP, who seems to have been a genuinely good man, refused to take any money for baptisms on a point of principle. Even when I offered money for him to donate to a charity of his choice he refused. He believed that baptism was too important and central to Christianity to be sullied by money.

The new chap has different ideas. I'm told that a couple of weeks ago he threatened to bring in parking charges for use of the church car-park during GAA matches. This is a rural parish where GAA is in the blood and is very much part of the heart of the community. The local team is the most successful and dominant one in Galway and has been for almost two decades now. His threat did not go down so well.

I think the price list is a good idea. I got married in England in a CoE church and they had a pricelist for the wedding which you got from the secretary and then paid them. Made it so much easier than the Catholic churches here where nothing is said about charges, but you have to find out how much need for the priest, alterboys, music, cleaners etc etc.

homer911

Cato Maior wrote: »

From my understanding of Catholicism, his posting up a list of charges for sacraments is indefensible. If he had even headed it 'suggested donations' it would probably be fine, but 'charges'!

I'm derailing the thread, sorry..

I know what you mean - our church announcement sheet has recently been used to ecourage people (in relation to weekly offerings) to "pay" by "direct debit". I dont know any church in the country that collects offerings by direct debit, and they certainly aren't a payment for anything

(They changed it when I pointed this out - its a standing order btw, in case you were wondering)

Cato Maior

Paparazzo wrote: »

I think the price list is a good idea. I got married in England in a CoE church and they had a pricelist for the wedding which you got from the secretary and then paid them. Made it so much easier than the Catholic churches here where nothing is said about charges, but you have to find out how much need for the priest, alterboys, music, cleaners etc etc.

Acts of the Apostles, Simon the Magician, Simony... ?

Onesimus

Paparazzo wrote: »

I think the price list is a good idea. I got married in England in a CoE church and they had a pricelist for the wedding which you got from the secretary and then paid them. Made it so much easier than the Catholic churches here where nothing is said about charges, but you have to find out how much need for the priest, alterboys, music, cleaners etc etc.

Nothing is said because it's up to the person to decide for themselves whether or not to donate.

I've never donated either for my wedding or my sons Baptism because I do that every Sunday anyways for the upkeep of the parish.

But some people when they hear of weddings, instead of hearing wedding bells they hear the money jingling in your pocket and you often hear sometimes ''the suggested donation is 200 euro''. baahhhhhhahahaha yeah right. Our priest who is lovely guy got invited to the meal and reception instead.

I cant pay on the day of my wedding as it sometimes feel like I am paying for the sacrament and thats not right.

Onesimus

The Quadratic Equation

Cato Maior wrote: »

In my local Catholic parish, there is a 'price list', headed 'Charges', for all the sacraments in the church. It was put up my the new PP. It hasn't gone down well with the parishioners. The last PP, who seems to have been a genuinely good man, refused to take any money for baptisms on a point of principle. Even when I offered money for him to donate to a charity of his choice he refused. He believed that baptism was too important and central to Christianity to be sullied by money.

The new chap has different ideas. I'm told that a couple of weeks ago he threatened to bring in parking charges for use of the church car-park during GAA matches. This is a rural parish where GAA is in the blood and is very much part of the heart of the community. The local team is the most successful and dominant one in Galway and has been for almost two decades now. His threat did not go down so well.

All I can say to that is no matter what your dealing with or where, in all walks of life, there's always one . . .

He's probably planning a few Chapel renovations or such like and has ended up with money on the brain.

It will be a bit painful watching that poor young Priest learn the hard way. Hopefully a few older and wiser parishioners will try to steer him right in practical matters and be there for advice. I wonder do they get any type of practical training for these matters before they are sent out into the world.

tenchi-fan

lilymc wrote: »

I was wondering this until i went into Killarney Cathedral to book my daughter's christening... the cost was €50

Solution to avoid these outrageous charges: Find a conference centre that you can book for less than €50, and invite the priest there for the Christening.

homer911 wrote: »

I know what you mean - our church announcement sheet has recently been used to ecourage people (in relation to weekly offerings) to "pay" by "direct debit". I dont know any church in the country that collects offerings by direct debit, and they certainly aren't a payment for anything

(They changed it when I pointed this out - its a standing order btw, in case you were wondering)

They are payments though. In banking terms, a transfer of this nature is a payment for the party sending the money and a receipt for the party receiving the money.

In terms of obligations, if you commit to donating €50 per month, by sending money you are discharging this obligation (which is the definition of the word "payment")

Also, a standing order is when you instruct your bank to regularly send money to another bank account. Not completely different to dropping it onto the collection plate. It's slightly different to how direct debits work.

tenchi-fan

Onesimus wrote: »

But some people when they hear of weddings, instead of hearing wedding bells they hear the money jingling in your pocket and you often hear sometimes ''the suggested donation is 200 euro''. baahhhhhhahahaha yeah right. Our priest who is lovely guy got invited to the meal and reception instead.

This is all well and good for someone like you who attends mass regularly and make contributions throughout the year. (I hope you gave a few quid to the altar servers by the way!)

However, for people who spend €30,000 on a wedding it's a bit rich when they start bitching about a nominal admin cost associated with a wedding ceremony in a church.

Onesimus

tenchi-fan wrote: »

This is all well and good for someone like you who attends mass regularly and make contributions throughout the year. (I hope you gave a few quid to the altar servers by the way!)

However, for people who spend €30,000 on a wedding it's a bit rich when they start bitching about a nominal admin cost associated with a wedding ceremony in a church.

LOL people who spend 30,000 euros on a wedding really dont know what a wedding is about to be honest or the true meaning of it. But they seem to bring up the true meaning of it and know all about it once the admin fee comes if there is one God forbid!!!

We didnt spend a dime on ours really. Just the basic neccesities. I would have walked up the isle in shorts and sandals too but my wife was having none of it. lol

PDN

Onesimus wrote: »

But some people when they hear of weddings, instead of hearing wedding bells they hear the money jingling in your pocket and you often hear sometimes ''the suggested donation is 200 euro''. baahhhhhhahahaha yeah right. Our priest who is lovely guy got invited to the meal and reception instead.

I agree with you that if you are a regular worshipper and giver in a church then you should not have to pay for a minister of that church to conduct weddings, funerals etc. These are part of the pastoral care which you are already contributing towards.

However, I've heard this thing before about how inviting the minister to the meal is somehow a kind of payment.

It is not. If the priest is a family friend then he should attend the reception and meal on the same basis as the other guests.

If he is not a real family friend then going to a wedding meal, making polite conversation with someone's great aunt, and then listening to interminable speeches is really just much more work, not a reward.

If I conduct a wedding then I am giving up approximately two hours of my day, usually on a Saturday, to be away from my family and to help someone else's day be special. If I am expected to attend the reception that that two hours turns into an entire day.

Weddings and receptions are great fun if you are the couple, their family, or good friends with them. But if you are not in those categories, then an Irish wedding reception is really a long and very boring affair, usually with luke warm food, soggy vegetables, and company at the dinner table that you would never voluntarily choose in a thousand years.