Selling a mass card could get you...

brummytom · 28-08-2009 01:38PM

LZ5by5 wrote: »

You said though, donation. Nothing compulsory.

Having to state how much you've enclosed is surely a very very strong hint that they want money?

pikachucheeks · 28-08-2009 01:39PM

LZ5by5 wrote: »

I don't think it's so much a case of being charged for a prayer but more a charge for the effort that goes into making the card (no matter how "tacky" it may be).

For example, people can get anniversary masses said for their dead loved ones, absolutely free of charge. So I doubt it's the prayer that is the thing people are charged for in regards to mass cards.

Well, whatever way you look at it, 12 euro for a piece of laminated paper with a prayer on it is very expensive.

I understand that there's printing costs invovled, but surely it wouldn't amount to that!

Even 3.50, as someone mentioned, is dear, considering what the card is. Someone might want to buy them for their family - could easily amount to 100 euro plus!

I understand the need to charge for these cards, given the manufacturing costs, but would you not agree that it's a bit unfair for a priest to be potentially pocketing a huge chunk of the money, for simply signing the thing?

pikachucheeks · 28-08-2009 01:47PM

Biggins wrote: »

I recently had an issue (with Mary Harney and Crumlin Hospital - another thread) but while that was/is ongoing, I received a lovely beautiful personally written letter from a nice lady from the south of Ireland.
In it she wrote that she was thinking of us, our daughter and that she was praying for us.

That letter meant more to us than any before or subsequent mass cards just bought and paid for at a impersonal counter.
The lady took the time to think of us, write to us, express herself, mention she was personally praying for us and especially my daughter, stamp and post it to us.

That's a really nice story. And a very nice gesture from that woman, whoever she was

I think sometimes, people put too much emphasis on priests. Saying a prayer for someone means just as much, if you say it yourself, as if you asked a priest to say it for you.
Not to be cheesy, but we're all equal in the eyes of God.

I'm not going to speak too much about my family life, but I know that if my dad was asked to say a prayer for someone, he'd do it and never expect a cent for it.
I think it's a sign of complete corruption when religion and money are hand in hand (unless it's for charity, obviously).

Handsome Bob · 28-08-2009 01:48PM

brummytom wrote: »

Having to state how much you've enclosed is surely a very very strong hint that they want money?

True enough. However I suppose that's not the worst thing in the world. For example in the case of my local parish the resources are highly stretched in terms of man power and funding. I suppose €20 is a fair price to ask when you are asking a church to open up when otherwise it wouldn't in terms of paying for electricity, heating, upkeep etc etc.

28-08-2009 01:56PM

This post has been deleted.

pikachucheeks · 28-08-2009 02:00PM

Scien wrote: »

You'd swear Priests are using the Money on trips away with the Lads & high quality Cocaine...

Given all the recent allegations, you might not be far wrong with that statement

Scien wrote: »

I think anyone purchasing one is aware that the money is going towards either the upkeep of the Church or on the Priests welfare (Petrol, food, household bills etc..)

Oh, I know! I'm not suggesting people are unaware of what the money's going towards. It's just a shame people can and are charged such a high fee!
It doesn't shed the whole charitable nature of The Church in a great light.

Biggins · 28-08-2009 02:01PM

Scien wrote: »

You'd swear Priests are using the Money on trips away with the Lads & high quality Cocaine...

I think anyone purchasing one is aware that the money is going towards either the upkeep of the Church or on the Priests welfare (Petrol, food, household bills etc..)

...and I personally have no problem with that - only right too.
I would have though then that if they were given an agreed percentage of the sales of these cards then, they would be quite happy to let them remain on sale at wherever possible.
However, in money terms to use a common phrase like looks like they are "cutting off their nose to spite their face" or "shooting themselves in the foot!"

mandysmithers · 28-08-2009 02:13PM

If someone wants to buy a mass card because they feel they're doing some good for someone, then let them. No one is forced into it! Some people are religious, and get comfort from it, so what.

I'm sure that if the same person went to a priest's house and told them they were worried about something, and would the priest pray for them, or bless them, that most priests wouldn't then ask for some money - in fact, I'd almost stretch that to all priests. They're not all money-grabbing, paedophiles.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i · 28-08-2009 02:17PM

WTF is a mass card? O.o

Long Onion · 28-08-2009 02:31PM

Alaya Happy Submarine wrote: »

WTF is a mass card? O.o

I suggest you read the thread my dear fellow. It's obviously a method of swindling money from gullible gobsh1tes whilst also allowing priests to continue their cocaine and hookers binges - win win really

mandysmithers · 28-08-2009 02:38PM

Long Onion wrote: »

I suggest you read the thread my dear fellow. It's obviously a method of swindling money from gullible gobsh1tes whilst also allowing priests to continue their cocaine and hookers binges - win win really

Don't you think that if that a priest's lifestyle was a fraction like that in any way, that the numbers joining the priesthood wouldn't be dwindling so much. Sarcasm aside.

Biggins · 28-08-2009 02:43PM

mandysmithers wrote: »

Don't you think that if that a priest's lifestyle was a fraction like that in any way, that the numbers joining the priesthood wouldn't be dwindling so much. Sarcasm aside.

Its slightly off topic and I apologise for that but if Roman Catholic priests were allowed to marry, it could possibly be the best job going and the numbers joining would increase greatly.

Long Onion · 28-08-2009 02:46PM

mandysmithers wrote: »

Don't you think that if that a priest's lifestyle was a fraction like that in any way, that the numbers joining the priesthood wouldn't be dwindling so much. Sarcasm aside.

Kerry Katona has shattered both the cocaine and hooker glamour myth.

Biggins · 28-08-2009 02:52PM

Long Onion wrote: »

Kerry Katona has shattered both the cocaine and hooker glamour myth.

Meh! Kate Moss had that well sown up before her!

Jeanious · 28-08-2009 03:15PM

brummytom wrote: »

It's a card that you buy from the church, they normally look something like this: http://www.catholicprayercards.org/i/MISC%20ART/LC088.JPG

You buy it already signed by the priest and write your intention inside (who you want to pray for). Then you give it to said person/their family.

Yes, it's as pointless as it sounds

Hold on, so do they say a mass for the person? How would the church know the name even?

Im all in favour of "each to their own" but seriously, ya'd want to be bleedin batty to be payin 12 quid for one of them! (in saying that though, i think cards of any description should be banned, theyre a complete and utter waste)

ShooterSF · 28-08-2009 03:38PM

So wait are we claiming the Vatican is skint now and the churches only survive based on donations?

philologos · 28-08-2009 03:55PM

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly are these mass cards?

Edit: Answer is above. I don't think the State should have any role in enforcing this. Free enterprise of religion is fine by me, but I don't think people should be bolstering up churches like this. What if Muslims, the Church of Ireland, secular organisations, Presbyterians, Evangelicals and others wanted a special arrangement like this with the State? It's quite inappropriate surely?

brummytom · 28-08-2009 03:58PM

coyle wrote: »

Hold on, so do they say a mass for the person? How would the church know the name even?

Im all in favour of "each to their own" but seriously, ya'd want to be bleedin batty to be payin 12 quid for one of them! (in saying that though, i think cards of any description should be banned, theyre a complete and utter waste)

I'm not sure how it works over there tbh.

We bought a mass card last Sunday for a family friend whose mother had died a few days previous (I say 'we' bought it, I mean mom).
Despite the name, no mass is actually said, we had to ask (and pay) for that seperately.

Jeanious · 28-08-2009 04:11PM

So it's just a card then? Albeit a fancy one made by the church and signed by a priest? Is there even a pretense that a mass will be said? Or where the hell did the name even come from?!!

I call false advertising!

If there's no mass or anything special about the poxy card, then why would it make a difference who sells it? Or is it a sort of trademark issue, i.e. i presume ya cant just go around printing Man United cards and selling them without a licence or something.

I'm hugely confused Ted.

Morag · 28-08-2009 04:46PM

Blackmarket mass cards, hmmm wonder if there is a market for black mass cards.

Ruu_Old · 28-08-2009 04:49PM

Back to the old Tesco Deepest Sympathy ones for me. I'll just make a drawing of a cross on it or something, Roberts your uncle.

Selling a mass card could get you...

Comments