Giving money when receiving the Sacraments of the Holy Catholic Church

United States
April 19, 2008 6:41pm CST
I did not feel the need to give any money to the Priest for baptizing my children. It is a Sacrament of the Church. Perhaps I am way off base here but I feel it almost diminishes the sanctity of the occasion to pay the Priest. I give to the Church what I can and when I can. I do not think that Sacraments should include any money changing hands between the parishioner and the Priest. Somehow that seems wrong to me. How do other mylotters and especially Catholic mylotters feel about this issue?
3 people like this
7 responses
• United States
20 Apr 08
I'm not Catholic but I'm wondering if Jesus gave John the Baptist any money after he baptized him. As the poster above me said "look to the Bible" for answers and truth.
2 people like this
@santuccie (3384)
• United States
20 Apr 08
I'm not Roman Catholic, but I think you make a perfectly valid point. Did Jesus not overturn tables and chastise those who bought and sold, because they were selling sacrificial elements in the church? It sounds like the priests are once more trying to turn religion into an enterprise, "a den of thieves." (Mark 11:17)
1 person likes this
@santuccie (3384)
• United States
24 Apr 08
Always a pleasure. I love your username by the way (I did have to slow down a notch to read it)!
• United States
23 Apr 08
I so totally and completely agree with you. Thanks for responding!
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
21 Apr 08
well I am anglican and it is the closest thing to RC, we do that too. You are paying the salary of the priest, he has a job like everyone else this is his. He gets paid by the parishoners, the more generous they are the better paid he is.
@edujccz (929)
• Philippines
24 Apr 08
I agree with you that the sanctity of the sacrament diminish when money change hand to the priest all this sacrament should be free and the feeling to us will be much holier. But priest are men like you who needs to eat. The church are made of stone that needs maintenance, the altar before any sacrament perform are decorated full of flowers that need to be bought, lighted in full bright that is subject for bills , a big yard that needs to be clean and thats how we wanted it to be. you will no opt to go to a church built in a cave full of rats and reptiles, no need of maintenance , no lights or flowers around , surely you will not have faith with that church. We love to give money to the church but we dont see it as going to the priest, we see it as an offering to God and we feel more happier giving. May God bless you more.
@danzer (2723)
• Philippines
19 Apr 08
Well, the best place to know more is the Word of God the Bible. There are no sacraments practiced in bible times. There are also no infant baptisms in the bible. Learn more and I pray that God will lead you to the right kind of Church where the truth is preached!
• Philippines
20 Apr 08
the bible was made by the catholic church.. if patents were available that time they would be credited.. there were many books that time made by the diciples of jesus.. the church fathers prayed to the holy spirit, that they may be guided to what books to be added.....In the jewish tradition offerrings were offered as part of there religious practices... this includes animal offerings known as the holocust.. were jews offered turtle doves, sacrificial lambs and other animals..as part of there religious practices.. even today some jewish sect practice this practices... one of the so called sacrament of jewish tradition is offering of there child to jhvh! by presenting them to the jewish temple... another is there rite of circumcision... as part of there religious practices in other words sacraments are considered religious practices the jews and other religions like protestants who baptized are considered as pratices. the catholic church called it only sacraments in replacing the word of religious practices.... so read the bible and be guided by history by reading other information such as a history books or an encyclopedia or even the history of the catholic church or it cathetism ....
• Philippines
20 Apr 08
thanks to the catholic church! for providing as the bible! and not from your personal mind and limited understanding.. end discussion!
@johndur (3052)
• Pasig, Philippines
24 Apr 08
bible - picture of the holy bible
cover.....you claim the catholics formed the bible yet they dont do what is in it...especially in the new testament where Jesus has simplified the way to God and yet idolatry is still rampant in the church.you may say that you dont worship the stone and wood saints yet it is what really you are doing which is in the ten commandments.
@johndur (3052)
• Pasig, Philippines
21 Apr 08
jesus - picture of jssus
it is wrong to involve money in very transaction in a church.they receive the sacraments and God for free so why do they accept money when they do it?it is one of the reason why the catholics church is the most influential religion in the world and is also the richest,it is even richer than any country in the world.all of that because of money.i also have noticed that they dont do what they teach and preach,one good example is the thing about idolatry,yet they idolize the saints.why do they teach people not to worship idols yet they themselves promote it.well i guess,im not in a position to have a discussion like that but it was just what i have noticed and i was only sharing it to others what i have noticed.i am born as a catholic but im not a practicing catholic because of what i have found out about the church....
• United States
23 Apr 08
Catholics do not idolize the Saints, that is a common misconception among non-Catholics. Thanks for responding!
@edujccz (929)
• Philippines
24 Apr 08
johndur, the catholic church is the most influential religion! because its teaching is true, many new church are appearing everywhere but they dont flourish, because the catholic church was founded by Jesus, and not simply a creation of any man. To a catholic, new built church but using distorted bible are called protestant or rebel. Yeh, maybe you see it that way that we idolized the saints, no ,we pray in front of them as intercessors we pray to Mary to interceede us to Jesus and so on to God the Father. It is crazy for you to believe but thats the way we do it. The saints or sculpted rocks abound the church are works of men to beautify it and reminisce their acts of faith, like immortalized heroes in stone. I tell you , we dont worship the idol, deep within our hearts , we speak with our God. You are a born catholic but dont practice it, read the bible more and pray earnestly. You want to feel God within you, give what you have to the poor, for that was he teaches. Love your neighbor for God loves you.We are happy when we pray because we know we have God with us and his miracles ,where other church dont have. May God bless you more.
@johndur (3052)
• Pasig, Philippines
24 Apr 08
jesus - jesus picture
if they dont idolize the saints then why do they treat then like God?i knoe they have to be respected but not to the extent of making them a god.
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
21 Apr 08
I have never given any money to a priest... even when my baby was baptized... we only paid the regular fee at the office... but i am familiar with this sort of money given to priest after a particular sacrament... but that sort of thing is optional... we are not required to give the priest any money... But the money we donate are suppose to be used for the maintenance of the church... and to pay for the utilities... and of course the food of the priest since they don't have any full time paying job...