How Do Clergy Members Get Paid?

[dUSt]

All I know is Fr Pontifex is broke. hahaha

And... we're actually going to have to buy some Franciscan Friars some shoes so they can fly down to TX, as all they have is one pair of sandals each (I get a discount on plane tickets, but there's a dress code). So, if that tells you anything...

I know that my parish employs a few full-time lay people, like the youth coordinator, secretary, maintenance facilitator, etc. I don't know what their salary is, but I'm assuming it's not a lot--probably more than the priest though, as they have families to support.

I think I heard from a priest once that he gets housing and food, and then like $50/week allowance.

[mulls]

general question for all:


do you think that those in full-time ministry should be paid on salary? obviously they need an income, but should they be paid to do the Lord's work?

[Brother Adam]

Yes. Of Course. They do the Lord's work. We need to provide for them. It's to what extent is the question. If it means allowing them money to be able to eat, visit a doctor, have some allowance for study material, absolutely. If they are driving around in a brand new BMW, a thousand miles to a conference in an new 500 dollar suit, then I have a problem. The Church provided for the Apostles. They came together as a community and everyone freely gave what they could.

[mulls]

precisely, we as the church should support them, but should they have a definite salary, with raises and pensions and all that?



i really don't know where i'm going with this.

[dUSt]

[quote name='mulls' date='May 18 2004, 03:51 PM'] general question for all:


do you think that those in full-time ministry should be paid on salary? obviously they need an income, but should they be paid to do the Lord's work? [/quote]
If they do ministry full-time, then they need to be able to support themselves and their family, so yes, a modest salary is fine. I would say just enough to survive on.

If they can afford $2000 suits, gold watches and BMWs, then obviously, there's a problem.

[Brother Adam]

Should the Church be run like a business? No.

No.


and No.

That rules out coorporate theology!

I think the way the Church does it now is pretty cool. They have a home, they have food, they can get medical care. And they have a little bit extra, usually. The rest of the money goes to the Lord's work in hospitals (Catholic Church operates 1 in 10), orphanages, food kitchens, outreach programs, and ministry in general.

[littleflower+JMJ]

yeah our all collection the majority goes to the bills of the Church (we need light and heat/cold ya know! lol)

very little goes to our priest.....all their necessities are taken care of (housing, food, etc.)

i have known priests who will eat only one meal a day to give the rest to the Church...or another i know did the job of the secretary as well so that income would stay in the church and pay off stuff.....

anything needs money to function, its just the way things are, and i know priests are the ones who work to make things meet, for their parish and for themselves.

thats why you need to invite your priest for dinner! our family would take any food we have from lunch and dinner over, and they really appreciate it!!

[crusader1234]

Hey,

Interesting question. I asked a Jesuit at my school about how that works.

The Priest at my Chuch lives in an apartment above the Church offices, it is fairly nice I've been told.

The Jesuits live together in a big old house, kind of like a fraternity. Well, it IS a Fraternity in one sense. But anyways, the school pays them what they would pay any teacher, and that money goes to the Society rather than directly to them. The money is then distributed by the Society. So its sort of run like a business... I think that how they are doing it is good.

[PedroX]

St. Paul said to pay a laborer according to his worth. Well, we ask our Priest to accept being paid less than their worth, but it is a noble sacrifice. I know that priests in my diocese make around $14,000 a year plus food and housing. The last Protestant church I went to paid its pastor $80,000 a year plus books, travel, etc. As a master's level social worker with 8 years of experience, I make between $30 and $40k so there's some perspective on what a sacrifice it is to be a priest. I truly think its noble.

peace...

[the_rev]

Usually priests are on allowances.

They get a certain amount for a year for food, gas, etc.

[littleflower+JMJ]

i never knew preachers got paid [i]soo[/i] much

[Brother Adam]

Not all preachers are, some of those who are members of primative baptist movements get paid much less. Lutheran pastors also make comparatively less, as an example.

[Crusader_4]

No offence and i dont say this to be mean or offensive but it is something that i have noticed. My Grandparents live in the southern states and my Grandfather is a doctor by trade. He lives on a fairly nice and rather expenisve street. There are professors, ceos and other doctors that live on his street yet the person who has the biggest house in the neighborhood is the Minister. I dunno maybe its just me but it doesnt seem right. Altough in CAtholicsm it was the same way for a long time in the middle ages with the Clergy too...thankfully it really is not that way anymore.

[Mickey's_Girl]

Definitely I'd want my priest to have book money, and any other "scholarly" stuff he'd need. Music, newspapers, etc. And $ to buy his family birthday presents, etc. The occasional candy bar. :-)

We think about food, housing, clothing, and transportation, but there are a lot of other things that the average middle-class person takes for granted, I think.

MG

[M.SIGGA]

A lot of the priests salary goes back into the parish too sort of right? Don't they have to buy their own vestments and additions to the Church decor and stuff like that?