To be in dilemma how much to pay to the priest?

[Brokensoul]

My two DD's are getting baptised in RC church. We are at the moment in a bit thight place with the money and I know priest is expecting monetary donation.
I am in dilemma how much is appropriate. Please can someone advice me?! Thank you so much.

My church is a CoE, is a high church so lots of RC bits in there.
Baptisms are done on a Saturday there. I was told that they had found it was easier for families that way, finding venues for the after-party etc. Not sure we'll have a party, I literally want to give my children a place in the church, not a piss-up, but we'll see

Um, yes it's very common in the Catholic church. What difference does it make if it's a Saturday or Sunday, the service is the exact same. As I said earlier, most parishes set aside a Saturday/Sunday a month for christenings, on the day it may be that only one child is being christened, or there may be four. It's not a matter of hiring the church for a blingtastic christening, it's a matter of how many people have asked to have their child baptised on that particular day.

Some are done after the usual Sunday Mass and some are solely christenings without a preceding mass.

It depends MRsAMerrick. Baptisms are done as part of Mass on a Sunday but many priests are happy to do a separate service too. in our case, the godparents were coming over from Ireland and it was actually the priest's suggestion to have the baptism on a Saturday so they could spend the rest of the day with us. On a Sunday they would have to leave after. Few hours to go back to the airport to fly home for work the next day. But I'm a regular attended at Mass so I think he was confident I understood what baptism was about in terms of welcoming a child into the church family.

A private baptism is definitely not blingtastic as squoosh says. Is it a simple ceremony lasting about 20-30 minutes. I only used the term 'private' to mean outside of the Mass. In our case it was also helpful because only my side of the family is Catholic and it would have been a bit much for my H's ailing father, who isn't Catholic, to sit though a full Mass.

The church of the last christening I attended only does baptisms on the last Saturday of the month.

It's whatever you can afford. I gave £100 for both mine but I would say this was a lot more than expected.

Thank you for replies . I will inquire tom after the mass if they have standard fees again. If not, I will put £30 in an envelope.
Every May priest suggests that every family give on Sunday's at least £5 . So, they have our addresses and names. We get every May small envelopes for the whole year with our unique number and then they know how much you give as a household per year.
I am from Croatia and yes we always give to church , thats how priests are being fed ( sorry very straight expression), building works are being done, groups for kids etc) but I feel that , as many of you said I shouldn't feel ashamed that I can't give £100-150 as one of parishioners said that is norm, but I am.
O I wish I don't take things so much to my heart.....
My mum is making nice cloths for the Altar and for stands with the statues. She is really good at it. It will be done before April( just got measurement) and she will post it .
I hope they will appreciate. Thank you one more time...

We gave £20. On mat leave at the time or I'd have probably pushed it up to £50. All the guests gave in money to the collection though, so I don't feel overly guilty.

I put £20 in the pot, when my god-daughter was christened, I know afew others also gave £5, £10, £20

CofE has prices on their website - check it out! A 'donation' is just that - a donation of what you are comfortable to give (money, time, expertise...).

On the form I think it said suggested donation was 25 to 30 in our diocese. Don't think you need to double it for a joint baptism.

Oh FFS, there should be no Money exchanging hands.

This is a spiritual service FREELY offered by the church in the name of Christianity NOT a bloody purchase.

If I were you OP I would give a big fat nothing. NADA. Not. A. Bean.

Your child should be welcomed into the Church without paying a penny.

Thank you ... I agree that donation should be exactly that - donation. No amount set if is a donation. If I had money ATM I would offer more, but I don't :-/.
You gave me lots of lovely advices and I feel much better now.
Thank you one more time

It is a donation not an obligation. It is only natural to want to be generous but the purpose of this is to bring new people into the faith of their choice.

I gave £20 in an envelope for each of mine. I also put £1 every week in the collection. I don't bother with the collection envelopes - I just stick it in the plate. I know our parish is keen on the envelopes for gift aid purposes.

It never occurred to me that I would have to pay for a Baptism!

Had the 2 youngest done last year, we were the only family, the service was straight after mad but not during. Money or donations were never mentioned during any of the meetings.
We gave the Priest a litre of Wisky wrapped nicely and an invite to the party at home.
He was very happy with both but didn't come out.

If I remember correctly when I had the older boys baptised about 12 years ago I did exactly the same. Same Priest too.

It had never crossed my mind to pay for a baptisim. Currently organising one for the end of march so just asked a friend who is on the leadership group at church and they told me you don't pay for baptisms, as once baptised you are a member of the church so will be giving more regularly.
Does make sence.

Jesus loves you. If you bung him a few quid.

Jesus loves you anyway don't think money can buy him!

Bunch of fives

Yes it's a spiritual service offered by the church.

And yes if you are really skint then it should be free.

But a lot of churches are in dire straights at the moment wrt money so any donation will be more than welcome.

I don't know if people are being deliberately difficult or facetious but you're not buying a baptism or buying JC. What is being talked about is a donation or offering. It makes a difference. A donation or offering is given freely in thanks and to recognise there are costs involved in a service- lighting and heating for the church, the baptism candle, the priest or vicar's time (he needs feeding and clothing too). OP, give what you can afford and don't worry about it. If you could afford nothing, no priest would refuse to baptise a child.

I gave £100. The vicar had not suggested an amount. But I know how churches struggle to pay for their basic maintenance.

Honestly, churches don't run themselves on air. They have costs, sometimes huge costs and they have to be covered somehow. If they don't, then there won't be any churches to get married in or have children baptised. I don't know why some posters are so up in arms about churches needing to have donations to survive.

OP just give what you can afford and I would happily ignore the person who suggested £100 - £150. That may be affordable for them, but probably not for many others and it would be terrible if lack of funds put people off getting their children baptised if that's what they want to do.

It didn't cost us anything to have DD baptised, except for laying on some refreshments afterwards. We are C of E and the baptism took place during a normal service.

Link here. Point number 6