Should a Preacher (minister, pastor or deacon) be paid?

[JEV]

Me and my wife have been active in our church for at least 30 years, and we count dozens of clergy (Catholic) as close and personal friends. Many are just barely getting by in spite of receiving a small salary of $20-25K before taxes, based on years of service. They have to buy their own car, pay for insurance, buy clothes, toiletries, car repair, haircuts, as well as buy gifts for family & friends on special occasions. Our priests are provided with good housing, a housekeeper and a cook for 5 days each week. BUT, they work 6 days a week, and their day is at least 10-12 hours. When you break it down to hours worked, they are being paid peanuts for the spiritual services they provide to our 11,000+ parishioners in over 4,300 families. Three priests and one deacon meet the spiritual needs of this flock, and NEVER complain about the hours they put in. They are true SERVANTS for the Lord, and are worth many times their salary for what they do. We give our clergy friends monetary gifts for their anniversaries, birthdays and for Christmas, because we know it is like a bonus for them to get something special like a new computer or to put away for a much needed vacation.

FWIW, the salaries of our priests are determined by the Bishop of the Diocese, and it is up to the congregation to provide the fund to meet those salaries. I have never heard a homily begging for money from our pulpit, and our congregation is always there to meet the financial needs of our buildings and grounds. As a matter of fact, we built a new church for $4.3 million, and it was paid off in less than 4 years through generous donors and everyone meeting their pledge for the construction.

Since we have no long term debt, we have adopted an inner city parish and support them with our collections, as well as several missionaries in third world countries. We also subsidize our Catholic school tuition to the tune of $250k annually. We turn no student away who wants a Catholic education.

Our priests are intimately involved in all of our almost 50 ministries within and outside of the parish boundaries, and they receive nothing more than their meager salaries for all this work. The worker is worth his wage.

 

[benspawpaw]

one other point. the next time you or a family member or even someone you know calls your preacher or whatever you call them in the middle of the night because you need them to come to the hospital or whereever to pray or just hold your hand while a loved one dies or has died or your child is very ill in the emergency room, ask yourself, should this man get paid?​

 

[daedong]

Not into what priests get paid but I figure they do very well indeed. My father a staunch catholic would go around to the vestry every Sunday after mass and give the priest 50 bucks for his personal use. I doubt he was a lone ranger.

 

[SShepherd]

Not into what priests get paid but I figure they do very well indeed


so, you don't have a clue but assume they "do very well"??

what do you base this assumption on?

 

[thcri]

I don't think Catholic Priests get paid much, maybe if any at all. Some are given a house to use along with the food and such. Maybe some spending money. That is my experience from many moons ago. But I am no longer Catholic so don't know for sure.

However there is a lot of Preachers, Pasters, Ministers that do make a pretty good living and yes the should be paid.

 

[daedong]

Not into what priests get paid but I figure they do very well indeed. My father a staunch catholic would go around to the vestry every Sunday after mass and give the priest 50 bucks for his personal use. I doubt he was a lone ranger.

Not into what priests get paid but I figure they do very well indeed


so, you don't have a clue but assume they "do very well"??

what do you base this assumption on?

I think I explained my assumption mate, do you have a problem with that?

 

[SShepherd]

Ya, I do or I wouldn't have asked so the preist got 50 bucks.a week...well, to you if thats "doing well" I'm sorry for that. The money that's givin on sundays doesn't all go to the preist/pastor/rev., but I'm sure you know that already

whats "doing well? 30k/year? 60k , 100k?

 

[ncroamer65]

I know we have a lot of different religious beliefs around here but I was wonder if any of you would like to comment on this subject? If they were paid wouldn’t it be a job? Then they could be accused of working on Sunday (or whatever you’re religious day is). Why do we see so many begging for $ when they should be begging for souls? Is tithing still a still expected?

Isaiah 45:13, 1 Pet. 5:2, Luke 9:2-3, 1 Tim 6:8-9-10-11-12

Sorry about all the questions, thinking about checking out my trapping (preacher) buddies church and trying to think of reasons not to.

The answer you seek are in the scriptures. I think it was Abraham that was instructed to tithie 10% to the house of the Lord. This is were it starts.
This became part of the Jewish temple law for centuries. To provide
for the servents of the Lord, over simplecification I know. Even in
our modern times this is the purpose of tithing.
Jesus made a very wise obversion as to this pertaining to the widow"s
minths. Now go and search that one out. Also the coin that Jesus ask for
when apporch by the the church elders and tithing. The verses that
you provided were about the missionaries that Jesus sent out. Tithing
is to sustain the "church" and it's servents. Pasters. ministers, deacons.
I understand the meanings of the terms you are useing but I'm not seeing
you understand the meaning or purpose of these. If you don't want
to go just say so to your friend, looks like you are searching for surport
for your idea as to words.

 

[pirate_girl]

I don't think Catholic Priests get paid much.

However there is a lot of Preachers, Pasters, Ministers that do make a pretty good living

They don't.

They do.
How many priests do you see on television begging for funds for the Lord and starving children abroad?
Hardly any.
It's some of the others who love to play on the emotion of their flock in order to line their pockets with a bit o brass, and walk around with a flipped out '70s 'do in their horrible suits and big-haired wives singing Hallelujah, Praise The Lord.
Having said that, any man of the cloth should be paid for his work.
Just not OVER paid.
They are supposed to be speaking for Jesus, and turning souls onto salvation and a better way of life.
That guy from Nazareth would surely slap a few and get a little angered, just as he did at the temple with the money changers.

 

[daedong]

Ya, I do or I wouldn't have asked so the preist got 50 bucks.a week...well, to you if thats "doing well" I'm sorry for that. The money that's givin on sundays doesn't all go to the preist/pastor/rev., but I'm sure you know that already

whats "doing well? 30k/year? 60k , 100k?

I don't know how else to write what I wrote, it frustrates the hell out of me that you don't seem to understand what I write, for that I apologize.

 

[SShepherd]

I don't know how else to write what I wrote, it frustrates the hell out of me that you don't seem to understand what I write, for that I apologize.

I asked a simple question, and you don't seem to want to answer that either.

 

[SShepherd]

I found this pretty interesting

http://blogs.payscale.com/ask_dr_salary/2008/07/setting-pastor.html

 

[Erik]

Ya, I do or I wouldn't have asked so the preist got 50 bucks.a week...well, to you if thats "doing well" I'm sorry for that. The money that's givin on sundays doesn't all go to the preist/pastor/rev., but I'm sure you know that already

whats "doing well? 30k/year? 60k , 100k?

It sounded to me like Vin was saying that in addition to whatever stipend the priest got from the church, several members of the parish would tip him every week -- in addition to whatever went into the collection plate, since it was after the service.
If the stipend was $25k, he had no rent or utilities to pay (worth $500-1k a month?), and he was getting $50-200 a week in personal tips (an extra $2500-10k a year tax free?), that's not a bad living.

 

[SShepherd]

I know anything "wiki" isn't 100% accurate, but this seems to parrot what other sources say:


Priests generally will also receive housing or a room-and-board allowance (which they also pay taxes on), a professional allowance (books, subscriptions, retreats, and conferences), health insurance, a pension, and perhaps other allowances (depending on the diocese: mileage, auto, insurance, moving expenses, etc.) In very exceptional cases where a Roman Catholic priest might have a family or dependents (yes, this is possible), provision is usually made for a living wage on a case-by-case basis with the priest's bishop.
Order priests may also receive a salary, but as they are vowed to poverty, they are not allowed to keep the salary for their own use. Any salary they receive is put into the common fund of their religious community. If they need anything, they may receive an allowance from their parish or their community according to their needs and the particular discipline of the community.

Priests may have 'extra' sources of income, such as a position teaching in a school or college, or income from other academic pursuits (book royalties, speaking engagements, etc). They may receive an income for military service or chaplaincy elsewhere. If they had a previous career, they can receive retirement benefits from this. They may also receive or inheirit wealth from their family. There is a Canon in Law which prohibits priests from owning or running an outside business without their bishops (or other superior's) permission. Whether the priest keeps this income depends, again, on whether the priest is 'secular' or 'order'. Catholic priest salaries are very low compared to other professionals who spend at least 8 years in post-secondary education. Whether vowed to poverty or not, priests are to live a life without an excessive concern for the goods of this world. A typical monetary compensation package for a parish priest in the U.S. might run somewhere between $15k-30k (before taxes) with health insurance and a pension included.


This is for Catholic priests

 

[SShepherd]

It sounded to me like Vin was saying that in addition to whatever stipend the priest got from the church, several members of the parish would tip him every week -- in addition to whatever went into the collection plate, since it was after the service.
If the stipend was $25k, he had no rent or utilities to pay (worth $500-1k a month?), and he was getting $50-200 a week in personal tips (an extra $2500-10k a year tax free?), that's not a bad living.

considering he's "on call" 24/7, those are still pretty low.

Granted, these people are "called" to this profession and know what they are getting into. I would imagine asking any of them how they felt about their compensation would get the responce " I feel blessed"

 

[thcri]

They don't.

They do.
How many priests do you see on television begging for funds for the Lord and starving children abroad?
Hardly any.
It's some of the others who love to play on the emotion of their flock in order to line their pockets with a bit o brass, and walk around with a flipped out '70s 'do in their horrible suits and big-haired wives singing Hallelujah, Praise The Lord.
Having said that, any man of the cloth should be paid for his work.
Just not OVER paid.
They are supposed to be speaking for Jesus, and turning souls onto salvation and a better way of life.
That guy from Nazareth would surely slap a few and get a little angered, just as he did at the temple with the money changers.

I would actually put it in three categories.


Those that make diddley = Catholic Priests
Those that make some really good money = Pastors, Ministers or large
Churchs.
Those that make more than they should = Some of you TV ministries guys.


However, Billy Graham and his sons organization is not included in any of the above. I believe he has been good with the money he has made in the fact he gave it back out.

 

[brazospete]

Nope, don't get it.

Maybe 2nd Samuel will help you justify your position.

 

[JEV]

Catholic priest salaries are very low compared to other professionals who spend at least 8 years in post-secondary education. Whether vowed to poverty or not, priests are to live a life without an excessive concern for the goods of this world. A typical monetary compensation package for a parish priest in the U.S. might run somewhere between $15k-30k (before taxes) with health insurance and a pension included.


This is for Catholic priests

You pretty much nailed it. Priests being ordained today have at least two Master's Degrees, and some have their PhD in Theology. Every priest that i personally know, have paid for their own education prior to being ordained, so nothing was just handed to them. That is a pretty awesome investment to make when they know up front they will be at the bottom of the pay scale for much of their career.

Older Catholics understand how this career plays out financially for priests, and are much more generous with their personal giving. I have a priest friend who left an older ethnic parish where he would receive upwards of $1,200 in personal gifts at Christmas, and this was welcomed money to help offset personal bills he had accumulated during the year. He is now in a parish that way out in the country, but is 3x larger in size, and gets about $400 at Christmas. The younger generations do not know the value of their spiritual leader, nor are they as close to their priests as the older generations are, so they don't see any need to be generous with them. It's not right or wrong, it's just the way today's worshipers see things.