How do you know how much to give

[ThomasV]

My priest has been asking me to have him bless my home and i have not because money problems and he keeps asking do you think he feels something about my home

 

[choirfiend]

Ummmm...You dont have to give any money to have your home blessed. In some places, money may be given "as part of the priest's salary, in a way,) but the priest is probably just trying to check off everyone for their yearly house blessing.

 

[ThomasV]

thats what everyone says but i always see the priest getting a tip

 

[vanshan]

thats what everyone says but i always see the priest getting a tip

Simony, or paying for the holy mysteries of Christ, is strictly forbidden. A priest is paid for his service to the church, not for individual sacraments preformed. Some people do give an extra offering for these special events, but it's by no means required. I've never given extra for our annual house blessing, but I did make an extra offering at the baptism of our children, just out of gratitude to the Church in general, not a bonus for our priest.

Have your home blessed. Dedicating all of our lives and material possessions to the service of Christ is important.

Basil

 

[ThomasV]

thank you for that. Do you think annual house blessing I don't see him asking anyone but me every week do you think the Holy Spirit is making him feel something??

 

[Greg the byzantine]

Giving the priest some money when he does a special sacrament or blessing is by no means required. I know we used to give the priest priest a little money because he has a family and the Parish council did not give enough money for him to support his family ( The parish council sends an annual report on the expenses of the church and I think the priests salary was below $20,000 a year)

Our new priest however is an Archimandrite (unmarried) and he refused to take money from my mother when she tried to give him something when he came to do a trisagion at the cemetery for my brother.

 

[vanshan]

thank you for that. Do you think annual house blessing I don't see him asking anyone but me every week do you think the Holy Spirit is making him feel something??

Maybe, or maybe he just understands the value of sanctifying our homes. He probably has already blessed most homes by now. This is traditionally done around the Feast of Theophany.

Basil

Take care.

 

[Kristos]

I never give money for anything a priest/monk/clergy does for me. I would never want the two associated or confused. The left hand should not know what the right hand is doing - I give with the other hand.

 

[Akathist]

I give the Priest some nice food and usually some treat to send home to his family. I have never given him money. Each year at Christmas and Pascha I give him and his family a small gift but other than that I don't give him anything directly.

I give money to the Church, I buy things that the Church needs (like we are low on forks for some reason and I picked up some packages of restruant forks at a resturant supply, or I pick up dish soap, etc.) If I ever knew that the Priest and his family needed something I would be quick to find a way to get it for them if I could.

In my parish, we set it up so that the Priest is given a small salarie. Every year we revisit the salary to make it as large as the Church can afford given what are pledges and donations have been and the costs of heating and other expenses for the church.

So, I try to make sure I give the Church as much as I can because this leads directly to the Church being able to give the Priest a better salary.

Having your home blessed each year is a wonderful practice. I aim to have it done between Theophany and the beginning of Lent, but it can be done most any time of year. It is a wonderful sacrement of the Church and I believe it has made my home a calmer more pleasant place to live. I wish the same for you and your family.

 

[Shubunkin]

I gave a small gift to my priest and his wife.