Verona, Apr. 5, 2007 (CWNews.com) – Italy’s Supreme Court has ruled that a Catholic priest must return the Mass stipend he received from two parishioners, because he changed the scheduled time of the Mass he had celebrated for their intention.
The court ruled that Father Giuseppe Benini of St. Peter the Apostle Church in Verona must reimburse Massimo and Margherita Veneri for the €10 stipend that he had accepted to celebrate Mass for their deceased father. The priest had celebrated the Mass, but not at the hour he had originally announced.
Massimo and Margherita Veneri, the children of the deceased, told the court that they had been unable to attend the Mass because of the rescheduling, and suffered moral damages as a result.
That is unbelievably dumb that Italy’s court would rule in such a way and I think much worse that the children of the deceased took their 10 Euro dispute to their Supreme Court. The Mass was said and the spiritual benefit occurred though I guess this is part of the view that if you are not participating directly then nothing happened.
9 comments
Why on earth was this taken to court? I mean, what sort of degenerate people are these?
And how on earth did it get all the way to the Supreme Court?
I can’t believe that this story is true. It must be a hoax.
This is even more ridiculous when you realize that it’s illegal to have a stipend for Mass. The sacraments are not for sale; any money they gave was a free will donation.
It’s also crazy that the priest was unwilling to give back the stipend when the people asked for it. Yeah, they were wrong to get so worked up about it but the priest should have worked something out with them.
WELL, if it isn’t a joke, I want to know how to contribute to the beleaguered parish’s legal defense – or maybe I’ll just drop a few Euros into the collection basket at my parish one of these Sundays as a little joke between me and the Lord.
Dear Andy,
Stipends are not “illegal” under either civil or canon law. They are not “payment for Mass.” They are an offering to the priest to support himself for the day (in origin it was enough to pay all expenses, which is why a priest can only keep one stipend per day). As a sign of his gratitude the priest prays especially for the donor at Mass. I know that the idea that you would freely want to support a priest and that he would pray for you sounds like a cash deal in American society with its attitude that everything is a commodity for sale, but that is not the mind of the Church. The Canons are 945-958 in the new Code of Canon law.
I do think that if the couple had a problem they should have gone to the bishop rather than the secular courts. I personally think this is not of the secular court’s business. But since people often wish to attend the Mass where their intention is prayed for, the priest should have notified them of the change or offered to return the stipend.
The problem here IMO is the Italian Supreme Court seems to think the Mass is a commodity for sale. Though it would have been proper for the priest to return the stipend, it certainly wasn’t legally mandated by the state. If it was, that would infer that the transaction was a legally binding business arrangement, which would be simony. But since it is not, nothing can be done about it within secular law.
Jeff’s apt comment reminds me of a “dead horse” that I probably don’t beat enough: the case against private Masses has been greatly overstated. I’m glad the Veneris wanted to attend the Mass for their father, but their father lost nothing by their absence — and, by logical extension, would have lost nothing by the complete absence of a congregation.
Fr A,
Is the Canon law out of step with current reality or should we be offering the stipend with the care of the priest in mind? Today’s suggested stipend would cover lunch. At McDonald’s.
Does the money actually go to the priest? If so, it would make sense for us to request Masses in impoverished parishes where some of our priests don’t even have health insurance!
Dear Brothers/Sisters:
(St,Pius X said,The Eucharist is the shortest and the surest way to heaven).
Many Christian greetings from Rev,Fr.Ilyas Nawab Punjab-Pakistan,I would like to bring into your kind knowledge that i am Anglican Catholic Priest and doing my pastoral duty among the poor christian community in Distt;Layyah -Pakistan,and i am running Catholic Sunday schools and general educational Ministry with poor/orphan school children in St,Mathew’s Parish.
I need your financial help and donation for my priesthood and for the Holy Masses which i am always saying for the people,but now it is must that i shall say a Holy Mass for your and your friends/relatives/parish/Diocese.
i am looking forward to hear good news for the Mass Stipend help.
God bless you and your blessed family.
Yours Brother,
Parish Priest:
Rev,Fr.Ilyas Nawab
St,Matthew’s Anglican Catholic Parish
Ward # 10,Chowk Azam
Teh,Distt;Layyah Punjab
http://www.traditionaldiscipleofchrist.webs.com
PAKISTAN.