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From: "Martin, Joseph" <>
Subject: Inclusion into the Parish Record Books
Date: Thu, 5 May 2005 18:32:54 -0500


As a lifelong Catholic with 35 years of experience searching Catholic church records, I can say that there was no "charge" for recording the baptism, confirmations, first communions, burials or other church services. And since the decrees of the Council of Trent in the 1500s, the priest is "required" to record all of these events in parish registers.

It is, however, customary that the family involved with the event would make a donation to the church to support the priest and the upkeep of the building(s)and other church officials. In times past one family member would give a "tip" to the altar boys and a donation to the organist who played for the service. This was in addition to what was given to the priest. Today some churches have a "required stipend" for specific services.

Today it is sometimes humorous but sad that a couple to be married will be aghast when told they must offer a $200 stipend to the church, but then think nothing of paying $2,500 for flowers, not to mention the bride's dress and the food for the reception. I do not know, but I suspect that most Protestant churches have a similar stipend request.

In regard to baptisms in Poland in past times, it is possible that the family could not afford to make a donation, so a "rich uncle" was asked to be the godfather for a baptism, and part of his responsibility was to give the donation to the priest. I have one ancestor in a Catholic parish in Poznan province in the 1800s who was a baptism sponsor six times and a marriage witness twice, and another who was a marriage witness five times and a baptism sponsor several times also. This probably happened when the couples getting married could not afford the "stipend" for the church because they were peasant farmers. At other times when families were poor, it is possible that the church sextant or musician fulfilled the same function without receiving a donation.

So, while there was no "charge" for church ceremonies to be recorded in the registry books, most if not all churches did make a "stipend" request. It is only fitting given the number of requests for such services each month of the year.


Joseph Martin
Romeoville, IL

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