TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Catholic community will soon be advised to pay up to Rs 400 to bless a new house and Rs 200 for baptismal services in churches, while fees for a Gregorian Mass could be as high as Rs 10,000, according to new rates prescribed by the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman.
The Archdiocese of Goa and Daman has issued two decrees, which have been published in the church’s official bulletin ‘Renovacao’, prescribing fees for various church services which have been revised after a gap of five years.
Archbishop-Patriarch Filipe Neri Ferrao and Diocese Chancellor Fr Manuel Dias have issued a decree stating that the decision to establish the “Table of Offerings on the occasion of the administration of Sacraments and Sacramentals and of Parochial Fees”, to be effective in the Archdiocese from September 1, was taken “in consultation with the College of Diocesan Consultors and in accordance with Canon 1264.”
The other decree pertains to prescribed offerings for the celebration of Masses. Both decrees make it clear that “the poor will always be exempted, partially or fully, from any of the stipulated offerings/fees.”
According to the rates, baptismal services in solemn form will be Rs 200 in churches and Rs 400 in chapels (half of this offering will remain for the Chapel, while the other half is to be sent to the Parish Church).
In the case of marriage-related services, the prescribed offerings include prenuptial enquiry (Rs 200), preparation of the dossier for permission for mixed marriages (Rs 200), for dispensation of the impediment of disparity of cult (Rs 200) and for dispensation of other impediments (Rs 200).
Besides, other prescribed offerings for marriage-related services include dispensation of each Bann (Rs 100), reading of each Bann (Rs 50), celebration of marriages in Churches (Rs 200) and celebration of marriages in Chapels (Rs 400, half for the Chapel and half for the Parish Church)
An offering of Rs 200 has been prescribed to the Parish Church of the groom, for organizing the prenuptial process, when the marriage is celebrated in a place where neither of the spouses has domicile or quasi-domicile or even a month’s residence.
In case of funeral-related services, the prescribed offerings include officiating at a funeral procession (Rs 50), tolling/pealing of bell (each – Rs 50) and any religious service at the grave (Rs 50).
For Liturgical services, the prescribed offerings consist of celebration of any Liturgical Hour (Divine Office) or any Para-Liturgical Service (Rs 100), ‘Salves’ or other similar religious services (Rs 100) and ‘Right of the Altar’ in case of Feast Mass (Rs 100).
For sermons, the prescribed offerings comprise ‘Right of the Pulpit’ for each sermon (Novena/Feast Mass – Rs 100) and consigned sermons at Novenas, Triduums, Vespers, Feasts (Rs 300).
In case of blessings on different occasions, the prescribed offerings include the blessing of a new house (Rs 400), blessing of a foundation stone/‘Capelinha’ or cross/vehicle/well/fishing nets/stakes, etc. (Rs 200) and blessing of a field/new plants/new corn; invocation against noxious animals etc. (Rs 100), blessing of the banner on the occasion of ‘fama’ (Rs 100) and blessing of houses/families at Eastertide or outside Eastertide (Rs 50).
In a separate decree, the archdiocese has also revised the prescribed offerings for the celebration of Masses with effect from January 1, 2014.
The revised offerings consist of Mass (cum or sine cantu – Rs 100), funeral Mass (Rs 100), Feast/Novena Mass (Rs 250), Nuptial Mass (Rs 500), Gregorian Mass (Rs 10,000) and Legacy Mass (Rs 8,000).
“The rates to the various church services were last revised in 2008,” explained Diocesan Financial Administrator Fr Valerian Vaz.
Asked if the fees to the church services are revised after a specified interval, Fr Vaz replied: “No, the rates are revised as and when necessary and with the cost of living going up, there was no option but to revise the rates.”
The priests in the diocese have been requested to bring to the notice of the faithful, at least on one Sunday, the relevant parts of the two decrees.
