Q. I want to give my pastor a gift. Do you have any ideas?
A. How thoughtful of you. Thank you for asking.
As you know, priests get a modest monthly salary from which they buy their personal needs and cover the expenses of their vehicle, which include car payments and car insurance. While housing, food, utilities and health care are provided by the parish, school or institution they serve, many other things are the priest’s responsibility.
That would include clothes, personal items, books, etc. It can be difficult to buy things for priests if you do not know what his likes, interests or needs are. One might ask someone who knows your pastor well what he would need or like. Some ideas might include books or magazine subscriptions for a priest who is a reader, a gift certificate to a bicycle shop for priests who are avid bicyclists, gift cards to local places to eat as a means of having a meal out, gift cards to local clothing stores that would allow the priest to buy clothes that he may want or need.
In speaking with priests, cash seems to be the most practical gift. I know some priests who very much appreciate gift cards to gas stations as gas for their car is always a need or a universal gift card that is flexible in its use.
I find that parishioners are usually very good to their pastors so your question is very timely and very much appreciated. In his 2008 visit to the United States Pope Benedict XVI said, “I ask you to love your priests and to affirm them in the excellent work that they do.” Please note too how grateful we priests are to our parishioners for your goodness to us.
This question was answered by a priest of the Diocese of Lincoln. Write to Ask the Register using our online form, or write to 3700 Sheridan Blvd., Suite 10, Lincoln NE 68506-6100. All questions are subject to editing. Editors decide which questions to publish. Personal questions cannot be answered. People with such questions are urged to take them to their nearest Catholic priest.
