Posted on 06/15/2004 7:13:10 PM PDT by Russian Sage
Edited on 07/09/2004 12:51:03 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
BANGALORE, India -- With Roman Catholic clergy in short supply in the United States, Indian priests are picking up some of their work, saying Mass for special intentions, in a sacred if unusual version of outsourcing. American, as well as Canadian and European churches, are sending Mass intentions, or requests for services like those to remember deceased relatives and thanksgiving prayers, to clergy in India. About 2 percent of India's more than 1 billion people are Christians, most of them Catholics.
(Excerpt) Read more at trivalleyherald.com ...
When I read the headline, I thought this was from The Onion.
ping
ping
This really is the most amazing story. If someone comes along and says it's from the Onion and mislabeled, I will be much happier!
Me too. *sigh*
Oh My Gosh I have to show this to my Pastor!!! Already showed it to my husband who works for EDS, what a hoot!
It's a true story, at least if you can trust the NY Times.
Here's the link to the Times article (registration required):
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/13/international/asia/13INDI.html
"The prayer is heartfelt, and every prayer is treated as the same whether it is paid for in dollars, euros or in rupees."
I suppose the next thing we'll hear is that China is willing to do the same thing for $2.00!
Offshore folks, you've got to see this!
If you want on or off my offshoring ping list, please FReepmail me!
I'm not Catholic. What is the usual donation which accompanies a request in the US?
"I think it was entirely and extraordinarily inappropriate, and I think it speaks for itself," Massachusetts senator jean francoise kerri, who is Catholic, told reporters in a question-and-answer session outside Cincinnati, Ohio.
An "I don't know what to think about this" Catholic ping!
Ping
American prayer production is at an all-time high. America is exporting prayers and is enjoying a prayer surplus rather than a prayer deficit. Some worry that America will lose its lead in prayer production capacity, while others say that the actual components of the prayers will continue to be manufactured in the U.S. but the final assembly and product send-off will be handled less expensively by Indian priests. Some have claimed that the Indian priests have an unfair advantage in that they do not have the expensive overhead in lawyer costs that some American priests have.
Wow... weird story! However, no registration needed if you have Mozilla Firefox and the Bugmenot plugin! otherwise login as "logins_bite_it" (without the quotation marks) and use "password" as the password... also sans quote marks.
Or, you can just Google the URL and jump from the result.
$10,000.
Seriously, whatever one can afford.
Well that should be the first clue that something is severely false and misleading.
An "I don't know what to think about this" Catholic ping!
This is one of the methods by which American Catholics have ALWAYS donated money to help support the Church's missionary work in Third World nations.
This "outsourcing" spin is simply another deliberate misinterpretation by the liberal media to place the Catholic Church in a negative perspective.
Very, very funny piece of writing! Thanks for the laugh. (You were being cynical, weren't you?????)
After reading the whole article, I'm *still* not sure. :-)
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I was trying to figure out what the spread was. Perhaps the priests in India should more directly market their services in this country, particularly where liberal Bishops are closing parishes.
In our parish the mass donation is $5.00, of course, you can always make a larger donation> :-}
I don't know about elsewhere but our Mass book is filled within weeks every year and we have a small parish and daily Mass. This is a good way to help Catholics in poor areas.
I don't know about elsewhere but our Mass book is filled within weeks every year and we have a small parish and daily Mass.
These two statements are probably related - Sounds like you all are undercutting the priests in India who are getting $5.00-$10.00. In any event, there does not appear to be a large spread.
LOL - 212 - "I suppose the next thing we'll hear is that China is willing to do the same thing for $2.00! "
Perhaps we should outsource a prayer for Gunslinger!
I wonder, Indian, or Chinese? - Naw, let's make it a Chinese prayer - he would appreciate it more.
Do you still suggest the Articles of Confederation were dropped because they insisted on free trade between the States? If so, why replace them with the Constitution which also insists on free trade between the States?
30 - DUH, you are obviously incapable of understanding this.
No more will I address it with you.
"Never try to teach a pig to sing".
Do you have to think in Russian to use it? (/obscure movie reference)
I'm gonna ping Harpseal, this'd slay him. Surely they permit freeping in heaven.
Not sure... I never received the helmet and stuff. I have to use my touch pad... It'd be a shame if I do, 'cause I don't know enough about Russian to do more than get slapped... And I thought of the same flick when I saw this...
This one crosses a couple of thread barriers!
Mass Intentions are usually $10-15.
Thanks.
The usual request is only $5.00. The idea is that it should be available to everyone, and also not a "money-making scheme" for the priest. Mass Stipends, as they are called, usually are a thank you for the priest which he keeps (although some turn it over to their parish or diocese). Most people pay more than $5.00, maybe $25 or $50 or $100 if they have the means. On the other hand, a priest, if he has enough Masses, would not refuse to do one for a dime or a home-made loaf of bread if that's all the person could offer.
Digging pretty deep through old threads to get back that far.
Ha ha, yes you're right. I was looking around and it seemed no one had really answered your question so I thought why not, better late than never.
There could be some real cost savings here. After all, the penitent Catholic doesn't actually see the priest during confession, does he? Couldn't you rig up a sound system and a telecommunications in the confession booth and have confession handled by someone in India?
Come to think of it, if the priest in India was good, would it matter if they did? I'm not Catholic--just asking.
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