Success Stories: 114 Priests in Russia Receive Mass Stipends

The Catholic Archdiocese of the Mother of God has its center in Moscow and covers a vast area of over a million square miles. The 70,000 or so Catholic faithful are scattered thinly across the diocese. In some cities, like Moscow and Saint Petersburg, there are larger communities, but in many places the Catholic faithful are few and far between, so that the priests have to travel many hundreds of miles in order to minister to them.

The Catholic Church in Russia is poor. Her priests consequently receive only a minimal salary, and since most of the Catholic faithful themselves struggle to make ends meet, they are unable to contribute much to the support of the Church. Even the amount they are able to give in the form of Mass offerings is more often than not a minimal, essentially symbolic, contribution. One priest has even written to tell us that his elderly mother, who herself struggles to survive on a small pension, still tries to support him.

Thanks to our benefactors, we are passing on 3,000 Mass offerings to the 114 priests of the Archdiocese, for a total value of $25,900. The priests will celebrate these Masses for the intentions of the benefactors who have given them and in return will receive the offerings, in accordance with the ancient tradition of the Church, as a gesture of thanks from the faithful and a contribution to their personal support.

Aid to the Church in Need commits to invest your funds where they will have the greatest impact for the Church that we serve. Funds donated to Aid to the Church in Need’s projects will be used towards the greatest need in our programs to help keep the Faith alive.

Code: 427-04-masses