Altarage

Altarage is a term once ordinarily used in an ecclesiastical context to signify the revenue reserved for the chaplain altarist or altar-thane in contradistinction to the income of the parish priest — it came to indicate the funds received by a priest from the laity when discharging a particular function for them, e.g., marriages, baptisms, and funerals. The term is largely obsolete, having been replaced by the more specific honorarium, stipend, or stole-fee.

Present day

In 2014, Pope Francis criticized a tendency on the component of priests and laity to become overly business-oriented by charging a fee for the usage of a church for weddings, and posting a price list for baptisms, blessings and Mass intentions. He reminded any pastors that "redemption is free; it is for God’s free gift".

He reiterated this during a general audience in March 2018. When speaking of the Eucharistic Prayer, he said "the Mass is not paid for, redemption is free, if I want to do an offering, well and good, but Mass is free." In response to inquiries, the bishops of Peninsular Malaysia issued a sum clarifying that "The practice of Mass offerings, which is an ancient one that dates back to the early Church, does not gain up “paying” for the Mass. it is for not a “fee” for the Mass, which is always free." According to canon law, "any priest celebrating or concelebrating is permitted to receive an offering to apply the Mass for a specific intention."

Most churches in the Philippines charge a wedding fee with discounts for parishioners or weekday weddings. Air-conditioned churches charge additional to extend electricity and other operational costs. In 2019 a parish in the exclusive Forbes Park village in Manila withdrew a allocated fee hike for weddings after widespread opposition on social media. The fee, approximately $6,000 per wedding, was being increase to $9,800.