Catholic Church sets Standardized Fees for Mass booking, others in Benin Ecclesiastical Province
By Ruben Mario Brodrick
The Catholic Church in the Benin City Ecclesiastical Province has announced a new set of standardized fees for Mass booking (stole fee) and other sacramental services, effective immediately.
The decision, which aims to ensure uniformity and prevent exploitation, was finalized after a meeting of bishops from dioceses under the Benin City Metropolitan See, comprising of Benin City Archdiocese, Warri, Isele-Uku, Auchi, Uromi and Bomadi Dioceses respectively.
A notification signed by Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze confirmed that the new approved offering for a Mass is ₦500.
Additionally, the fees for other services, known as stole fees, have been harmonized across the province.
Baptism, Marriage, and Confirmation each now cost ₦1,000.
In a significant move, the Archbishop however emphasized that funerals must remain free of charge and stressed that priests should act with compassion toward grieving families.
He firmly stated that no one should ever be denied access to the sacraments due to an inability to pay, highlighting that the sacraments are spiritual gifts, not commodities.
Archbishop Akubeze also reminded priests to avoid any form of simony, which is the act of buying or selling church offices or spiritual goods.
While the new fees are considered reasonable, the faithful are encouraged to be generous when they can.
This new policy is intended to bring clarity and consistency to church offerings across the entire province.
