Thursday, February 24, 2011
Following Christ or following your whims . . .
In our parish, we are fortunate to have three, good priests. They, unfortunately, have to serve two parishes. I'm not sure how many Masses are celebrated on a Sunday at both, combined, but I do know it is more than can be comfortably handled by three priests . . . yet they do so and without complaint.
Instead of appreciately what they have, more than a few parishioners find fault and complain . . . a lot about the way the pastor is organizing things. If their concerns centered around serious matters of Faith or Rubrics, I could understand them stating their worries. To date, the major complaints have been:
1. Father moved Friday Benediction from eight in the evening until seven. (Uh, doesn't a priest need an evening, too? Seven seems to be more than appropriate for everyone involved.)
2. Father stopped using Extraordinary Ministers at morning Mass. (On a busy day, we have, perhaps, 30 people. I don't think the priest needs to ice his arm after giving Communion to 30 people all by himself!)
3. Father stopped the distribution of the Precious Blood at daily Mass. (Shouldn't this be reserved for Sundays and special occasions? You do receive the fullness of the Eucharist without it.)
4. Father has chastised Eucharist Ministers about going into the tabernacle on their own. (Is there nothing sacred left in the world? Shouldn't be treat the place where Jesus resides for us as if it were holy . . . and we purport to believe?)
5. Father stopped the extra novena prayers from the altar. (He didn't stop them. He didn't go illicit by continuing to make them part of the Mass.)
To me, there is nothing worse than having a 'good' Catholic exit Mass and then proclaim to the world that, "Father makes me SICK!" The Eucharist was just on their tongue. They made a grand display of devotion IN Mass yet exhibit disrespect to the priest who made it possible for them the receive our Lord in the Eucharist.
It is ironic but just about everyone of the 'priest police' has the small Pieta prayer book in their possession at daily Mass. Everyone's copy is wellworn with all the use they get out of it using their favorite prayers. They should check out page 36 or 37 of said prayer book (not sure which page!) where it states that we should never criticize a priest and if we have a 'problem' with them, PRAY for them! Seems many people leave their prayerful nature in the church.
Instead of appreciately what they have, more than a few parishioners find fault and complain . . . a lot about the way the pastor is organizing things. If their concerns centered around serious matters of Faith or Rubrics, I could understand them stating their worries. To date, the major complaints have been:
1. Father moved Friday Benediction from eight in the evening until seven. (Uh, doesn't a priest need an evening, too? Seven seems to be more than appropriate for everyone involved.)
2. Father stopped using Extraordinary Ministers at morning Mass. (On a busy day, we have, perhaps, 30 people. I don't think the priest needs to ice his arm after giving Communion to 30 people all by himself!)
3. Father stopped the distribution of the Precious Blood at daily Mass. (Shouldn't this be reserved for Sundays and special occasions? You do receive the fullness of the Eucharist without it.)
4. Father has chastised Eucharist Ministers about going into the tabernacle on their own. (Is there nothing sacred left in the world? Shouldn't be treat the place where Jesus resides for us as if it were holy . . . and we purport to believe?)
5. Father stopped the extra novena prayers from the altar. (He didn't stop them. He didn't go illicit by continuing to make them part of the Mass.)
To me, there is nothing worse than having a 'good' Catholic exit Mass and then proclaim to the world that, "Father makes me SICK!" The Eucharist was just on their tongue. They made a grand display of devotion IN Mass yet exhibit disrespect to the priest who made it possible for them the receive our Lord in the Eucharist.
It is ironic but just about everyone of the 'priest police' has the small Pieta prayer book in their possession at daily Mass. Everyone's copy is wellworn with all the use they get out of it using their favorite prayers. They should check out page 36 or 37 of said prayer book (not sure which page!) where it states that we should never criticize a priest and if we have a 'problem' with them, PRAY for them! Seems many people leave their prayerful nature in the church.
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