A messed up homily

[golfer999]

I was recently talking with my father, who belongs to a different parish than I do. He said that when he was at church a couple weeks the homily was more of a discipline session with a bunch of school aged kids, where the priest went on a rant of little things that people were doing around the parish center and church that were annoying him.

After that, he then proceeded to go right in to his usual tyrade of trying to squeeze more money out of them to send to South America and pay for his unnecessary additions that the church dosen’t even need. No offense, economic times are tough and he should be thankful for what he is getting. Beyond that, how about we give precedent to taking care of our own US citizens and the people that are suffering locally before sending the money half a world away? Anyone else have to deal with such tom foolery? I guess im just venting cause I’m outraged at the conduct of him.

 

[Fitswimmer]

In the parish I attended as a kid, every year the Priest would give what he called a “Reminder” homily. He would cover things like proper dress for Mass (no soccer cleats please!), when we were to bow and when we were to genuflect, the cry room and why it was there (not to separate the babies, but to provide an atmosphere of prayer for everyone), and other practices that people had either grown lax in or just never learned. I know some people felt like they were being scolded or disciplined, but I never thought it was a bad thing. People can forget, get lazy or maybe were never taught right in the first place.

I’ve been lucky on the asking for money thing-I’ve never heard much of that in any of the parishes I’ve attended.

 

[MarieVeronica]

Hi “golfer”. Pray for your Pastor. He has a tough job. I agree with the other response. I think that the Pastor does have a “duty”… at least once a year… to remind his flock about proper decorum, within the Church. Sadly, this isn’t happening at my parish. There is much inappropriate behavior, especially on the part of families with young children. I remember the Pastor of the parish I grew up in (Redondo Beach, CA)… reminding us, in the same way your Pastor has done. He was very strict about proper dress and behavior.

As far as solicitations for foreign Missions. Well, there’s another tough area. On the one hand… you’re absolutely correct that there is MUCH “need” within our own parish communities. The elderly, who suffer in nursing homes… are a good example of “need” close to home.

However, I was reminded… just this morning about the need of those in foreign lands. The example pointed out to me was this… that while the house in which we live, is by American standards… small and humble… if placed in one of the foreign Missions… it would appear to be a Palace. It really made me think.

Our Bishops and Pastor’s have a difficult balancing act placed before them. Pray, very much for them. Whichever “Missions” you choose to support, Home or Foreign… or maybe some of each, is a good thing. And I think it might help for us all to remember that although some Missions may be foreign… they are still a part of the one Catholic Church… the Mystical Body of Christ. God bless.