Ashes distributed at Train Station

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stbruno

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dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsindex/02-ds2.htm

This article appeared in today’s paper regarding a pastor of St.Brigid’s Oratory & Ecumenical Catholic Church who went to a local train station to distribute ashes. He is not Roman Catholic but wearing a purple stole and dispensing ashes many probably thought he was. What do you think? I personally never heard of this religious sect and of course this was an unusual practice to say the least.
 
how rude of him…:tsktsk: posing as a real Catholic…

who does he think he is, a Massachusetts senator or something.
 
What do I think? Firstly, I believe in ONE Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Therefore, I don’t believe in an alternative one. Secondly, a church doesn’t need to run around like a toady to gain extra bottoms-on-seats. People should have a strong enough Faith to make a small sacrifice of their time to turn up at the Church.
 
The methodist minister in my town wears a purple stole and puts ashes on the forheads of his congregants. He says the words “from dust you have come and to dust shall ye return”

Now with that in mind could anyone here explain to me that since it is not a sacrament how could it be any notion of invaildness to it. Its not a magic spell people…it is a reminder for the recipient of his mortality. ANYONE can remind you of your mortality.
 
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MrS:
how rude of him…:tsktsk: posing as a real Catholic…

who does he think he is, a Massachusetts senator or something.
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Very, very good! :rotfl: :rotfl:
 
The problem is that he’s (a) pretending to be a Catholic priest, and (b) that he’s doing something on the train station that should be done in Church.
 
I don’t agree with the pretending to be a Catholic priest bit. Many sects of Christianity wear liturgical vestments. And there are quite a few offshoots of Catholicism which still call themselves Catholic, the Old Roman Catholic Church and its branches, the Ecumenical Catholic Church, etc. I don’t think the RCC ever got around to trademarking the word Catholic in the US.

And really, who says ashes have to be dispensed in Church? As a sacramental I don’t believe they’re limited in that way.

It’s certainly a unique practice. Might be good outreach though. It would be ideal if the Church could just wait for the repentant sinners to stumble through the door of the Church themselves, but some need a shove.
 
No, there are no rules that state this MUST be done in the Church. But it’s something sacred, and it SHOULD be done in the Church. No rules say you don’t do this in the toilet, or in the pub…but you wouldn’t, would you? The Church (the real one…not the broad-minded, gay-friendly one) should have dignity about it, and it should expect people to make the effort to come through its doors. People should raise themselves to meet the Church…not the Church lower itself to meet those who can’t be bothered going.
 
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a_cermak:
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And really, who says ashes have to be dispensed in Church? As a sacramental I don’t believe they’re limited in that way.

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Actually they don’t, at least in the Catholic Church. I stopped by at a fish fry at lunch yesterday at a local parish hall, and I was asked if I wanted ashes while standing in line for the fish sandwich.
 
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JeffAustralia:
No, there are no rules that state this MUST be done in the Church. But it’s something sacred, and it SHOULD be done in the Church. No rules say you don’t do this in the toilet, or in the pub…but you wouldn’t, would you? The Church (the real one…not the broad-minded, gay-friendly one) should have dignity about it, and it should expect people to make the effort to come through its doors. People should raise themselves to meet the Church…not the Church lower itself to meet those who can’t be bothered going.
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I remember when I was young, way back in the old days, there were several churches in town, mostly in the downtown area.that distributed ashes at a midnight ceremony on the front steps of the church. Of course with all the partying that went on before midnight I guess it was a good time to catch some people that otherwise might not get them. Back then the churches usually stayed open until at least midnight anyway and some were open all night.
 
From the article:
“St. Brigid Oratory is an exclusive, nonjudgmental, Ecumenical Catholic ministry that invites anyone who seeks to live a fully Catholic spiritual and liturgical life, regardless of marital status, gender, politics, sexual orientation, race finances or matters of conscience,” according to a prepared statement from Conrad.
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Both exclusive and non-judgemental? Fully Catholic regardless of matters of conscience? Isn’t this an oxymoron?
 
stbruno said:
dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsindex/02-ds2.htm

This article appeared in today’s paper regarding a pastor of St.Brigid’s Oratory & Ecumenical Catholic Church who went to a local train station to distribute ashes. He is not Roman Catholic but wearing a purple stole and dispensing ashes many probably thought he was. What do you think? I personally never heard of this religious sect and of course this was an unusual practice to say the least.
Click to expand...

I have to ask:

Why didn’t we think of that?
 
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decn2b:
The methodist minister in my town wears a purple stole and puts ashes on the forheads of his congregants. He says the words “from dust you have come and to dust shall ye return”

Now with that in mind could anyone here explain to me that since it is not a sacrament how could it be any notion of invaildness to it. Its not a magic spell people…it is a reminder for the recipient of his mortality. ANYONE can remind you of your mortality.
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The only requirement in the Catholic Church is that the ashes must be blessed by a priest and maybe a deacon can also. (not sure)
 
Check out the www.ecchurch.com website. They have the jolliest looking “Primate”, and some very youthful looking “Bishops”. They claim to be “within” the Catholic Church, too…not separate. And gay marriages seem to be top of their agenda.
 
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MrS:
how rude of him…:tsktsk: posing as a real Catholic…

who does he think he is, a Massachusetts senator or something.
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OOOOOooooohhhhhhhhh . . . :rolleyes:
 
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