Deacons, more specific questions (not about discernment):

[scriabin]

Your head pastor wants you to use inclusive language when you lead the creed this Sunday. You’re personally against it. Do you bend to his wishes?

You’re baptizing an infant and told to deny it’s washing away of original sin, after all how could a baby be responsible for sin?

You’re teaching RCIA and he wants you to (fill in the blank), which you know is contrary to Tradition, do you just suck it in and take it?

etcetera

You get the idea.

My questions: When is standing up for what’s Catholic prideful?

When is not following directions from your superior insubordinate?

When does being humble turn into being submissive?

When does submissiveness turn into cowardice?

I could not do these things. Have you had to make a choice or a stand against something your superior told you to do?

 

[puzzleannie]

I would be in the bishop’s office so fast it would make your head spin, but then I am a woman and will never be a deacon. However in my job I have had to confront similar situations, and have done so through the proper channels. I refuse to teach error or to allow the sacraments, for which I assist our people to prepare, to be used to push political agenda.

I have also seen the great good a loyal orthodox deacon, religious sister, DRE etc. can do in a parish where dissent is a way of life, although they are subject to great personal suffering and even abuse. Their witness and firmness can be a channel for conversion of others.

 

[stbruno]

As a deacon, there would be no way this pastor and I would be able to coexist.First I would pray strongly for this priest and also tell him that I am praying for his conversion. I would be the first to go to my vicar to explain the situation and either ask for a transfer or I would serve elsewhere.
Not only that, I would go to the dean of priests and explain the situation as well. The big push in our diocese is the new evangelization, and obviously the first person I need to evangelize is this priest. Keep praying, but follow the tenets of our faith, not his.

 

[Brendan]

I’m studing for the diaconate myself.

I really doubt that I could teach is such opposition to Rome and to my bishop. But it would have to be done in such a way as not to cause scandal.

I would probably quietly cease participating in the Liturgy and at Baptisms until I had an opportunity to consult with my bishop on the matter.

 

[plato3]

I don’t know about other programs, but after 7 years of study and formation to be ordained a deacon, I don’t even consider such matters. Our bishop and pastors are very much in union with the latest approved policies for the liturgy and don’t throw any curves at the deacons. I guess we are blessed.

Deacon Tony

 

[ESimonppg]

I actually have this problem with my pastor and have done my best to simply ignore him. My pastor and I are from different planets theologically speaking (I’m an EWTN watching, pope-loving, “Call to Holiness” Catholic and he’s thinks EWTN is the “Evil Woman Television Network” and is more of a “Call to Action” Catholic).

He’s preached at Mass that no one is in Hell, that Confession isn’t necessary, that the Church allows annulments because sometimes people are just “imcompatible”, etc. He refuses to schedule Confessions but will hear them if you make an appointment and go to the rectory which many people in our Parish are uncomfortable with.

He won’t let me preach since I gave a homily last summer that stressed what a wonderful gift the Catechism of the Catholic Church is and the need for Catholics to follow its teachings. He informed me that the homily was too negative and that we aren’t a Church “of the book” but “of love” (I had to make 15 hard copies of that homily and email out another 20 to people who loved it - I’m not a great homilist but people want to hear the truth!). He also won’t let me teach at RCIA or other classes because my views are too rigid (codeword for orthodox). I have people calling me, stopping at my house or stopping me out in public to complain about him on a regular basis because of his unorthodox views and his drinking and gambling (he spends a lot of time at bars - he says he’s doing “bar ministry” - and an Indian casino nearby). I tell them they need to talk to him directly but they’re afraid to.

Obedience to someone like him is very hard for me but he is my pastor. I still am very active in the Church. I have a Bible study at my home every week and also have an informal group that meets once a week to learn about the teachings of the Church using the Catechism as a guide. I do all the things he doesn’t like to do (funeral vigils, a monthly talk on an ecumenical radio program, other public speaking engagements, leading rosaries, First Saturday devotions, etc.) and preside at Communion services whenever he’s away.

I have stopped assisting and/or going to Mass at my parish when he presides and drive to another parish 20 miles away because of what I consider his abuse of the Blessed Sacrament. He often fishes through the ciborium for a tiny little speck of a host for some people as a joke, pretends like he’s not going to give Communion to others by smiling at them and shooing them away or just giving the Eucharist to people in the other line for awhile, motioning to others to see if they need him to bring the host to them as if they were too sick or frail to come up in line as a joke when he knows they aren’t, etc.

I pray for him often and try to be patient (the truth is that pastors come and go and eventually he’ll be gone - the problem is that in our diocese we could easily end up with someone even worse!). I’ve often considered writing to the bishop but I don’t know if that would do any good and I’ve already tried talking to Father myself. For now I’m just trying to be an obedient deacon and see what God has in store for Father, the parish and myself!

Pax et bonum,
Dcn. Ed

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

scriabin:

Your head pastor wants you to use inclusive language when you lead the creed this Sunday. You’re personally against it. Do you bend to his wishes?

You’re baptizing an infant and told to deny it’s washing away of original sin, after all how could a baby be responsible for sin?

You’re teaching RCIA and he wants you to (fill in the blank), which you know is contrary to Tradition, do you just suck it in and take it?

etcetera

You get the idea.

My questions: When is standing up for what’s Catholic prideful?

When is not following directions from your superior insubordinate?

When does being humble turn into being submissive?

When does submissiveness turn into cowardice?

I could not do these things. Have you had to make a choice or a stand against something your superior told you to do?

A Deacon promises obedience to his Bishop and answers to his Bishop. He may be assigned to assist a pastor at a specific parish but does not “work” for that pastor, he serves the Church under the authority of the Bishop.