Disenchantment with Parish

[RosalieM]

I’ve been back with the Church for a year and 9 months. I’ve become a choir member and also am an EWTN missionary, which involves simply distributing their program brochures and putting up seasonal posters. I obtained permission from the Monsignor to have the brochures put in the little brochure compartments at the front and back of the church. A few days ago, I got permission from a priest to put up a small poster with “La Pieta” on it announcing EWTN’s Holy Week programming. When I went to Mass the next day, someone had taken it down and the brochures were gone. In their place were brochures on the sacrament of marriage. I had another poster so I put it up in a different location. I felt perhaps someone objected and took it upon themselves to remove the material.
In any event, I like my parish but am getting discouraged with most of the parishioners who have been there for decades and seem to want everything to be the same forever. Any advice would be helpful Thanks!

 

[Eilish_Maura]

I’ve been back with the Church for a year and 9 months. I’ve become a choir member and also am an EWTN missionary, which involves simply distributing their program brochures and putting up seasonal posters. I obtained permission from the Monsignor to have the brochures put in the little brochure compartments at the front and back of the church. A few days ago, I got permission from a priest to put up a small poster with “La Pieta” on it announcing EWTN’s Holy Week programming. When I went to Mass the next day, someone had taken it down and the brochures were gone. In their place were brochures on the sacrament of marriage. I had another poster so I put it up in a different location. I felt perhaps someone objected and took it upon themselves to remove the material.
In any event, I like my parish but am getting discouraged with most of the parishioners who have been there for decades and seem to want everything to be the same forever. Any advice would be helpful Thanks!

Why assume someone ‘objected’ and took it ‘upon themselves’?

 

[RosalieM]

I couldn’t think of any other reason for these materials to be removed. Can you?

 

[Eilish_Maura]

I couldn’t think of any other reason for these materials to be removed. Can you?

If the info that replaced it was on a sacrament I would suspect someone from the parish office - someone with authority to make the choice if something stays or goes.

 

[RosalieM]

There was an empty compartment where the brochures were. There was plenty of room for the marriage brochures and the EWTN program brochures. I got permission from the priest through the rectory office.

 

[Eilish_Maura]

There was an empty compartment where the brochures were. There was plenty of room for the marriage brochures and the EWTN program brochures. I got permission from the priest through the rectory office.

You are better off going back to the office than making assumptions about others in the parish.

Could be this priest did not inform the person who was suppose to go over materials left out that he approved them (been there, done that when I was working with the parish Cub Scout pack).

 

[THurifer2]

Every progressive that I have met…HATES EWTN…

The progressive movement is dying and EWTN is facilitating the death.

I SAY…

Also I say welcome home (1 year and 9 months late). Would it be safe to say that the wonderful existence of EWTN played a part in your return? If so YAHOOOOO! One point for the good guys!!!

 

[RosalieM]

Thanks. That sounds logical. The priest who gave permission to the girl at the rectory is very quiet and introverted so I doubt he discussed it with anyone. Still, they should have checked before removing it as though it was an unauthorized poster. It’s amazing and inspiring just to see the image of “La Pieta”, and so appropriate for Holy Week. I told the office I’d take it down after Good Friday. I feel slighted that anyone could be so insensitive as to remove it.
EWTN is responsible for many returning to the Church and does so much good. I’m not going to quit distributing their material. The next time they send me seasonal posters, I’ll contact the lady with the key to the glass case.
(Let’s see…I just got posters about the Pope’s upcoming visit…)

 

[RosalieM]

Thurifer,

Yes, EWTN played a great part in my returning to the Church!

 

[Eilish_Maura]

Still, they should have checked before removing it as though it was an unauthorized poster.

Sounds like he is not following the rules (advising the office about who he has given permission to).

 

[PaixGioiaAmor]

I’ve been back with the Church for a year and 9 months. I’ve become a choir member and also am an EWTN missionary, which involves simply distributing their program brochures and putting up seasonal posters. I obtained permission from the Monsignor to have the brochures put in the little brochure compartments at the front and back of the church. A few days ago, I got permission from a priest to put up a small poster with “La Pieta” on it announcing EWTN’s Holy Week programming. When I went to Mass the next day, someone had taken it down and the brochures were gone. In their place were brochures on the sacrament of marriage. I had another poster so I put it up in a different location. I felt perhaps someone objected and took it upon themselves to remove the material.
In any event, I like my parish but am getting discouraged with most of the parishioners who have been there for decades and seem to want everything to be the same forever. Any advice would be helpful Thanks!

So basically you are a marketing troll for them?

Look, I don’t “hate” EWTN. I just won’t promote it in a parish anymore than we promote the Hallmark channel.

 

[RosalieM]

He’s a bit of a dreamer and related to a Saint. So it’s okay.

 

[RosalieM]

So basically you are a marketing troll for them?

Look, I don’t “hate” EWTN. I just won’t promote it in a parish anymore than we promote the Hallmark channel.

Yes, I’m a marketing troll for them. And there’s a gigantic difference between EWTN and Hallmark. EWTN offers such a wealth of information and spiritual programming. Perhaps someone who feels as you do took down “La Pieta”, even though the scupture itself resides in St. Peter’s basilica. The monsignor approves of it. The Pope appears (live) on it and those who watch his blessings receive the Papal blessing. Some shut-ins rely on EWTN. Television is used by EWTN for the greater glory of God.

 

[THurifer2]

So basically you are a marketing troll for them?

Look, I don’t “hate” EWTN. I just won’t promote it in a parish anymore than we promote the Hallmark channel.

I run a healthcare facility that provides 3-4 hour medical treatments to around 20 pts. Each treatment chair has a personal television… I cannot count how many times I have “caught” pts watching Mass on EWTN…And NO none of our pts are Catholic not a single one…some are baptists…and It isn’t simply a one time occurance in most cases.

The Hallmark channel likely hasn’t brought a single person to the church…EWTN has brought tens of thousands of people…maybe even hundreds of thousands…I know for fact 2 of the pts in our clinic are considering the faith…and it aint because of the Hallmark channel.

Dearest PAIX is there anything counter productive from watching EWTN. What is it that they are doing to lead souls astray?

I would be willing to bet that the average parish has at least one person who has come into the church because of EWTN.

My wife traveled to France with some of their friars and tells me they are the most humble caring people she has ever met…(besides me )

 

[PaixGioiaAmor]

We neither approve of, nor allow to stay, literature from ETWN or any other group of any stripe.

The only approved literature for the book racks is put out by the parish.

Our parish isn’t in the marketing business - for ANYONE.

 

[Eilish_Maura]

We neither approve of, nor allow to stay, literature from ETWN or any other group of any stripe.

The only approved literature for the book racks is put out by the parish.

Our parish isn’t in the marketing business - for ANYONE.

I think that is a GREAT policy!

 

[RosalieM]

We neither approve of, nor allow to stay, literature from ETWN or any other group of any stripe.

The only approved literature for the book racks is put out by the parish.

Our parish isn’t in the marketing business - for ANYONE.

Oh, okay, so it WAS you! But seriously, this is exactly the attitude that saddened my heart.

 

[PaixGioiaAmor]

Dearest PAIX is there anything counter productive from watching EWTN. What is it that they are doing to lead souls astray?

Nothing - and I don’t specifically object to them. I just don’t happen to think a parish should be in the marketing business.

Now - where I do take some issue with them is that some of their “apolagists” speak and some (especailly on this forum) think it is the word from Benedict himself. But everyone has their opinions and their right to it.

 

[PaixGioiaAmor]

Oh, okay, so it WAS you! But seriously, this is exactly the attitude that saddened my heart.

No reason to be sad. It would gladden your heart to see all the Call to Action and FutureChurch literature that goes into the garbage each week.

 

[RosalieM]

No reason to be sad. It would gladden your heart to see all the Call to Action and FutureChurch literature that goes into the garbage each week.

I was sad because of the beauty brushed aside as though it were the same thing as the publications you mention. Besides the image of “La Pieta” on the poster, it called attention to the live Masses from the Vatican. How many people can afford to travel to the Vatican and receiva a Papal blessing?