Do Lay people have rights

[Joseph651]

I was listening to Catholic Radio to a caller who was telling a story about their priest and how his changes were different from other priest. And when they contacted there Bishop his answers was he could not help them. The host told them then needed to pray and God would answer their prayers. We went through something on the same lines, we had a wonderful priest that was making our parish grow, we had a good bible study program, community outreach program, children bible studies, a good K of C organization which the priest belonged too, all was good, then the Bishop sent him off to another parish, we got a priest from India and he removed all the programs we had and our attendance fell off by 1/3so after a few years we formed a committee and sent a letter to our Bishop and he told us that he could not help us. after another 3 years our old priest came back to us and we are growing back to what we were. So, after all the bad publicity that the Church has had, why do Bishop not listen to the laity and there concerns?

 

[bpbasilphx]

Even the Pope can make a mistake in a merely prudential decision.

Obvoiusly, not every priest is for every parish.

But the Bishop has the last word in diocesan affairs, just as the Pastor has the last word in parish affairs.

The only alternative is chaos, factionalism, and anarchy.

 

[benedictgal]

I was listening to Catholic Radio to a caller who was telling a story about their priest and how his changes were different from other priest. And when they contacted there Bishop his answers was he could not help them. The host told them then needed to pray and God would answer their prayers. We went through something on the same lines, we had a wonderful priest that was making our parish grow, we had a good bible study program, community outreach program, children bible studies, a good K of C organization which the priest belonged too, all was good, then the Bishop sent him off to another parish, we got a priest from India and he removed all the programs we had and our attendance fell off by 1/3so after a few years we formed a committee and sent a letter to our Bishop and he told us that he could not help us. after another 3 years our old priest came back to us and we are growing back to what we were. So, after all the bad publicity that the Church has had, why do Bishop not listen to the laity and there concerns?

If the bishop failed to respond, you do have recourse to the Holy See. You can write to the Congregation for Bishops, or, in your particular case, I would also write to the Congregation for Clergy. If the matter concerns something liturgical, you have recourse to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. If it concerns a doctrinal issue, then, you have recourse to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.