Here's the latest

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Our new “Pastoral Administrator” processes in for Mass next to the priest, sits next to him during Mass – in an Hawaiian shirt – stands in the sanctuary for the entire Eucharistic prayer, preaches the homily, incenses the casket for funerals (with the priest standing next to her), recites the prayer over the baptismal waters while the priest simply holds his hands over the font, talks and jokes with the priest whenever they are sitting during the Mass, blocks the door of the church after a funeral as the casket is being brought out and will make everyone sprinkle the casket with a hyssop branch before leaving, refers to the priest as “just the sacramental minister,” tells us she will do everything the priest used to do except say Mass… The parishioners are upset, scared, shaking, and angry. But I’m sure they’ll do nothing. Catholics can be too docile. Here’s the big question: If this is what happens from day one, what will go on as the months go by?
 
I forgot to mention the incessant clapping. Individuals in the choir loft are named before they perform an instrumental or vocal solo and then they are applauded. If anyone doesn’t applaud Sister and Father become angry and say, come on, come on, you’re gonna take a lot of work.
 
This is awful. It’s beyond belief.

I will pray for you at Mass (I’m just leaving.)

JD
 
If you have not yet consulted your priest with your concern, please do so. Then your Bishop. Finally, you may contact Cardinal Arinze. It is possible that this may not be ‘settled’ until either the ‘administrator’ or the priest --or both–move on. . .

Much of what you have said goes against the GIRM and thus, no matter what you might be told by Father, Sister, or even the bishop, as a Catholic you have a right and a responsibility to both ‘have’ a proper, licit, and valid Mass, and to ensure that any improper, illicit or invalid elements are addressed by authority.

As has been said by a wise man, paraphrased, all that it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

Note that I am not saying that everything this Sister does is ‘wrong’. For one thing, you haven’t told me EVERYTHING she may do! But there are some things which ARE wrong (she may NOT give a homily, and the homily may NOT be ‘circumverted’ with having the priest say, perhaps, after the gospel, “God loves you. Now please be attentive as Sister tells us of XXXX” and insists that since he DID speak after the gospel, first, that WAS the homily, and that the GIRM states that people MAY speak at Mass, etc.).

Hawaiian shirts may not be the most appropriate wear at Mass but I do think that this one is a matter of taste (even if I think it’s POOR taste on her part).

God bless you and good luck. If you discern carefully, talk to the priest–and make sure you talk to other people too, and examine the appropriate documents, and talk to other parish priests or even those in other dioceses, so you get as much relevant information as possible. . .and PRAY, I am sure God will guide you.
 
Hi,

Yes, be specific, charitable, cordial and as brief as possible. Perhaps it may be helpful to write down your concerns, so you will be sure to have an accurate report of your meeting. You might want to look over Redemptionis Sacramentum

Choose the most important matters and stick to those issues. If you speak to others, you may say that there are others who are concerned about this problems. Try not to sound angry when you speak.

God bless you and peace.

Lux
 
If all else fails, is there another Catholic church in your area that you can attend and perhaps bring a few members with you? Why are some women bound and determined to be what they are not meant to be? And why are some Priests so docile to these people? 😦
 
CatholicCajun said:
Why are some women bound and determined to be what they are not meant to be? And why are some Priests so docile to these people? 😦
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It is not only women—there are plenty of male Pastoral associates that try to appear to be what they are not.

Lux
 
That’s just…odd.
I definitely see a letter being written to the pastor, this “Administrator”, the bishop and the cardinal. Send the same letter to all the persons listed above, and make sure to note who the letter was CC-ed to.

Good luck, and I will pray!
 
Lux_et_Tenebrae said:
It is not only women—there are plenty of male Pastoral associates that try to appear to be what they are not.

Lux
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That is why, in the Archdiocese of Detroit, only Ordained Deacons are permitted to be 'Pastorial Associates"

So they CAN licitly do all the things the OP mentioned.

If a full time pastor is not assigned to a parish, a Diaconal Parish Administrator is assigned by Cardinal Maida.

Laypersons, or non-Ordained Religious cannot hold such a position.
 
G_S said:
Our new “Pastoral Administrator” processes in for Mass next to the priest, sits next to him during Mass – in an Hawaiian shirt – stands in the sanctuary for the entire Eucharistic prayer, preaches the homily, incenses the casket for funerals (with the priest standing next to her), y?
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when she starts wearing clerical vestments, look out, that will be your signal she has ordained herself. If I were in this parish I would first talk to the pastor and ask for a clear understanding of her role, and what the diocese intends by the position of pastoral administrator. (that role simply cannot be held by a layperson in this diocese for instance, the job description does not exist for lay people). I would then gather a group of like-minded parishioners and ask the bishop, together, for clarification, always conveying the attitude that you want more than anything to conform with his directives.
 
You could also ask her in a nonconfrontational way how she feels about women priests and if she feels called to be a priest. That will give you an idea about how she views her own role in the parish.
 
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