I think this needs to be reworded. What you really need to ask is is it the best choice to submit to an unjust command to keep the peace? The answer will depend on the circumstances.
Do you actually believe Jesus is pleased by people abusing their position? Is there merit in obeying a false command when no danger to life or soul is involved? Sure, but that does not mean it is wrong to disobey such a false command either.
Dear Hamburglar,NEW UPDATE:
Okay, guys. I was fired
The YM had asked the pastor, who said that I can receive kneeling. I already knew this, of course, but it then became that if I kneel, I can be fired.
The YM said that he got some e-mails. He said he spent 2 hours this morning dealing with the e-mails instead of the youth. I’m not quite sure why he couldn’t wait a couple of hours when the event was over.
He now says that the main reason I am fired is because “I took this to an outside resource” and this apparently makes him not trust me.
Here’s the summary of the firing: I am not allowed to participate in any events that involve me leading or chaperoning the youth, whether volunteered or paid, for 6 months. At that time, he said he will re-evaluate things, but there are no promises. He also said “I’ll tell you one thing: I will never let you perform any liturgical duties” and he said “what happens if you disagree on the readings? Would you make a scene and then take it outside the parish?”
I am sad to hear that. I do understand where the YM is coming from. You posted your parish’s website (through which anyone could easily obtain the name and contact info of your YM). This opens yourself up to anyone and everyone to compose any email they want (no matter how civil or un-civil they choose). You have absolutely no control over what other people write, yet at the same time, you bear responsibility for every email in the YM’s eyes (because no one would have known who to contact had you not posted that information). I can only imagine the types or quantity of emails he received. In the future, it would probably be best not to post such identifying information.NEW UPDATE:
Okay, guys. I was fired
The YM had asked the pastor, who said that I can receive kneeling. I already knew this, of course, but it then became that if I kneel, I can be fired.
The YM said that he got some e-mails. He said he spent 2 hours this morning dealing with the e-mails instead of the youth. I’m not quite sure why he couldn’t wait a couple of hours when the event was over.
He now says that the main reason I am fired is because “I took this to an outside resource” and this apparently makes him not trust me.
Here’s the summary of the firing: I am not allowed to participate in any events that involve me leading or chaperoning the youth, whether volunteered or paid, for 6 months. At that time, he said he will re-evaluate things, but there are no promises. He also said “I’ll tell you one thing: I will never let you perform any liturgical duties” and he said “what happens if you disagree on the readings? Would you make a scene and then take it outside the parish?”
I was assuming that he meant this forum. Hamburglar posted his parish website. All you had to do was follow the link, click on “staff” and right their is the YM’s name and email address. (I did that out of curiosity, but I did not email the YM).
I thought so too but I want to confirm it with the OP.I was assuming that he meant this forum. Hamburglar posted his parish website. All you had to do was follow the link, click on “staff” and right their is the YM’s name and email address. (I did that out of curiosity, but I did not email the YM).
Evidently, you’re not one of the ones who did that.
Very true, but I think there are at least two distinct conversations going simultaneously: (1) Whether or not kneeling is preferred and/or allowed; and (2) Granting that kneeling is permitted, whether or not it is prudent to make an issue of it to the point where one would not be permitted to work with the youth of the parish.
That’s what happens when you let the outside world in. The matter should have been dealt with personally between the OP, the youth minister, and the pastor, not the WWW. I am sorry that this resulted in the firing of the OP but people need to be careful when it comes to their job. The church would have every right to dismiss the OP because the OP did involve everyone else in on the matter.
Would the parish also have the right to fire the YM because he visibly and publically has usurped his authority? … and is wrong.
It was not being unfair at all. I said “many” not “all” so if it does not apply to you why worry about it. What I said was true.
When did the YM publicly usurp his authority? This was brought to the public by the OP. I agree, it sounds as if the church should find a new YM if he is as harsh as the OP stated. We’ve only heard one side of the story. That is the problem with the internet. A lot of times, you only get one side of the story. The problem should have been dealt with internally first between the OP, the YM, and the pastor. Their website should have never been put out on this forum. This is a reality. If you take your work problems to the public first without going through the proper channels first, then it is going to get messy. This is exactly what happened.
I don’t know. There are many problems here from what we have been told. First obviously, is the YM for his terrible attitudes and views. Also the Priest has got no spine as he essentially supports what the YM did. Even if the OP never mentioned it here and he went to the Priest, I doubt the Priest would have supported the OP anyway.
When he attempted to instruct/reprimand the OP as he was returning from communion…
No, the youth minister exercised his rights.
