If the pope ecourages electronic communication, and the pastor says its not ok, is it a sin to disobey the pastor and follow the pope?

[kage_ar]

From other threads, it seems you have been butting heads with the Pastor over the Parish and the School. Perhaps it is time for you to take a retreat or seek some spiritual direction, something to help you find peace with your Parish?

 

[dixieagle]

No-this is very real. If I were scrupulous would I even be asking this question? Perhaps the pastor? People have labeled him a control freak, but I just think he cares about the salvations of souls

Be that as it may, feel free to email anyone (except him, perhaps!) without worrying a whit.

 

[CKNICKERBOCKER]

Is going against what your pastor has asked you to do, even though you may not agree or understand, a sin, if the Pope says it is ok and encourages it? Forget the email thing…can you go around your pastor and follow the pope, or would there be some hierarchical reason why that isn’t allowed?

 

[Joannm]

Is going against what your pastor has asked you to do, even though you may not agree or understand, a sin, if the Pope says it is ok and encourages it? Forget the email thing…can you go around your pastor and follow the pope, or would there be some hierarchical reason why that isn’t allowed?

E mail is not a sin, unless maybe you are e mailing porn or telling lies or gossiping. Our entire diocese uses e mail almost exclusivly. The diocese sends out ALL its information through e mail. Our pastor and all on our staff have e mail addresses that are published in the bulletin. I do a lot of my parish work via e mail, in fact it is easier to reach me that way. Your pastor cannot make the use of e mail a sin since it is not a sin. If your pastor told you that drinking orange juice was a sin, would you stop drinking it if it not written anywhere and is just your pastor’s opinion? If you are so concerned contact the diocese and ask to speak to one of the priests in the diocese who may be a moral theologian or a canon lawyer.

 

[baltobetsy]

Your pastor does not have authority over all areas of your life. He has authority over the things that happen in the parish and the things that happen in the confessional.

We still haven’t established exactly what he’s saying.

It could be: “This parish will do no email communication for official business, and I will not answer personal emails, so don’t send them to me.” Perfectly within his authority. Why would you disobey - it will only slow down what you’re trying to do and annoy the pastor.

It could be: “Email in and of itself has issues of security which make it inappropriate for any sensitive communications, so I advise all of you parishioners to be extra careful what you send, and possibly not use it at all.” Advice you can take or leave.

It could be: “Email is dangerous and wrong, and I forbid all of you parishioners from ever using it under any circumstances.” Outside his area of authority and a little crazy. No problem ignoring it.

It could be personal for the OP: “CKNICKERBOCKER, now that I’ve heard your confession and see what an occasion of sin email is for you, I’m telling you to step away from the keyboard and not email any more. Now make your act of contrition and I’ll give you absolution.” Perfectly within his authority.

None of this has anything to do with whether the Holy Father encourages electronic communication, except maybe the third example where the pastor is a little crazy.

Betsy

 

[AHapka]

Is going against what your pastor has asked you to do, even though you may not agree or understand, a sin, if the Pope says it is ok and encourages it? Forget the email thing…can you go around your pastor and follow the pope, or would there be some hierarchical reason why that isn’t allowed?

The Pope says it’s ok and encourages it. Nowhere does the Pope REQUIRE it. The Holy Father, being from Germany, probably has eaten his fair share of wienerschnitzel. I don’t care for it. He may like it and encourage it, but that doesn’t mean I have to eat it.

The only time it would be ok to go against what your pastor says is if he’s ordering you to sin.

Your pastor is your religious superior. If he says don’t e-mail him, then don’t. Just because the Pope says it’s ok and encourages it (and mind you, I’m not trying to suggest that we minimize the Holy Father’s opinion of anything) does not mean that he is requiring it.

We are to be obedient to our religious superiors. Not e-mailing your pastor is being obedient to him. It is also not being disobedient to the Pope, since the Pope didn’t require it.

 

[sanctamaria17]

If your pastor doesn’t like e-mail personally, then don’t email him. But if he’s saying that it’s wrong to email ANYONE, there are problems.

I need to use email. As a college student and intern at a non-profit, it’s how I communicate with professors and supervisors. It’s also how I keep in touch with my dearest friends. It’s how I talk to my mom and dad every day, how I keep in touch with my siblings.

I also have Facebook And a blog Ooooh, maybe if I got Twitter, I’d really be in the 9th circle

Sorry if my last comment was snarky! I don’t mean to offend at all! I just find that a prohibition on email isn’t just over the top, it’s very impractical. If anything, e-communication has helped me keep up ties and strengthen old relationships. Nothing in the world sinful about that

 

[mullenpm]

CKNICKERBROCKER, what exactly is your problem? You seem to be really pressing the issue here.

Are you angry that your pastor does not answer your emails? Do you believe you have a right to email anyone and everyone regardless of their wishes.

I think the sin here may not be obedience and/or disobedience but humility. Leave the poor man alone.

Sometime I turn on my computer and find 25 to 30 forwarded garbage from friends who think they are funny. No amount of asking them to stop works, so I am on your pastor’s side.:dts:

 

[cknick]

No problems, just asking. thanks for your feeback. I’ll take it all into consideration.