Movement of the Tabernacle to the Hinterlands?

[zab]

I finally have an answer to my original question. It’s not at all what I expected it to be. After morning Mass on Wednesday (my pastor was not the celebrant), I was approached by a very respected, senior lay member of the parish and the parish council. We have been close acquaintances for years. He said the pastor has some “grave concerns” about the article I had written. He said there were “factual mistakes” (there are not) in my article and that I had misrepresented myself as a member of the parish staff.

I cut him off and asked if he had actually read the article? He had not, so we walked to my truck in silence and I lent him a copy. He called me last night and sincerely apologized. I asked him to return the copy of the journal this coming Sunday at Mass and left it at that. I was so disgusted at that point that I didn’t dare respond to the email from my pastor or comment here.

I was then asked to drop by the office of the historical society after work today. Both the executive director and the journal editor had also received emails from my pastor back when I did. Both responded to him by email seeking more information. In response they were also told that my article contained “factual mistakes” and that I had misrepresented myself as a member of the parish staff. After the two conferred, the editor who was in charge of the project asked for specifics through yet another email.

My pastor responded by saying he should have been asked to write the article. He made it clear he has a degree in journalism (he does) and that as pastor he has the most intimate knowledge of the church building and its history. He does not, not by a long shot. He was also upset that the journal noted that “Solomonson is also a lifetime member of Saint XYZ Parish” which he felt inferred I was a staff member and that I had his blessing to write the article. That one really stung.

The journal editor sent one final email asking for specifics on the “factual mistakes” contained in my article and has thus far not received a response. Both the ED and the editor have said they will stand by me and my article and consider the matter closed as do I. I’m now very thankful that I never responded to his email. This whole experience was embarrassing for all three of us. Thanks to those here who provided counsel.

Am I supposed to believe that your pastor does not have "…the most intimate knowledge of the church building and its history " because you say that he does not? You base a lot of your information, at least on this thread, on hearsay. As far as I have read, you haven’t even met with your pastor yet. I still think that the Historical Society should have approached the pastor of the church first. So it doesn’t come as a surprise to me if the pastor in fact gave this reply to the Historical Society.

 

[dochawk]

So you are saying that there are several liturgists who personally believe the celebration of the Liturgy of the Eucharist is somehow deemphasized by the visual presence of the tabernacle in the rear center of the sanctuary? Is that what you are saying? What were their beliefs based upon in all sincerity? Sounds like utter hubris to me.

As the late Archimandrite Serge Keheler of blessed memory, himself a liturgist, was fond of noting, “The difference between a liturgist and a terrorist is that you can negotiate with a terrorist.” (I believe he did substantially all of the work on translating the Divine Liturgy to Irish) [He also once blamed me, an ocean away, for the oatmeal on his screen because my description of an unfortunate incident which included bells flying from the censer . . .]

AMDG

hawk

 

[Solomonson]

As the late Archimandrite Serge Keheler of blessed memory, himself a liturgist, was fond of noting, “The difference between a liturgist and a terrorist is that you can negotiate with a terrorist.” (I believe he did substantially all of the work on translating the Divine Liturgy to Irish) [He also once blamed me, an ocean away, for the oatmeal on his screen because my description of an unfortunate incident which included bells flying from the censer . . .]

AMDG

hawk

I could really see how getting into a debate with for instance, a serious theologian could be frustrating given their vast foundation of knowledge that takes years of commitment to build.

But for someone to make the claim that the celebration of the Liturgy of the Eucharist is somehow deemphasized by the visual presence of the tabernacle in the rear center of the sanctuary and then back it up only by the fact they are educated liturgists is quite literally infuriating.

 

[Solomonson]

The Church simply responds to the needs of the times it lives through. It’s disciplines and practices change and adapt to the needs of the souls at a particular time.

We live in a time that could pretty accurately be described as gnostic, and so the movement in some places to put the Real Presence front and center seems wise to me, even while it is not some sort of theological absolute.

There’s logic to that which can be readily understood and I appreciate that. Those fixated on moving the tabernacle elsewhere cannot claim this.

 

[Commander901]

I enjoyed a story of a priest visiting a “modern” Church and having to ask the nun who was the parish “manager” “tell me, where have you hidden the Blessed Sacrament?” She showed him to something the size of a closet with two seats in it. A shame how the Blessed Sacrament is treated. I recall another one where the Blessed Sacrament on Holy Thursday was reposed on a tray table near the altar rail. Never mind the Church has two beautiful side altars where the Blessed Sacrament could have been reposed–a tray table!