Non-canonical changes

[G_S]

We now have a new pastoral team. A religious sister is the Pastoral Administrator and a priest is the sacramental minister. She is definitively in charge. On their first Sunday, we had a baptism at Mass. She read the invocation over the water while the priest simply held his hands over the font. She has stated that she will be preaching and that we will return to the way that we used to have the EMHC’s come up around the altar to receive with the priest rather than the GIRM way we adopted when the new one came out. When two very devout women approached her to ask about doing something for the Assumption – a major day in our parish and village, she said it sounded tacky. These are trying times.

 

[MusicMan]

What?!

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

We now have a new pastoral team. A religious sister is the Pastoral Administrator and a priest is the sacramental minister. She is definitively in charge. On their first Sunday, we had a baptism at Mass. She read the invocation over the water while the priest simply held his hands over the font. She has stated that she will be preaching and that we will return to the way that we used to have the EMHC’s come up around the altar to receive with the priest rather than the GIRM way we adopted when the new one came out. When two very devout women approached her to ask about doing something for the Assumption – a major day in our parish and village, she said it sounded tacky. These are trying times.

Who heads up the EMHC? They should or the EMHC’s as a group should ask for a meeting with her and explain that they will not disobey the instruction of the Church. Her reading the priests prayer for the blessing of the water was not acceptable and resulted in the water not being Blessed. That did NOT invalidate the Baptism however. Unless of course she said the words while the priest poured the water? This should be made very clear to her that these unacceptable actions will not be acccepted and the Bishop will be notified if any other strange things happen.

 

[Eileen_T]

The time to nip this in the bud is NOW. Don’t wait for it to become entrenched.

What is the level of support from the laity? Maybe the PP would deal with it if people voted with their wallets, if they couldn’t go to another parish for Mass.

Let the PP know that you will be sending your offering to a Church that is obedient to the Magisterium.

 

[THurifer2]

Well I guess you two options are do nothing

or inform the priest that the sign on the front of the building says Catholic Church and in order to avoid false advertising the things that happen inside the building should be in line with the sign on the front of the building

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Well I guess you two options are do nothing

or inform the priest that the sign on the front of the building says Catholic Church and in order to avoid false advertising the things that happen inside the building should be in line with the sign on the front of the building

But as the original post noted the priest is NOT the pastor or administratior of the parish. He is only a priest who stops by on a scheduled basis to celebrate the Sacraments as needed. The Sister is the parish administrator and is the one who is running the parish. She answers to the Bishop since there is no pastor. She needs to be confronted with these strange happenings and if she does not change things they must go to the Bishop, together.

 

[MusicMan]

Even with an administrator to run the day-to-day operations of a parish, aren’t all parishes supposed to have a pastor, even if he is pastor of several parishes and only celebrates Mass on a limited basis? Shouldn’t there be a pastor that is this sister’s superior who this matter could be brought to? If not, why is the sacramental administrator allowing her to act this way when he is present. The priest-celebrant is the chief liturgist for that celebration. He should be putting her in her place. I doubt that she is his superior.

If there is no actual pastor of record, and the priest-celebrant is unwilling to take the matter on, go straight to the Bishop’s Office, and do not delay.

 

[az_4_faith]

Like Bro.Rich said, she’s probably been named administrator because there isn’t a priest available to be named pastor. The priest that is providing the sacraments only stops by for that reason, not on a consistent basis. He probably ministers to several (maybe alot of) different locations (think rural or more hard to reach locations).

So she is probably completely in charge of that particular location.

But she can’t pretend to be a priest.

Notify the bishop ASAP with factual information about what she is doing.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Gather your data, perferably with photos or video, and start with your dean, then your bishop, then Rome. But until you have a pile of concrete data, be careful. Don’t pick fights. Don’t start trouble.

 

[G_S]

Actually, the priest is resident in the parish, is full-time, and is subject to the administrator. He holds no other position other than sacramental minister. He has not been appointed pastor because then he would be here for a six-year term. Not appointing him as pastor – common in this diocese – allows the bishop to move him sooner.

 

[Scottgun]

Gather your data, perferably with photos or video, and start with your dean, then your bishop, then Rome. But until you have a pile of concrete data, be careful. Don’t pick fights. Don’t start trouble.

What he said, until you get each and every duck in a row with concrete data, keep the atomic sledgehammer in its holster.

 

[MusicMan]

Actually, the priest is resident in the parish, is full-time, and is subject to the administrator. He holds no other position other than sacramental minister. He has not been appointed pastor because then he would be here for a six-year term. Not appointing him as pastor – common in this diocese – allows the bishop to move him sooner.

That’s completely inappropriate. Document everything, and forward it to the Nuncio.

 

[G_S]

It’s called a new model. Gee, why not try one of the models devised by Luther, Calvin, Henry VIII, Wesley, or Aimee Semple McPherson?

 

[az_4_faith]

Actually, the priest is resident in the parish, is full-time, and is subject to the administrator. He holds no other position other than sacramental minister. He has not been appointed pastor because then he would be here for a six-year term. Not appointing him as pastor – common in this diocese – allows the bishop to move him sooner.

 

[Wolseley]

Ask her if she’s considered having a sex-change operation.