Non Liturgical Abuse

[Mary1973]

How about stuff that goes on in your church outside of Mass that is also abuse?

For example, one night at choir rehearsal, the pastor came in with a bottle of wine and glasses. It was obvious that he had been imbibing.

Is having food within the church an abuse? My former pastor couldn’t understand why I objected to the coffee and cookies inside the church.

And how about yelling and screaming while putting up Christmas decorations?

 

[baltobetsy]

Mary1973:

For example, one night at choir rehearsal, the pastor came in with a bottle of wine and glasses. It was obvious that he had been imbibing.

Sorry to take you off topic here, but you reminded me of something a wonderful pastor used to do 25 years ago (wow - that’s a long time!). Our choir had a number of young adults (early to mid 20’s), and every week after rehearsal, a number of us would join the pastor in the rectory kitchen for a glass of wine and some wonderful discussion. He was a good, orthodox priest, and always managed to steer the conversation in some fascinating and important direction.

Betsy

 

[CatholicNerd]

Hehe… there’s a saying at Gonzaga that students who have been invited to eat with the priests have come up with… “it’s not dinner with the Jesuits unless there’s a generous amount of wine consumed…” They don’t get drunk or anything. But it’s no sin for a priest to drink!!!

Now if the priest were to come to Mass drunk it’d be a different thing and most definitely an abuse… Provided that the priest wasn’t offering the wine to any minors in the choir (I was the only minor in the Cathedral choir so they had to curtail their merrymaking when I was around) I think it’s fine. A nice gesture that he’s even interested in the choir…

 

[Mary1973]

Maybe I should have noted that we are very near the tabernacle when we rehearse. It just did not sit right with me.

As for being invited into the rectory, that is quite another thing.

 

[spetreopn]

Mary1973:

And how about yelling and screaming while putting up Christmas decorations?

I would remind the people that are setting up Christmas decorations that the church is sacred space and that they should act accordingly. Generally, it would be inappropriate to have any unnecessary chatting, and especially yelling, inside the church.

 

[Mary1973]

spetreopn:

I would remind the people that are setting up Christmas decorations that the church is sacred space and that they should act accordingly. Generally, it would be inappropriate to have any unnecessary chatting, and especially yelling, inside the church.

Unfortunately, it was the pastor who was doing all the yelling.