Politics in my Parish

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I think the term ‘Eucharistic Ministers’ is just shorthand. It’s too much of a mouthful to say ‘Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion’ or anything like that. Hard to type too.

Yes, Paramedic girl, I think there is a certain type of manipulative woman that likes to push the priest around. There are some priests who are like lambs before the slaughter when dealing with the machinations of this type of woman. I really think the seminaries need a course in how to deal with parish politics, and particularly with women who want to maneuveur themselves into the priests favor through subtrifuge and dishonesty. These women are like wolves in sheeps clothing, IMO. I have trouble dealing with them myself, and I’m a woman! You can’t expect an unmarried man to have a clue as to what’s going on. Heck, it takes your average married man a lifetime to halfway understand women!
 
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spiritblows:
I think the term ‘Eucharistic Ministers’ is just shorthand. It’s too much of a mouthful to say ‘Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion’ or anything like that. Hard to type too.

Yes, Paramedic girl, I think there is a certain type of manipulative woman that likes to push the priest around. There are some priests who are like lambs before the slaughter when dealing with the machinations of this type of woman. I really think the seminaries need a course in how to deal with parish politics, and particularly with women who want to maneuveur themselves into the priests favor through subtrifuge and dishonesty. These women are like wolves in sheeps clothing, IMO. I have trouble dealing with them myself, and I’m a woman! You can’t expect an unmarried man to have a clue as to what’s going on. Heck, it takes your average married man a lifetime to halfway understand women!
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Great signature line!!!

Working for women in the business world is the same way. I do not like having a woman for a boss. In my job or in my church.

God Bless my pastor!!!
 
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LighthouseRon:
I’ve just learned there is a person at our parish has went to our archdiocese and complained about our priest because she feels women are being discriminated against because, as extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, women are more likely to be used to distribute the wine (Blood of Christ) rather than the bread (Body of Christ). She feels the bread is more important and there should be no “favoritism” and that it is a sexist situation. In my view more often than not, the men are given the bread more often but it is simply because there are more men “ministers” than women. That is another beef this lady has, that there should be equal numbers of men and women for this task. What do you think? I strongly feel the Blood is just as important as the Body anyway.

It is just another example of how our little parish has changed from the quiet little country catholic church to a political mess. The previous pastor was quite old and wasn’t able to administrate many of the business aspects of the parish so he appointed several people to take over many of these duties. When he retired after being there for 4 years, the people in charge of these various groups think they run the parish. Now that the new priest is here, these people don’t like him trying to take control. It’s turning into a war in that one group supports the parish priest and the other supports the parish “staff”. HOW SAD! These people (both sides) call themselves catholic! It’s just tearing me apart to see the parish I’ve been a part of since it’s beginning being ripped at the seams. I support our pastor but I don’t take sides (does that make any sense?). If I did I would be just like them. I just fight to try to keep the church going in a holy direction. I’ve heard that church politics are the worst. I am now living it.

Ron
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This is one reason why the Church insists that Lay Ministers be FORMED for the ministry they seek to exercise. A person must be instructed in the thelology, background and have a complete understanding of the Ministry they seek to be involved with. NOT just a “Training” in the mechanics. “Stand here, say this”

She obviously has little understanding of the Mass, the Eucharist, The theology of The Blessed Sacrament or Holy Communion. The purpose or reason behind Extra-ordinary ministers. The specific ordering found in the Church documents of who should be choosen when needed.
 
If there is a snowball’s chance in ---- that you can talk with the priest, alone or with another parishoner, state the existence of the problem in a way that you are not demanding how the priest should handle it but encourage a gentle suggestion that (if the parish is not extremely large) that Holy Communion be given by Intinction - and that male altar servers be used to encourage candidates for the priesthood. Do a little recruiting among the men to step up and take their role in the church.

I will refrain from further comment regarding “libby” women who have possessively taken over every role they can assume and then some!

Lest anyone think I am being “sexist”, forgetaboudit? I am wife, mother, grandmother, daughter and sister with seniority.
 
Br. Rich SFO:
This is one reason why the Church insists that Lay Ministers be FORMED for the ministry they seek to exercise. A person must be instructed in the thelology, background and have a complete understanding of the Ministry they seek to be involved with. NOT just a “Training” in the mechanics. “Stand here, say this”

She obviously has little understanding of the Mass, the Eucharist, The theology of The Blessed Sacrament or Holy Communion. The purpose or reason behind Extra-ordinary ministers. The specific ordering found in the Church documents of who should be choosen when needed.
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I agree but to some degree this is caused by a lack of exercising of Bishop authority. My diocese has an RCIA curriculum that is to be a guide on subject matter taught during the process. It allows for some accommodation by the Priest to address the particulars of the class (preponderance of churched vs. unchurched for example). However, as the curriculum has a “flow” about it, it becomes both hard for those untrained or w/ an agenda to do much damage via false teachings that won’t be later exposed. I assist my Pastor in RCIA as a sometimes teacher and I am proof that even an idiot can’t screw it up too bad. Additionally, the Pastor, his Associate, or Deacon should try to be in attendence to insure that even inadvertent false teachings aren’t presented.

In short, it is further indication that catechesis is getting short shrift in the church. This is also a responsibility of lay people. If you are on this forum, why aren’t you involved in RCIA?
 
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spiritblows:
I think the term ‘Eucharistic Ministers’ is just shorthand. It’s too much of a mouthful to say ‘Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion’ or anything like that. Hard to type too.

Yes, Paramedic girl, I think there is a certain type of manipulative woman that likes to push the priest around. There are some priests who are like lambs before the slaughter when dealing with the machinations of this type of woman. I really think the seminaries need a course in how to deal with parish politics, and particularly with women who want to maneuveur themselves into the priests favor through subtrifuge and dishonesty. These women are like wolves in sheeps clothing, IMO. I have trouble dealing with them myself, and I’m a woman! You can’t expect an unmarried man to have a clue as to what’s going on. Heck, it takes your average married man a lifetime to halfway understand women!
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So true and well said! 👍
 
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grotto:
If there is a snowball’s chance in ---- that you can talk with the priest, alone or with another parishoner, state the existence of the problem in a way that you are not demanding how the priest should handle it but encourage a gentle suggestion that (if the parish is not extremely large) that Holy Communion be given by Intinction - and that male altar servers be used to encourage candidates for the priesthood. Do a little recruiting among the men to step up and take their role in the church.
I will refrain from further comment regarding “libby” women who have possessively taken over every role they can assume and then some!

Lest anyone think I am being “sexist”, forgetaboudit? I am wife, mother, grandmother, daughter and sister with seniority.
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Excellent suggestion on how to combat the problem of pushy women who want to take over our parishes! 🙂
 
The difficult thing in this whole mess is the archdiocese in my area has been one subject to many molestation claims from many years ago, making them ultra-sensitive to any type of complaint against any priest within itself. Basically they don’t want the boat rocked. That makes our parish priest very nervous. We have a newsletter that comes out 4 times a year that chose to print a letter of complaint regarding the favoritism issue, but there was no rebuttal of it as no one knew about the letter until the newsletter had been distributed.

I’m not sure what the solution is. If our archbishop fully supports our priest things will be okay. If he bows to pressure from these few unhappy people it will get worse.
 
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Orionthehunter:
In short, it is further indication that catechesis is getting short shrift in the church. This is also a responsibility of lay people. If you are on this forum, why aren’t you involved in RCIA?
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Orionhunter I agree I am involved in the church - reader and CCD. I also am thinking, praying and discussing becoming a deacon. But in our diocese you need three letters of recommendation from Priests. That will be a hurdle as I have never sought to stand out in front of the Priests …like I’m willing to bet the lady to whom this thread was written has at one time or another.

Paramedicgirl - Now I guess I should become pushy. PS I hope that kid is okay.
 
hilde the dog:
Orionhunter I agree I am involved in the church - reader and CCD. I also am thinking, praying and discussing becoming a deacon. But in our diocese you need three letters of recommendation from Priests. That will be a hurdle as I have never sought to stand out in front of the Priests …like I’m willing to bet the lady to whom this thread was written has at one time or another.

Paramedicgirl - Now I guess I should become pushy. PS I hope that kid is okay.
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A few years ago a man that our Pastor didn’t know well came to him and said he wanted to be a Deacon. My Pastor sat down w/ him and told him what a big and eternal choice this was (can’t remarry if wife dies, permanent vow, etc.) He also talked about he should first immerse himself into the life of a Deacon to the extent possible. He became involved in more ministries in the Church as you are doing. He told him to start showing up on Saturday morning to assist in the preparations before the High Holidays and for funerals and weddings in the Parish. Attended daily Mass regularly.

Let me assure you, it took a very short time doing this before he was recognized by the Pastor adn the entire parish. There was no need for him to be pushy. Our Pastor concurred that he was called to be a deacon. After a few years in the parish as a deacon, the Bishop (Deacon’s direct report is the Bishop and not the Pastor unless so assigned) reassigned him to be a parish administrator of two small rural parishes. As these parishes are near my extended family, we have attended one of his Sunday Communion Service on our way back home. He is a blessing for these parishes and very well rec’d. God Bless you in your discernment.
 
Extraordinary ministers of the eucharist at the average mass… if needed. Well I see one person give communion to over a hundred people by himself every Sunday.

At the Roman Catholic parish there are probably 4 extradistributors for 150 people. That is plain ridiculous. Perhaps two to give out the cup if anything, because intinction is banned in this diocese. Dipping the Host in the Blood by the priest and distribution by the priest would solve a lot of problems.

The problems of extraordinary ministers is not the actual distribution itself. The problems stem from people like this lady who use the position to try to advance her own politics on the parish.
 
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LighthouseRon:
The difficult thing in this whole mess is the archdiocese in my area has been one subject to many molestation claims from many years ago, making them ultra-sensitive to any type of complaint against any priest within itself. Basically they don’t want the boat rocked. That makes our parish priest very nervous. We have a newsletter that comes out 4 times a year that chose to print a letter of complaint regarding the favoritism issue, but there was no rebuttal of it as no one knew about the letter until the newsletter had been distributed.

I’m not sure what the solution is. If our archbishop fully supports our priest things will be okay. If he bows to pressure from these few unhappy people it will get worse.
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1.) That priest needs to release any parish staff members from employment that are not loyal and supportive.

2.) Something is terribly septic in a parish that would print such a letter in a newsletter. In effect, the inmates are running the asylum.

3.) If the priest is worth supporting, and if he is open to support, why not muster a group of real Catholics that will act as his “kitchen cabinet” and maybe also deflect some of the abuse…
 
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LighthouseRon:
The difficult thing in this whole mess is the archdiocese in my area has been one subject to many molestation claims from many years ago, making them ultra-sensitive to any type of complaint against any priest within itself. Basically they don’t want the boat rocked. That makes our parish priest very nervous. We have a newsletter that comes out 4 times a year that chose to print a letter of complaint regarding the favoritism issue, but there was no rebuttal of it as no one knew about the letter until the newsletter had been distributed.

I’m not sure what the solution is. If our archbishop fully supports our priest things will be okay. If he bows to pressure from these few unhappy people it will get worse.
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In that case the editor of the newsletter should be sacked on the spot. Even apart from the issue of undermining the parish priest’s authority. Natural justice demands that even if such outrageous allegations were made in a secular publication, the editor should have given the accused person a chance to reply before sending the article unchallenged to the printers.
 
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Orionthehunter:
I agree but to some degree this is caused by a lack of exercising of Bishop authority. My diocese has an RCIA curriculum that is to be a guide on subject matter taught during the process. It allows for some accommodation by the Priest to address the particulars of the class (preponderance of churched vs. unchurched for example). However, as the curriculum has a “flow” about it, it becomes both hard for those untrained or w/ an agenda to do much damage via false teachings that won’t be later exposed. I assist my Pastor in RCIA as a sometimes teacher and I am proof that even an idiot can’t screw it up too bad. Additionally, the Pastor, his Associate, or Deacon should try to be in attendence to insure that even inadvertent false teachings aren’t presented.

In short, it is further indication that catechesis is getting short shrift in the church. This is also a responsibility of lay people. If you are on this forum, why aren’t you involved in RCIA?
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Orionthehunter:

Because I’m in the Traditional Anglican Communion, and because the stuff they teach instead of the faith in this archdiocese would make me think I was back in ECUSA!

I actually did teach CCD in a Catholic parish for a while - I was doing instruction for Confirmation. This was almost 25 years ago, and it might have been the only time the kids were forced to open their Bibles and to memorize part of their Catechisms (Baltimore back them).

Oh, and I made them do an examination of conscience and go to Confession…

I understand the poor kids were in shock - They had been told it would be “Easy Street”, and that they wouldn’t have to work very hard or study very much.

The older priest who had been ordained in the 1940’s thought I walked on water. The two younger priests thought I was Satan for making the kids be Catholic!

I’d be happy to do it agein if I were in an orthodox parish in an orthodox Diocese.

In Christ, Michael
 
AltarMan said:
1.) That priest needs to release any parish staff members from employment that are not loyal and supportive.

2.) Something is terribly septic in a parish that would print such a letter in a newsletter. In effect, the inmates are running the asylum.

3.) If the priest is worth supporting, and if he is open to support, why not muster a group of real Catholics that will act as his “kitchen cabinet” and maybe also deflect some of the abuse…
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AltarMan:

I would add -
  1. The parish Priest needs to take over publication of the parish newsletter. I’ve never been in a parish where the newsletter wasn’t controlled by the Rector.
I see no good that can come from having the parish newslatter published by people who dislike the Rector and who question his authority. I once visited a parish which had a heterodoxy problem - they had stopped saying the Creed during Sunday Mass. It was easy for the Rector to remind everyone that they needed to say it by printing it in each Sunday’s Bulletins.

I wouldn’t put up with that if I were the Rector for one minute, because it not only undermines the Rector’s authority, it undermines his ability to teach and instruct.

Good NIght.

In Christ, Michael
 
Traditional Ang:
AltarMan:

I would add -
  1. The parish Priest needs to take over publication of the parish newsletter. I’ve never been in a parish where the newsletter wasn’t controlled by the Rector.
I see no good that can come from having the parish newslatter published by people who dislike the Rector and who question his authority. I once visited a parish which had a heterodoxy problem - they had stopped saying the Creed during Sunday Mass. It was easy for the Rector to remind everyone that they needed to say it by printing it in each Sunday’s Bulletins.

I wouldn’t put up with that if I were the Rector for one minute, because it not only undermines the Rector’s authority, it undermines his ability to teach and instruct.

Good NIght.

In Christ, Michael
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Absolutely. Actually the very first thing the pastor needs to do (if he already dosen’t have it) is gain 100% control of the parish’s checkbook and inform all staff (and vendors!) that purchase orders need his signature.
 
hilde the dog:
Orionhunter I agree I am involved in the church - reader and CCD. I also am thinking, praying and discussing becoming a deacon. But in our diocese you need three letters of recommendation from Priests. That will be a hurdle as I have never sought to stand out in front of the Priests …like I’m willing to bet the lady to whom this thread was written has at one time or another.

Paramedicgirl - Now I guess I should become pushy. PS I hope that kid is okay.
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hilde the dog:

I don’t think you have to go around blowing your own horn, at least not much. Priests tend to notice piety and things like who volunteers for what and who shows up to Daily Mass and Adoration.

I would simply go up to three priests in your area and ask - You might want to start with your confessor, since he’s the one who going to know that you’re receiving that Sacrament when most people are avoiding it like the Plague.

And, I do believe that we have a few priests on the board here, if i’m not too mistaken…

I think becoming a training for the Deaconate is a fine idea. May the Lord help you get those letters and give you the courage to ask.

In Christ, Michael
 
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