Portland parish protests new priest’s policies

[Thomasbradley312]

That’s what I’m saying.
I honestly think theologically( though Rome may disagree) that the SSPX masses are more valid than the masses at this church the past decades. At least the SSPX uses a valid missal. These people were going around changing wording and throwing in their own additions to the liturgy. Who even knows how bad it was, I’m scared to even know. But it must have been pretty outrageous with how these people are acting just because the priest wants to celebrate mass how the texts tell him too.

 

[MagdalenaRita]

I honestly think theologically( though Rome may disagree) that the SSPX masses are more valid than the masses at this church the past decades

Yes, because from what I understand, not including the exceptions Pope Francis has allowed, the SSPX Masses are valid, they are just not licit.

From what it sounds regarding this Portland Church, a woman ran it for quite a while. Apparently she wasn’t saying Mass, but was leading some type of “community” prayers.

 

[Phemie]

There’s some discussion in this August 6 article about Catholic Charities taking over the parish soup kitchen for the homeless.
It notes that some parishioners who volunteer at the kitchen don’t go to Mass any more because they have a problem with the pastor.
Also has some parishioner saying that the kitchen “is everything to the parish” like it’s more important than the Mass.

That’s one of the complaints, the priest doesn’t want to be involved with the kitchen, all he wants to do is celebrate Mass and hear confessions. And they’re upset because he preaches on sin a lot. Maybe because the bishop feels they need that?

 

[MagdalenaRita]

That’s one of the complaints, the priest doesn’t want to be involved with the kitchen, all he wants to do is celebrate Mass and hear confessions.

Since we haven’t heard the priest’s side, are we sure he doesn’t want to be involved in the kitchen or is there something in particular they are doing as far as the kitchen goes that he doesn’t want to be involved in.

And they’re upset because he preaches on sin a lot.

It would be good if more priests did that.

 

[Phemie]

Phemie:

That’s one of the complaints, the priest doesn’t want to be involved with the kitchen, all he wants to do is celebrate Mass and hear confessions.

Since we haven’t heard the priest’s side, are we sure he doesn’t want to be involved in the kitchen or is there something in particular they are doing as far as the kitchen goes that he doesn’t want to be involved in.

That I don’t know, but he’s 67 years old and he’s there as Administrator, not Pastor. I would think that taking care of the sacraments and celebrating Mass would be enough for him.

 

[Peeps]

Just go back to how it was in the TLM. Have a few altar servers. Which could be adult acolytes. Have the choir in the loft in the back. And the priest can do all the readings instead of just the Gospel.

I’m not being sarcastic–I’m just asking. Do you think this would really stop all the poor catechesis in the Church, and the people who are CEO Catholics, or the half-beliefs in Catholic teachings (but still receiving Holy Communion), or the rebellion against Holy Mother Church that results in using ABC, voting for pro-abortion political candidates, etc.

Do your REALLY think having a Latin Mass, a few altar servers, a choir loft in the back, and the priest reading all the Bible passages, would make everything right again?

I’m serious about this.

And to be honest, if the TLM and all those practices were so effective, why were so many Catholics leaving the Church back in the late 50s and early 60s to join churches like the Baptist church that I grew up in, or the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church that I my husband and I were members of for ten years? These churches had membership rosters in which HALF of the members and attendees were former Catholics! Did the practices that you are suggesting stop these people from leaving Holy Mother Church? If not, why not?

 

[Tis_Bearself]

That I don’t know, but he’s 67 years old and he’s there as Administrator, not Pastor. I would think that taking care of the sacraments and celebrating Mass would be enough for him.

Exactly. Besides, Catholic Charities is stepping in to handle the kitchen, which as I mentioned has been the root cause of dozens of police complaints about its patrons.

It makes total sense that the priest doesn’t want to deal with the kitchen, and will just leave it to the Charities experts. The bishop may have even advised Father to not get too involved with the kitchen.

 

[Peeps]

Don’t get me wrong–I think that what these people did was awful, and I think that the Nigerian priest is a hero of the Faith!

But I don’t think it can be fixed by adding back traditions (small t) from decades ago. These people went down a dark path and it will take a mighty work of God, who will probably call various Christians into service to accomplish this work, to bring these Catholics back to full fellowship again. At this point, though, their souls are in danger, and they are dragging others with them. So awful. Their priest needs a lot of prayer to protect him from the demonic influences that have been brought into the parish by these people.

 

[Asinner]

This whole episode reminds me of the parable of the wicked tenants (Matthew 21:33-43). Archbishop Sample sent the parishioners his son, thinking they would at least reverence him. But the progressive, modernist heretics wouldn’t even respect an African immigrant priest. So what must the Archbishop do? Well…

He will bring those evil men to an evil end, and will let out his vineyard to other husbandmen, that shall render him the fruit in due season.

 

[Phemie]

Don’t get me wrong–I think that what these people did was awful, and I think that the Nigerian priest is a hero of the Faith!

But I don’t think it can be fixed by adding back traditions (small t) from decades ago. These people went down a dark path and it will take a mighty work of God, who will probably call various Christians into service to accomplish this work, to bring these Catholics back to full fellowship again. At this point, though, their souls are in danger, and they are dragging others with them. So awful. Their priest needs a lot of prayer to protect him from the demonic influences that have been brought into the parish by these people.

It’s not “adding back traditions” it’s celebrating Mass as written in the Roman Missal and using the only approved Lectionary for the US, something an obedient priest has no option but to do.

It’s also not having what sounds like a mission statement inserted in the Prayers of the Faithful. Put it on the front page of your bulletin if it’s that important.

 

[MagdalenaRita]

It makes total sense that the priest doesn’t want to deal with the kitchen, and will just leave it to the Charities experts. The bishop may have even advised Father to not get too involved with the kitchen.

That is just what I was wondering. We don’t know his reasons behind not being involved in the kitchen. He seems to be doing his best to be obedient to his bishop. There could be a very good reason for Catholic charities to be taking over the kitchen.

 

[MagdalenaRita]

But I don’t think it can be fixed by adding back traditions (small t) from decades ago

As someone else said it is not about adding back traditions. Traditions are there. They are things that are handed down from one generation to another. The traditions are already in the Church, many have just gotten away from them and this loss has confused some people and caused them to move farther and farther away from what the Church truly is.

 

[CatholicELATeacher]

This kind of bad behavior by boomer Catholics makes me embarrassed to be one.

 

[Peeps]

It’s not “adding back traditions” it’s celebrating Mass as written in the Roman Missal and using the only approved Lectionary for the US, something an obedient priest has no option but to do.

It’s also not having what sounds like a mission statement inserted in the Prayers of the Faithful. Put it on the front page of your bulletin if it’s that important.

Ok.

I don’t disagree with this. I CAN’T disagree with this because I believe that Catholics should be supportive of the GIRM. I don’t believe we should be making changes to the Mass just because we want to. That’s what this Portland priest was doing, and it’s wrong, and it’s very wrong of the parishioners and visitors to make a public show of protesting the priest who chooses obedience to Holy Mother Church.

But things like having the choir loft in the back of the nave are NOT a requirement for a valid, licit Mass according to the current rubrics, and Thomasbradley312 is kidding himself if he thinks that re-creating the past will make everything all right again.

What happened in this parish with the renegade priest was a spirit of disobedience and rebellion entering into this priest and spreading to the laypeople. I would not claim with certainty that it was a literal “spirit” or “demon” of rebellion from the pit of hell, but I wouldn’t rule it out, either.

Many rebellions begin with something fairly innocent, like inserting a prayer into the Mass that isn’t in the rubrics. But when this act of disobedience gains acceptance, more rebellious acts and attitudes follow, leading to the inevitable acceptance of outright sin; e.g., extolling homosexuality as a legitimate and even beautiful option . As more and more people buy into the rebellion, those who protest are shunned and made to feel as though they are the ones who are committing sin.

But again, all of the things that Thomasbradley312 cited are NOT against the current GIRM! Having a choir loft in the front, having juvenile altar servers, having the laypeople do the readings (the 1st and 2nd reading and the Psalm). These are allowed by the GIRM for the OF Mass. They are NOT a symptom of rebellion.

 

[YourNameHere]

One thing that may have got lost in this discussion is that the priest and the parishioners should have a sit down to discuss things.
I am wondering if the fact that the priest is from Nigeria has anything to do with anything?
I remember when I was in college, for one course I had a professor from South Africa. She spoke English, but had a thick accent that was hard to understand. I had to really focus to understand all of her words.

 

[poche]

By taking it down he could be saying “There are no illegal people here.” while in reality he is hiding a whole group in the back.

 

[Minks]

@PetraG “It is sort of a nucleus site.”

LOL! Are you sure you don’t mean nuclear site?

 

[YourNameHere]

Sorry, if I made that insinuation. I was just trying to point out something that happened when I was in college.
I know sometimes, there are language problems or cultural things that cause misunderstandings.
I do not know the situation in his particular instance.

 

[PetraG]

@PetraG “It is sort of a nucleus site.”

LOL! Are you sure you don’t mean nuclear site?

Well, I haven’t volunteered there in a long time, but yes, the rumors are that the poor aren’t necessarily being cared for in a way that always pleases the neighbors.

It’s a tough thing here on the West Coast. There are a lot of people who can’t afford a place to live and some who actually want to bounce around camping outside where their relatives can’t tell them what to do but with others who really need some mental health care and with some violent criminals thrown into the mix. People living outdoors with no sanitary facilities as if it were a third world country after an earthquake and the police can do nothing about it because there are too few legal places for the destitute to exist.

Place this crisis next to Matthew 25, and it ought to make every Christian break into a sweat. Our Lord is in some distressing situations in this country.

Back on thread, though: There is no reason that helping the destitute ought to be at odds with reverence in liturgy. The two are in no way opposed. We have plenty of resources in our Catholic community to appoint the altar in the most fitting way and still feed everyone who needs feeding. (It drives me crazy when we make that an either/or proposition!)

It ought to go without saying that St. Francis Church has the resources to feed the poor and yet still afford a book that has all the rubrics. The rubrics are not the enemy of the poor, nor is the Archbishop, nor is the pastor. That’s a false dichotomy.

 

[Loud-living-dogma]

When the musicians are visible and on display, it can’t help but turn into a performance. When the musicians are not visible and not on display, there is a hope that the music will be more like an offering, rather than a performance. Yes, a veritable “musical offering”. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:
When the musicians are on display, heaven forfend “rocking out” in some way, it creates a different atmosphere and the liturgy has a different spirit. I think there’s a book about that…