Preaching from the chair

[PacoG]

Our priest announced this last Sunday that he has been diagnosed with degenerative arthritis in his feet and ankles. He said that his doctor told him that the disease can be managed and he was given a management plan to calls for him to avoid standing still for long periods of time. Monsignor told us that he will be preaching seated in the presidential chair for the time being. He also may have to miss distributing communion from time to time.

He is the only priest in our parish and has to say five masses ever Sunday. He told that by the noon mass on Sunday, the pain in his feet is unbearable.

My question is what as a parish can we do for him? What have those of you in parishes with priests with back, leg and feet problems have done for your priests to aid them with their burden? I was thinking of asking him if I could donate a stool that he could use while at the ambo.

 

[withwind]

Our pastor has back problem, but I am not sure how the parish has helped him with the problem. One thing I know is that the deacons could help him give the homily. He could have a nice pairs of shoes, and a comfortable chair.

Most importantly, we pray for additional priests and deacons for our parish. This July, we will have one more priest and that gives a total of 3 priests. Sadly, our pastor will be assigned to some other place, but it is good for his health. He’s been burned out with lots of work and he has helped the parish accomplished a brand new church, religious building, administrative bldg, chapel and other buildings.

 

[bpbasilphx]

God bless your concern and generosity.

I would ask him about the stool–maybe one tall enough to allow him to celebrate sitting on it, if need be. (He might require permission from the bishop for that.)

And beyond “the parish” helping him, why not ask him what YOU can do personally for him, besides pray, of course.

 

[chain]

I do not know if this is acceptable form (but I will trust my parish priest). During smaller masses, (when he has actively encouraged the congregation to concentrate in the front of the church or hold mass in a much smaller chapel). He often grabs a chair and gives the homily from the aisle rather than the lectern (which puts him much closer to the congregation)

 

[Phemie]

Our priest announced this last Sunday that he has been diagnosed with degenerative arthritis in his feet and ankles. He said that his doctor told him that the disease can be managed and he was given a management plan to calls for him to avoid standing still for long periods of time. Monsignor told us that he will be preaching seated in the presidential chair for the time being. He also may have to miss distributing communion from time to time.

He is the only priest in our parish and has to say five masses ever Sunday. He told that by the noon mass on Sunday, the pain in his feet is unbearable.

My question is what as a parish can we do for him? What have those of you in parishes with priests with back, leg and feet problems have done for your priests to aid them with their burden? I was thinking of asking him if I could donate a stool that he could use while at the ambo.

It’s perfectly acceptable for the priest, any priest, to give the homily from the chair – even if they don’t usually do so. It’s one of the options listed in the GIRM. So really, the concern is that he has to sit, rather than stand. Since he’d be sitting in either case, I suspect he’d rather be at the chair than perched on a stool.

He might be able to request permission from his bishop to sit for most of the Eucharistic Prayer and in this case, EMHCs would be a blessing for the distribution of Communion – this is one of the valid reasons listed for having EMHCs.

 

[Sr_Sally]

Best thing for you to do as his parishioners is to pray fore him and let him know that you are praying.

If you watch the Papal Masses, Pope Benedict always preaches from his chair. That is a perfectly acceptable option. Also as another poster stated, this is an excellent reason to have EMHCs. Your priest will probably want to distribute communion to at least a few folks, but having the EMHCs will mean he doesn’t have to stand as long.

Please ask him what how else you can help him. He or his dr will probably have suggestions as to what accomodations he’ll need. Maybe take up a collection to get him a really comfy recliner! lol

 

[stbruno]

If you remember, when our late Pope John Paul II was battling his crippling Parkinson’s disease and could not stand, he still did his homilies seated. Cardinal George preached from the chair during an ordination mass since his legs that were crippled were polio were given him problems.

The best thing as parishioners we can do for this priest is to pray for him, listen attentively to him, put down our parish bulletins and give him attention during his homily. that’s part of what we are expected to do when we attend a Sunday or even weekday liturgy. That’s a mute point, we should grant that same respect to anyone who is preaching from the ambo/pulpit or from the chair.

 

[Cat]

What a hero your priest is! What an example of courage and love for his people!

It seems to me that he doesn’t have to say a word to preach an excellent homily. His actions and attitude preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

[CB_Catholic]

I wouldn’t buy him a stool. Climbing onto a stool with arthritic and painful feet and ankles can be painful and dangerous if he loses his footing. A stool high enough to use at an ambo would cause problems in getting on and off of it for him. Also, there is no back support. Better to sit in a chair. I have arthritis in my feet and ankles, and when it is acting up, it is painful to even lift my feet for walking, and sometimes I stumble from unexpected pain when I put my foot down. I feel bad for your priest if this is a continul problem for him.

 

[Brendan]

If you remember, when our late Pope John Paul II was battling his crippling Parkinson’s disease and could not stand, he still did his homilies seated. Cardinal George preached from the chair during an ordination mass since his legs that were crippled were polio were given him problems. .

Actually, it’s preferred that bishops preach from the chair. It is their cathedra and thus the symbol of the authority of the Seat of Moses.

Cardinal Maida preached from his cathedra whenever he said Mass in the Cathedral and his legs were fine

 

[smswife]

One of our (retired, helping out) priests uses a high stool at the altar that he sort of just leans/half sits on during the consecration.

He doesn’t sit for the homily but walks back and forth. I expect he also would have pain if he just stood still.

During the distribution of communion, he sits in his chair.