Priest refuses to give Holy Mass

[Gabbanelli911]

I live in a small town and our Parish Priest refuses to give weekday Mass. I understand our Priest has had some medical problems and he says that he has permission from the Diocese Bishop, but he refuses to have someone else come and assist him. Not even a Deacon. November 1st, a Holy Day of Obligation, he even locked the gates to the Parish so that no one would enter and be outside of Church. Today he went on vacation to Tucson, where the Diocese is and it turns out that there is a priest from Tucson that lives here. They had arranged that our Priest was going to celebrate Mass in Tucson and that the Tucson priest was going to celebrate mass here, but then he changed his mind. Our Priest is still going to celebrate Mass in Tucson for Thanksgiving but he will have our Parish closed. I don’t know what’s going on. He also dislikes all the Church groups like the charismatic / renovation group, Cursillo Group, etc. The Bishop has been informed about this and the only thing he said was that he understood that this was a big parish in need of assistance. Our Parish only has a Deacon but his is in his 70s and has problems of his own and in the city, 30 minutes from here, the bulleting has a long list of Deacons and Priests for each of the parishes there. Why does the Bishop not want to send some of those here? Our Parish Priest claims that he does not let no other priest come celebrate Mass here when he is not here because then he has to pay them money to come here!

Please pray for my parish. I feel that our community is dying and parishoners are starting to form groups at their homes doing weird things. There’s a lady who claims that the Virgin Mary appeared to her and that the Virgin Mary gave her a rock, and she brings the rock with her and everyone kisses the rock!!! It’s been reported but nothing has changed!!! Others have joined protestant churches.

 

[pianistclare]

The man is sickly.
How about a little charity.
Hint:
Tattling to the Diocese or complaining to the Bishop does not win a parish any points.
You will appear just as uncharitable as you do here.
Perhaps clergy have been approached to help and they don’t want to come, especially in light of your “rock” lady.

Cooler heads need prevail, and yes pray.
He won’t be there forever IF, and I say that with a huge grain of salt, IF your pastor is indeed an issue.

But he’s sick, your Deacon is sick, and the Vicar for Clergy likely knows this already and has trouble filling those positions.

Here’s a thought; Why don’t you and the people who are so very unhappy travel the mere 30 minutes to another parish for Masses you care not to miss through no fault of your own? People in our area do it all the time. My parish is 35 miles from my home.
It’s worth it, no?

I’m not making light of your dilemma, but you can help yourselves.
I would stop speculating on what his motives are, what his illness does and does not permit him to do, and just pray for the man. Are you friends with him? Is this hearsay or is he open?

Just a suggestion.

 

[po18guy]

The Holy Sacrifice of the mass is not “given” it is celebrated. Think of it: We are only reaping the spiritual children of the 1960s-1980s in that vocations were neglected, almost forgotten. Now, that is something worth praying for!

 

[Gabbanelli911]

Well, thanks for the assistance. I don’t know what I ws thinking writing here, just wanted to vent I guess. There’s more to this story but it’s not worth my time in this forum. Thanks and if you want, please pray for this community. Tbank you.

 

[pianistclare]

Well, thanks for the assistance. I don’t know what I ws thinking writing here, just wanted to vent I guess. There’s more to this story but it’s not worth my time in this forum. Thanks and if you want, please pray for this community. Tbank you.

I will certainly pray. I imagine everyone who reads your post will pray as well.
Vent away! But realize he is ordained, and has a Bishop. Just pray for them both.
Good luck!

 

[tawny]

As Clare stated, be charitable & compassionate to your Clergy. Praying for your Priest, Deacon, your Parish & Parishioners.

 

[wild_thing]

Hi Gabbanelli911! I understand your frustration. In answer to your question about your pastor celebrating daily mass, I’ve posted some links from the Ask An Apologist forum. They were answered by Father Serpa and Father Grodin:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=964685&highlight=daily+mass

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=938466&highlight=daily+mass

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=702609&highlight=daily+mass

It sounds like you have done what is in your power as a layperson to do- you’ve taken your concerns to the bishop and hopefully are praying for your pastor. This is just my opinion, but the Eucharist is so important to me, more than any social groups or church friends, that I would switch parishes and go to one where the celebration of mass is central. If you are very reluctant to uproot yourself from your parish, then drive the half hour to get to daily mass or a holy day of obligation elsewhere and worship with your church on Sundays. My :twocents:.