Priest rotations

[catechumen08]

Hi all! I’ve noticed that the church I regularly attend and another church that I sometimes go to have these priest rotations, meaning that sometimes they invite priests from other parishes/dioceses, usually somewhere overseas, to come and give a homily or celebrate Mass. While I think this is helpful in some respects, I do find it a bit confusing at times. Every time I go to Mass, I don’t know what to expect when I get there. Sometimes, it can also be a little hard to understand them, if they’re not native English speakers.

Another thing I noticed is that parishes in big cities tend to have these rotations more; whereas in smaller cities, it doesn’t happen very often.

What are your thoughts regarding this?

 

[puzzleannie]

other than the fact that sometimes a priest may be difficult to understand, why does this bother you?

 

[catechumen08]

other than the fact that sometimes a priest may be difficult to understand, why does this bother you?

Well, when I choose a parish/church, the priest is an important part of the equation. Maybe it’s a particular speaking style he has, or maybe it’s the content of his homilies, or whatever that may be. If there’re too many rotations, it kind of defeats the purpose of belonging to a particular parish, you know what I mean?

 

[puzzleannie]

Well, when I choose a parish/church, the priest is an important part of the equation. Maybe it’s a particular speaking style he has, or maybe it’s the content of his homilies, or whatever that may be. If there’re too many rotations, it kind of defeats the purpose of belonging to a particular parish, you know what I mean?

that is understandable, but it does not pay to get to attached to one priest. Priests are moved regularly, usually every 6 years, and we Catholics must remember the Mass is still the Mass and the Church is still the Church, no matter who is ministering to us. If there are foreign born priests in the area, they must say Mass someplace, so it stands to reason it may be your parish sometimes. Often they also represent missions or other elements of church life and are preaching on behalf of those missions, with the permission of the bishop. They also serve to remind us that we belong to a worldwide Church, that Catholics come in all nationalities, ethnicities, languages, cultures and races.

I was just reflecting today at our catechist convocation, on how much this diocese has changed, from 90% Hispanic (Mexican) and of those 80-90% Catholic, to a much more heterogenous population in the Church and the wider community. We have in this diocese priests (and nuns) not only from Mexico and a dozen South or Central American countries and Cuba, and from at least 20 states, but also from Philippines, Viet Nam, several African nations, other Asian countries and Pacific Islands, Spain, Portugal, and half dozen other European countries. Very invigorating.

 

[catechumen08]

Sorry if I wasn’t clear, but that’s not really what I meant, puzzleannie. For instance, if you were in high school, would you want a different substitute teacher every week?

 

[puzzleannie]

Sorry if I wasn’t clear, but that’s not really what I meant, puzzleannie. For instance, if you were in high school, would you want a different substitute teacher every week?

the analogy does not hold up. another priest coming to the parish occasionally is not the same as a substitute teacher who may not be competent to teach the subject. Any priest who has been properly ordained and has the faculties to do say can say mass and confect the sacraments. Yes, it is good for a parish to have pastor who is there all the time, but one priest simply cannot do it all, he does need help. Also, perhaps some of these parishes are between pastors at the time. and also, these other priests do need someplace to say Mass, and the pastor does need vacations and days off.

 

[catechumen08]

the analogy does not hold up. another priest coming to the parish occasionally is not the same as a substitute teacher who may not be competent to teach the subject. Any priest who has been properly ordained and has the faculties to do say can say mass and confect the sacraments. Yes, it is good for a parish to have pastor who is there all the time, but one priest simply cannot do it all, he does need help. Also, perhaps some of these parishes are between pastors at the time. and also, these other priests do need someplace to say Mass, and the pastor does need vacations and days off.

Oh boy, are you saying that substitute teachers are incompetent? Talk about confidence in our education system! Okay, I’m being facetious. The analogy is based on the assumption that substitute teachers are qualified to teach the subject. But you must agree that even if the substitute teachers were all competent, it would still cause some confusion among the students, if they had a different one every week, no?

If that doesn’t convince you, let’s try another analogy. Would a flock of sheep feel safe, if they had a different shepherd every week? Even if the other shepherds were competent, would they know the idiosyncrasies of the flock? How the flock likes to be tended after? How to best guide the flock to water and pasture? How to develop a relationship with the flock? And as soon as some form of bond is formed, that shepherd is shipped off to somewhere else to look after another flock he’s never known before.

Doesn’t really sound very ideal to me. If this were the ideal situation, why assign any priest to a particular parish at all?

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Oh boy, are you saying that substitute teachers are incompetent? Talk about confidence in our education system! Okay, I’m being facetious. The analogy is based on the assumption that substitute teachers are qualified to teach the subject. But you must agree that even if the substitute teachers were all competent, it would still cause some confusion among the students, if they had a different one every week, no?

If that doesn’t convince you, let’s try another analogy. Would a flock of sheep feel safe, if they had a different shepherd every week? Even if the other shepherds were competent, would they know the idiosyncrasies of the flock? How the flock likes to be tended after? How to best guide the flock to water and pasture? How to develop a relationship with the flock? And as soon as some form of bond is formed, that shepherd is shipped off to somewhere else to look after another flock he’s never known before.

Doesn’t really sound very ideal to me. If this were the ideal situation, why assign any priest to a particular parish at all?

This second analogy does work either. A visiting priest saying a Mass at a parish is not replacing the shepherd of the flock. The shepherd of the flock is the local Bishop. The priest just stands in for him.

Not long ago there were multiple priests at each parish so the pastor did not celebrate all the Masses on Sundays/Holy Days.

 

[jpjd]

that is understandable, but it does not pay to get to attached to one priest. Priests are moved regularly, usually every 6 years, and we Catholics must remember the Mass is still the Mass and the Church is still the Church, no matter who is ministering to us.

This is what I keep telling myself, but I have to say, I am very attached to our priest. I can not find fault with him as a priest in any way. Liturgically, he says Mass and all the sacraments with great reverence and without “abuse”. His homilies are top-notch. Pastorally, he likes to visit the sick and shut-ins, and to watch him minister to a grieving family at a funeral liturgy will bring tears to your eyes. As an administrator, he has a head for business and runs the parish very well. I mean, God knew what He was doing when he called this man to be a priest, and our parish knows we are blessed beyond words. It’s hard not to get attached to a priest like this.

 

[Melo]

At my last Church, we had four different regular Priests. So it was normal for me to have a different Priest each week. I understand that you’re not suppose to get too attached to a Priest, but I did enjoy attending Mass with a couple of the Priests more than the other two!

 

[JimG]

At my parish, we often have newly ordained priests assigned. It is unusual for any priest, other than the pastor, to stay longer than two years. Many bishops consider it important for priests to be exposed to a variety of types parishes early in their ministry.

 

[puzzleannie]

how would OP have fared in the old days when a parish might be fortunate enough to have 4 or 5 priests in residence, and you never knew who might be saying Mass at each specific time, or who might be in the confessional?

 

[catechumen08]

how would OP have fared in the old days when a parish might be fortunate enough to have 4 or 5 priests in residence, and you never knew who might be saying Mass at each specific time, or who might be in the confessional?

No offense to the OP, but I think he would’ve had a nervous breakdown! Or maybe even worse - be seduced by Protestants!

In all seriousness, though, I think the OP would’ve been fine with it, so long as the priests are in fact assigned to the parish, and remained there for an extended period of time.

 

[anniemart]

I can sympathize with you Catechumen08 But I have to agree with the other posters. Let’s say there was one regular priest you were fed the homily from and he is outstanding. Wouldn’t it be great for him to share his gift in bringing other sheep into the fold?

In my parish for the past 3 years I’ve heard the same group of families complain about and in not too nicely a way, compare our current pastor to the one he replaced. These families have never been able to get past Fr Blank’s good deeds in order to see our current pastor’s good deeds. It has caused a division in our parish and it has also caused, in my opinion our pastor to become somewhat protective of himself. Some now consider him unapproachable.

Now, I understand and agree that it is a good thing to know who or what group of priests you can count on to celebrate mass but unfortunately, things might not change in the near future. If you can find a smaller parish to attend, perhaps you could consider this option for yourself? God Bless you.

 

[Sabda]

Hi all! I’ve noticed that the church I regularly attend and another church that I sometimes go to have these priest rotations, meaning that sometimes they invite priests from other parishes/dioceses, usually somewhere overseas, to come and give a homily or celebrate Mass. While I think this is helpful in some respects, I do find it a bit confusing at times. Every time I go to Mass, I don’t know what to expect when I get there. Sometimes, it can also be a little hard to understand them, if they’re not native English speakers.

Another thing I noticed is that parishes in big cities tend to have these rotations more; whereas in smaller cities, it doesn’t happen very often.

What are your thoughts regarding this?

But isn’t this a wonderful thing? So what face do you think Jesus will be wearing next Sunday?

For my just recently turned 4 yr old son, it does not matter what the priest looks like. They are all Jesus. On Ash Wednesday we went to my mom’s parish and saw the purple Jesus. He is from America and is white. We went to my mom’s parish again for the Assumption, he saw the white Jesus. He is from Nigeria and had on white vestments and he is black. When we went to our parish this past Sunday he saw the green Jesus. He is from New Zealand and is white.

Jesus is like a diamond with many facets to Him. The priest are merely the many different facets of Him.

 

[Melo]

Shelie,
That is a wonderful way of looking at it. Ah, what we can learn from children!