Should alcohol consumption be allowed at parish meetings?

[THurifer2]

NOT confined to the rectory or convent (again my opinion):

• Kof C evening or weekend meeting.

I believe it is in the bylaws that the Knights of COlumbus CANNOT have alcohol during their meeting. But they can have it before and After their meetngs.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

I believe insurers require an extra fee is required to have alcohol at the parish (I am not sure about BYOB).

This is another reason I do not think is appropriate to have alcohol - Our parish is constantly in the negative cash flow, Why spend the extra money required to insure for alcohol?

That is something you need to take up with the Parish Council. However, when you do approach them, don’t say that all alcohol should be banned. Ask how the alcohol policy in the Church works and how they addressing the liability insurance needed for events that have alcohol.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

I believe it is in the bylaws that the Knights of COlumbus CANNOT have alcohol during their meeting. But they can have it before and After their meetngs.

I love rules like that

 

[Jeanette_L]

that was very very well said…:bowdown: I wish I could have put it that eloquantly.

ditto

You took the words right out of my brain, since they would never have made it to my mouth

I am so impressed, I might cry.

Thank you for the accolades, but if I had not been currently reading The Great Heresies, by Hilaire Belloc, I would never have been able to articulate that very well. It is a brilliant book, BTW, and what he predicted about our current state of affairs with Islam is down right spooky.

So, anyhow, had to get it out there while the brain cells were cooperating and the topic was dead on.

 

[THurifer2]

Thank you for the accolades, but if I had not been currently reading The Great Heresies, by Hilaire Belloc, I would never have been able to articulate that very well. It is a brilliant book, BTW, and what he predicted about our current state of affairs with Islam is down right spooky.

So, anyhow, had to get it out there while the brain cells were cooperating and the topic was dead on.

well actually doesn’t drinking kill brain cells…ooooohh nevermind

whats the name of that book again…Amazon…I have wanted to read Old Thunder…Joseph Pearce Likes Belloc…he l

 

[Jeanette_L]

well actually doesn’t drinking kill brain cells…ooooohh nevermind

whats the name of that book again…Amazon…I have wanted to read Old Thunder…Joseph Pearce Likes Belloc…he l

More an age thing I’m guessing.

The Great Heresies. **T H E __ G R E A T __ H E R E S I E S ** .

 

[pnewton]

We are one of the rare parishes in our area that has a no alcohol policy: not for weddings, meetings or any other purpose. We are not against drinking. It is just that we see no purpose in incurring the liability for a purpose we consider unneccessary. While it is easy to say that the liability would fall on a private party, or the driver, etc., anyone with a passing knowledge of the way our legal system works knows that anyone can be sued for anything. Deep pockets are better targets than some broke driver. Another constant is that juries are unpredictable.

We have liability insurance and get a significant break for having a no-alcohol policy. Other parishes suck up the difference and pay it, but we are a little too poor for that.

 

[benedictgal]

We are one of the rare parishes in our area that has a no alcohol policy: not for weddings, meetings or any other purpose. We are not against drinking. It is just that we see no purpose in incurring the liability for a purpose we consider unneccessary. While it is easy to say that the liability would fall on a private party, or the driver, etc., anyone with a passing knowledge of the way our legal system works knows that anyone can be sued for anything. Deep pockets are better targets than some broke driver. Another constant is that juries are unpredictable.

We have liability insurance and get a significant break for having a no-alcohol policy. Other parishes suck up the difference and pay it, but we are a little too poor for that.

Just out of curiousity, are you in a dry county? Having lived in the Dallas area, I became aware that parts of the county were dry and parts were wet (this even included the City of Dallas itself). I wasn’t sure if the Houston area also had the same divide.

Having worked in the Texas Legislature (and witnessed some of the liquor laws being passed), I can understand your parish’s concerns. Texas does have some strict liability laws (as well as a ban on open-containers in the vehicle, regardless of who possesses it).

As far as the Knights of Columbus are concerned, the oldest council in my city is also the only stand-alone council. They have their own meeting house and their own bar. When my dad would come home from meetings, my mom (who died several years ago) would stop short of disinfecting him at the front door because the cigarette stench was horrid. I still get the creepy crawlies just remembering the smell. I also thought that the KC hall was haunted (the place certainly creaked a lot and the staircase looked like something out of Psycho.

 

[pnewton]

Just out of curiousity, are you in a dry county? Having lived in the Dallas area, I became aware that parts of the county were dry and parts were wet (this even included the City of Dallas itself). I wasn’t sure if the Houston area also had the same divide.

Partially dry. Each incorporated city has it’s own level of alcohol sale and consumption permitted. Wine, beer and alcohol in restraunts are available county wide. Hard liquor is only sold in some cities. I personally find the open container law one of the worst one’s passed yet. It technically applies if one takes the remainder of a bottle of liquor or wine home from a party or any one in the car has any alcohol, even with a stone cold sober designated driver.

 

[THurifer2]

I still get the creepy crawlies just remembering the smell. I also thought that the KC hall was haunted (the place certainly creaked a lot and the staircase looked like something out of Psycho.

It almost sounds like you are talking about a Masonic Temple.

A nearby council has their own building and it looks like a hyatt convention center…brand new and very impressive.

 

[THurifer2]

It technically applies if one takes the remainder of a bottle of liquor or wine home from a party or any one in the car has any alcohol, even with a stone cold sober designated driver.

Wondering what would happen if a priest was toting some communion wine in a previously opened container?

Open container laws in my state are directed at those drinking while riding in a vehichle.

What if one opens a $300 bottle of scotch and opens it at a social gathering where only one drink is mixed from it are they expected to throw it away or can they close it and put it in a trunk?

 

[pnewton]

Wondering what would happen if a priest was toting some communion wine in a previously opened container?

Open container laws in my state are directed at those drinking while riding in a vehichle.

What if one opens a $300 bottle of scotch and opens it at a social gathering where only one drink is mixed from it are they expected to throw it away or can they close it and put it in a trunk?

They could be ticketed, in both cases. Fortunately most police have more sense than our educated legislature and do not enforce this law very strictly.

 

[Nechasin]

Wondering what would happen if a priest was toting some communion wine in a previously opened container?

Open container laws in my state are directed at those drinking while riding in a vehichle.

What if one opens a $300 bottle of scotch and opens it at a social gathering where only one drink is mixed from it are they expected to throw it away or can they close it and put it in a trunk?

I have always been told that it had to be out of reach from the driver. So the trunk would be OK. The idea is that the passengers should not be holding the drivers drink.

Here is a link on the Law

 

[brockmac]

Most parishes in this area (Houston) serve beer and in some cases wine, at the parish fesivals or bazaars. I have seen some where it is done reasonably well and sadly others where people who are obviously intoxicated continue to be served. I enjoy a good beer as much as the next guy, and will usually have one or two at the parish festival, but I do wish that the people serving the beer would be more responsible in some cases.

I am a relatively new member of the KofC in our parish and generally we have two meetings a month, one is social the other is business. For the business meetings, beer is served with dinner before the meeting, but not during the meeting. We also serve a monthly parish dinner, during which alcohol is not served, except discretely in the kitchen among the Knights themselves.

Again, there is nothing wrong with alcohol when it is served and consumed responsibly. But I definitely believe that over-indulgence should be avoided at church functions in general and especially when children are present.

 

[whatevergirl]

Drinking a glass of wine or even clean (top shelf) alcohol a day, they now say, is very good for a person…in many healthful ways. I am not sure if everyone’s level of ‘knowing when to stop’ is the same, and in a parish meeting setting…again, the liability will be on the parish if someone drives out of there, intoxicated. I am hopeful that if people were drinking too much, that their brothers and sisters in Christ, would either volunteer to drive the person home OR tell the person …you have had enough to drink. Not doing either if the person has had 3 drinks, let’s say…would not be responsible drinking. Personally, a parish isn’t a substitute for a bar. If you want to hang out and socialize and drink…either have a party at your house, or go to a bar. ha Not at your parish meeting. Now, if it is a festival–it can be seen as more of a social event.

I don’t think that having a glass of wine is in the least wrong–please don’t mistake me–**but not everyone knows when enough is enough. **And, we can have a lot of our own opinions, but it is a fact that if you drive out of that meeting–‘feeling fine,’ and get pulled over and you are found to be over the legal limit…you are going to jail. That is a fact.

:twocents:

 

[THurifer2]

I don’t think that having a glass of wine is in the least wrong–please don’t mistake me–**but not everyone knows when enough is enough. **And, we can have a lot of our own opinions, but it is a fact that if you drive out of that meeting–‘feeling fine,’ and get pulled over and you are found to be over the legal limit…you are going to jail. That is a fact.

:twocents:

Makes ya wonder, were there lots of people at the wedding at cana or was there lots of wine drinking? I am wondering if everyone had one glass?

Really wondering now if jesus would have done the same thing today would he be liable for it?

 

[whatevergirl]

Makes ya wonder, were there lots of people at the wedding at cana or was there lots of wine drinking? I am wondering if everyone had one glass?

Really wondering now if jesus would have done the same thing today would he be liable for it?

you are kidding right? lol There were no cars back then, and DUI’s are not a figment of anyone’s imagination. If you have more than one drink…and then shortly drive thereafter…rolling your eyes won’t help you, I’m afraid. This isn’t about the wedding at Cana…or a wedding at all…it’s about a parish meeting and drinking responsibly.

 

[Margarite]

Refraining from alcohol is not Catholic unless you have a problem controlling yourself around it. I agree with INHEAVENTHEREISNOBEER, if you don’t like drinking responsibly become a Moron woops I mean Mormon
Sorry I can call them that because half my family converted to that cult.

Anyways, I am 18 and my parents have always taught me that almost EVERYTHING is good in moderation. Wine is extremely good for the heart. Besides who wants to drink water with their pizza And adults (at least my parents) can’t drink the sweet sodas so Beer to the rescue

I have NEVER seen my parents have too much to drink and they drink almost every night. Usually they have a before dinner drink, a drink with dinner and sometimes just before bed they will have some port or chartreuse (look it up it is made by monks

There is another point! Do you think that monks and nuns all over the world would make their livelyhood from making alcohol if it was evil? If you think that then you must have a pretty poor opinion of many religious In fact monks are the ones who made beer popular!

St. Amand is the patron saint of wine makers and wine merchants.
“…When the lepers [St. Brigid] nursed implored her for beer, and there was none to be had, she changed the water, which was used for the bath, into an excellent beer, by the sheer strength of her blessing and dealt it out to the thirsty in plenty.”
Christ turned water into wine (I am sure he drank wine and/or beer).
Saint Arnold of Soissons asked God to multiply the stores of beer which were left for the monk’s consumption.
“Don’t drink the water, drink beer” warned Saint Arnold of Metz.
St. Columbanus told a bunch of pagans who had put beer in a tub to offer to their god that they were wasting good ale and his God loved ale, but only when drunk in his name. Also at another time this saint said: “It is my design to die in the brew-house; let ale be placed to my mouth when I am expiring so that when the choir of angels come they may say: ‘Be God propitious to this drinker.’”

I don’t know about you, but if beer and wine are good enough for the saints then once it is legal for me to drink it will be good enough for me!

“When you quaff your next pint, consider the saintly company with which you are associating and who may be looking over you. May the Saints bless your pint.”

Now let’s stop pretending to be puritans and embrace the gifts God gave us. Let us enjoy his gifts with measure and pleasure!

PS: You need to teach your youth not to avoid what is good, but rather to take it in measure so that it will not become bad. Even prayer to excess is bad. If you are always on your knees you will not fulfill your duties and this is not holy this is bad. So almost everything with measure is good.
(Drugs are an example of something that is bad even once)

 

[whatevergirl]

Now let’s stop pretending to be puritans and embrace the gifts God gave us. Let us enjoy his gifts with measure and pleasure!

PS: You need to teach your youth not to avoid what is good, but rather to take it in measure so that it will not become bad. Even prayer to excess is bad. If you are always on your knees you will not fulfill your duties and this is not holy this is bad. So almost everything with measure is good.
(Drugs are an example of something that is bad even once)

I agree with your PS–very well stated!

 

[PatienceAndLove]

PS: You need to teach your youth not to avoid what is good, but rather to take it in measure so that it will not become bad. Even prayer to excess is bad. If you are always on your knees you will not fulfill your duties and this is not holy this is bad. So almost everything with measure is good.
(Drugs are an example of something that is bad even once)

That’s what my parents did. I have been drinking for I don’t know how long. The one time I got drunk was under parental supervision so I learned my own tolerance (btw- a 14 year olds tolerance is not the same as a 24 year olds, but that idea of how much I can tolerate is still in my head). Ever since then, I have had no desire to repeat the experience, so it’s 1 or 2 for me.