Should I confront my priest with this?

[LongJohnSilver]

First a bit of background. I am a convert for 2 years, very happy in the Church, living in country with lots of ‘liberal’ parishes and Catholics.
When I converted, I visited the parish closest to my home, but was shocked by what I saw. A very weird and liberal creed, the Mass was lead by a woman, etc. So I decided to go to a parish a bit further but more traditional and in line with Rome. I have been a happy member since I got there.

My priest is pretty traditional when it comes to liturgy and Church rules. However, I have found that he does some things which are not in line with what Rome teaches. First, he has someone with the cup of Blood of Christ standing next to him, and when we get the host, we can ‘dip’ it in the wine. I think I read somewhere that this is not allowed, although practiced in some of our parishes, but since my priest seemed very sincere, and since I did not want to cause any trouble (being a new member and all), I never asked him about it.
Second, he has the assembly say the Per Ipsum (Through him, with him, in him . . .) with him. And today I read here that it is not allowed either.

It might be that in my diocese these things are actually allowed, but I am not sure.

So, my question is: should I confront him with these two things? I know the easy answer will come like: yes, you should because what he does is wrong. I know that. But there are more factors in play. I am still not comfortable to cause any trouble, since I have just bonded with my priest and a few parish members. I feel like my relations with them could be harmed if I were to bring this up.
Also, my priest is very sincere and good priest. He teached me a lot while I was converting, sparing no time or efforts to help me. He is a very nice and wise man. I really feel it’s not my place (yet) to confront him with this.
And you have to remember that many parishes in my country are very liberal. Mine is traditional, exept for maybe these two points. Is it then really that important to bring up?

Thoughts?

 

[Myqyl]

This is my opinion only… I’m not a priest, cannon lawyer or anyting of the sort.

I would not “confront” your priest with his “errors”, but I would mostly certainly “ask” your priest about “questions” you have. For me obedience to the church includes to the parish priest. Rome tells us that our parish priest is our spiritual father and gives them discretion to do many things we might consider “wrong”. My current parish priest is far more conservative than I (and many in our parish), but I follow his lead… That’s why he at the alter and I am in the pew. I don’t have to agree with everything he says, just listen and prayerfully consider. Turns out he’s been right about a few things Go figure.

Hope that helps

God bless.

 

[CDNowak]

As Myqyl suggested, asking your priest about those issues (which are serious ones) would be a tactful way to raise the issue and avoid the confrontation.

 

[LongJohnSilver]

I was of course not going to ‘confront’ him, I was going to ask. The question is rather: should I raise the question in the first place?

 

[Myqyl]

Again, my opinion. Never fear to ask a priest a question about the faith. That’s their job. It’s often best to schedule a sit down with them rather than talking to them after Mass though.

God bless

 

[CDNowak]

I was of course not going to ‘confront’ him, I was going to ask. The question is rather: should I raise the question in the first place?

These are serious issues, so yes, you should ask. Even if they were not serious issues but were bothering you, you should ask.

 

[LongJohnSilver]

These are serious issues, so yes, you should ask. Even if they were not serious issues but were bothering you, you should ask.

Even considering the circumstances? You gave the easy answer.

 

[JohnCS]

Hello LJS,

I too was new to my parish 2 years ago, and I too have become close to my priest. He has the same qualities that you talk about in yours. I noticed some things that were going on in Mass that seemed a bit odd so I asked him about it. I usually would start with, “I read that so and so and this or that is supposed to do this, but we do this…why?” He was always honest and candid and never got angry at being asked. It is not just the easy answer, it is the right answer and it is a learning opportunity for you and possibly your priest. You’d be surprised how some things differ from priest to priest because of where they went to seminary, he may honestly not know better, or maybe for cultural reasons he has a dispenstation from his Bishop to do things that way… You’ll never know unless you ask.

God bless,

John

PS. There should be no “good enough”, when it comes to the Holy Mass and our souls, there should only be right and wrong (In my opinion anyways) so even if he is intentionally breaking the proper order of the mass and he and some other parishoners get angry at you for bringing it up…that’s what saints are made out of.

 

[thistle]

I was of course not going to ‘confront’ him, I was going to ask. The question is rather: should I raise the question in the first place?

Yes you should ask. Self intinction is forbidden.

According to the 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum: “[104.] **The communicant must not be permitted to intinct the host himself in the chalice, …”. **
The document has at its conclusion:
“[186.] … This Instruction, prepared by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments by mandate of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II in collaboration with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was approved by the same Pontiff on the Solemnity of St. Joseph, 19 March 2004, and he ordered it to be published and to be observed immediately by all concerned.”

 

[Edmundus1581]

I have been in the Catholic church for thirty years now, and have always been troubled by incorrect liturgies.

Initially, it was just silly music, but over the years more and more abuses appeared - and just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, the “innovators” would invent a new abuse.

You have done well to escape the first parish, with outrageous abuses, for a parish with a more correct liturgy, and to be able to discriminate that the priest is actually in error. And, yes, you are correct on both matters, the Per Ipsum and self-intinction. Your diocese may have a dispensation from the bishop on these, but, otherwise, they are in error.

The good news? This process (ie. increasing liturgical abuse) has been going on since Vatican II, and probably was at it’s worst in the mid '90’s. Since then there has been a gradual reversing of the tide. Unfortunately, your diocese seems to have been left behind. The Vatican, and bishops conferences around the world are aware of the problem, and have been addressing it for years. Not nearly as fast as we would like, but slowly and steadily.

The congregation joining in the Per Ipsum was reasonably common in the '90s, but even in my relatively liberal diocese (Adelaide, Australia) I haven’t heard it for many years.

In our Brisbane diocese, a parish which pushed the envelope too far, and for too long, was eventually banished from their church.

I assume you are in an English speaking diocese? If so, then the new English translation of the Roman Missal will come into effect early next year (2011). I expect that it will have the effect of clearing up many abuses. It will be easy for priests and bishops who have wandered to return, without an embarassing “back down”, because they can just say “this is what the new missal requires”.

If you are not aware of the new missal, it is actually an “old” missal, with less innovation than the previous translation.

In conclusion, I would recommend that you wait until 2011, and see what happens. There are millions of Catholics around the world who have been waiting a LOT LONGER

 

[LongJohnSilver]

Thank you all for your replies.

@Edmuntus: Actually I live in the Netherlands, but the good news is that a new translation of the missal is coming here too, this year. So I like your advice to wait for that. Maybe I can ask my priest to help me read it or something, and then I could carefully point out the points in question.

Thanks again!

Orthodox Catholics to rule the world!

 

[thistle]

Thank you all for your replies.

@Edmuntus: Actually I live in the Netherlands, but the good news is that a new translation of the missal is coming here too, this year. So I like your advice to wait for that. Maybe I can ask my priest to help me read it or something, and then I could carefully point out the points in question.

Thanks again!

Orthodox Catholics to rule the world!

With regard to self-intinction you do not have to wait until a new translation of the missal comes out.
Self-intinction is and will remain forbidden. It is laid out clearly in the Vatican II document I quoted to you. That issue at least you should take up sooner rather than later to prevent this grave abuse continuing.

 

[LongJohnSilver]

With regard to self-intinction you do not have to wait until a new translation of the missal comes out.
Self-intinction is and will remain forbidden. It is laid out clearly in the Vatican II document I quoted to you. That issue at least you should take up sooner rather than later to prevent this grave abuse continuing.

You are right, I will see if I can find a good way to bring this up to my priest.