St. Mary's by the Sea Church, in southern CA

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psychmjr

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Hi,

My wife and I have been visiting St. Mary’s by the Sea Church, in Huntington Beach. This is a wonderful little church that at one time offered the Tridentine Mass, but then the permission was revoked, so they now do the Novus Ordo in Latin-- still a beautiful experience. Even the English Mass was done very traditionally-- kneeling to take Communion, the use of altar bells, no holding hands during the Our Father, and still kneeling after the Agnus Dei rather than the new “norm” of standing all through the Communion Rite.

Because we live over an hour away, we did not get to visit this parish every week. But we made the trip because we love the traditions of the Mass, and are discouraged with all of the “new norms” in most parishes. We just returned after several months absence to find a new administrator in place, and in the bulletin was an editoral on how the parish cannot “do their own thing”, and how they have to conform to the wishes of the bishop regarding the liturgy (I’m paraphrasing). It sounds like this beautiful, traditional church is going to be “updated”.

Does anyone have any confirmation regarding possible changes at this parish? Will they be losing their traditional perspective?

Any information would be appreciated…
 
I only know that the pastor retired several months ago. He was the one who kept all the great traditions alive. Maybe you can phone the church and ask them what is going on.
 
They added lay lectors,
add Extraordinary Ministers of Eucharists
Made it difficult to kneel for Holy Communion at the English Novus Ordo.
They want to introduce altar girls, but that is being kept a bay for now because the Masters of Ceremony will not train girls.
 
I appreciate the information… that’s what I was afraid of! It’s very sad.
 
I hear silence in this forum. Few seems to care that this parish is being **FORCED ** to have Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.
 
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Iohannes:
I hear silence in this forum. Few seems to care that this parish is being **FORCED **to have Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.
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What does that mean, “forced”? Is the adminstrator there twisting the arms of parishioners to get them to serve in this role? Somehow I doubt that is happening (the administrator is not a very large man).

The is a general parish of the Diocese of Orange. It is not a personal parish, it does not belong to a particular group of people who want to have only the Mass of Pius V. There are people there who are happy to have the Mass, to have a priest who is a good and holy man.

Deacon Ed
 
As a former parishoner of St. Mary’s by the Sea and an ardent lover of the traditional Mass, I am very sad to hear of the extent of the changes now that Fr. Johnson has retired. That said, it must be reinforced, especially by those of us who claim to be “traditionalists” that an individual parish cannot ‘do its own thing’ against the wishes of the bishop who, after all, is the head of the local church. The previous situation at the parish under Fr. Johnson existed with the bishop’s permission. Fr. Johnson’s own frequent statements that he eagerly prayed for permission to return the Tabernacle to the center of the altar shows that he was being obedient to his bishop.

St. Mary’s by the Sea had been given several permissions from Bishop McFarland (now retired) to be different from other parishes. Permission to use the traditional Mass and other traditional rites. Permission to use a program for entrace to the Church than that prescribed by the RCIA program (his was a very successful program which often resulted in more people joining the Church in through his little parish than in the huge neighboring parishes like Saints Simon and Jude and Saint Bonneventure. We can (and should) lament the fact that all of this is being deconstructed, but it is not proper to act as though the bishop has no right to manage parishes in his own diocese as he sees fit. Many traditionalists who complain about being “forced” to adhere to the new norms (and I am not referring to abuses, about which we have a right to complain) seem to be self contradicting in that if, given the chance, they would willingly “force” non-traditionalists to adhere to the old ways. (Note: I am not accusing the previous poster of this attitude, but I have seen it in many who call themselves traditionalists.)

We can plead our cases with the bishops, encourage others to do so, and try to demonstrate the advantages of the traditional rites but it is the bishops who run the Church. Even if it means suffering to do so, we must be obedient in matters of the faith and its practice.
 
Deacon Ed:
What does that mean, “forced”? Is the adminstrator there twisting the arms of parishioners to get them to serve in this role? Somehow I doubt that is happening (the administrator is not a very large man).
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I believe there is a very strong possibility that someone is forcing the administrator to make these changes as other pastors of parishes have been forced.

losangelesmission.com/ed/articles/2004/0409cz.htm

losangelesmission.com/ed/articles/2004/0406rk.htm
The is a general parish of the Diocese of Orange. It is not a personal parish, it does not belong to a particular group of people who want to have only the Mass of Pius V. There are people there who are happy to have the Mass, to have a priest who is a good and holy man.

Deacon Ed
Click to expand...
The majority of the people who were unhappy with the new mandatory changes have either gone on to SJC if they can afford the drive or to Our Lady Help of Christians which I don’t believe is has a valid Mass (I could be mistaken).
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Who is saying that this priest is not a good and holy man?
 
Deacon Ed:
What does that mean, “forced”? Is the adminstrator there twisting the arms of parishioners to get them to serve in this role? Somehow I doubt that is happening (the administrator is not a very large man).

The is a general parish of the Diocese of Orange. It is not a personal parish, it does not belong to a particular group of people who want to have only the Mass of Pius V. There are people there who are happy to have the Mass, to have a priest who is a good and holy man.

Deacon Ed
Click to expand...
Yes, it is being forced. The majority of the people do not want it and yet the adminstrator is shoving EMHC down their throats. The Latin NO Mass does not have any EMHC, the people who used to go to the English NO Mass now flock to the Latin NO Mass due to the presence of EMHC at the English NO Mass. Half the people who use to go to that parish is gone. All of this was done right before the adminstrator left in order to get another administrator. Why is there not a pastor put in place??? Huh?? It has been over a year and NO PASTOR YET!!! another adminstrator??? Something smells bad. I know that parish and I know the people there. I am friends with people down there. The reason why they do not have an altar girls yet is because the Masters of Ceremony, who is a traditionalist will not train any girls. I am a bit of an insider.
 
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GloriaPatri4:
I believe there is a very strong possibility that someone is forcing the administrator to make these changes as other pastors of parishes have been forced.

losangelesmission.com/ed/articles/2004/0409cz.htm

losangelesmission.com/ed/articles/2004/0406rk.htm

The majority of the people who were unhappy with the new mandatory changes have either gone on to SJC if they can afford the drive or to Our Lady Help of Christians which I don’t believe is has a valid Mass (I could be mistaken).
.
Who is saying that this priest is not a good and holy man?
Click to expand...
The indepedent Chapel at Our Lady Help of Christians have two real priest. They were both validy ordained. One was a diocesan and the other was a Insittute of Christ the King priest.
 
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Iohannes:
Yes, it is being forced. The majority of the people do not want it and yet the adminstrator is shoving EMHC down their throats. The Latin NO Mass does not have any EMHC, the people who used to go to the English NO Mass now flock to the Latin NO Mass due to the presence of EMHC at the English NO Mass. Half the people who use to go to that parish is gone. All of this was done right before the adminstrator left in order to get another administrator. Why is there not a pastor put in place??? Huh?? It has been over a year and NO PASTOR YET!!! another adminstrator??? Something smells bad. I know that parish and I know the people there. I am friends with people down there. The reason why they do not have an altar girls yet is because the Masters of Ceremony, who is a traditionalist will not train any girls. I am a bit of an insider.
Click to expand...
The parish is dying which is probably the goal. Get rid of the tradionalists and sell the property. I don’t understand why the people of Saint Mary’s don’t protest more. It just seems that most of the people just left quietly as if there was nothing that could be done.
 
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