Strange wording during Mass

[GregC]

Hello!

I attended daily Mass today and heard a couple of strange things from the priest…first of all, he referred to God as our “Father and Mother”. Then, during the Eucharistic Prayer, he referred to the Pope as the “Bishop of Rome”. Now, I understand that is one of the Pope’s titles, but is it correct to use that description in the Mass? It came off disrespectful to me, especially because he called our Bishop the “local Bishop”, as if the two were perfectly equal. Am I making too much of these things?

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Dear Greg,

No, you are not making too much of these things. The priest at Mass has no right or authority to change the wording from “Father” to “Father and Mother.” Nor does he have the authority to change “John Paul, our Pope” to the “Bishop of Rome.” He obviously has an agenda. However, the changes these changes he is making do not invalidate the consecration.

You might write him a letter or speak to him is person or both. He is in our prayers.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.