The Parish that Broke My Heart

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I hadn’t been back to my childhood parish in decades. The new Mass was all I ever attended at that time . It wasn’t until decades later that I realize that my childhood parish was far ahead of other parishes in instituting the changes of Vatican II. Most Sundays the music was accompanied by an organ, but other Sundays, you had 2 acoustic guitarist and 1 singer straight out of 1960’s folk Peter Paul and Mary. It was fine really, I mean I didn’t know at the time of anything else

So lately I thought, wow, how wonderful it would be to go back to a parish I grew up attending. Thank God that faith was always a part of my childhood, and this parish had always felt like home, physically and spiritually .
After reading about the renovations that had been done, I was curious how things turned out. The good news is they got one important thing right. The altar is at least facing East. The bad news is everything else that was changed had nothing distinctly Catholic.
Where’s the tabernacle located ,where’ s the red lamp, where’s the crucifix? I could go on.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Am I exaggerating, or perhaps just overreacting? One of these 2 churches is my old parish. Which one is the Catholic Church, which ones is an Evangelical church? Can you tell? I sure cant

I plan to visit in the near future, but honestly I won’t be attending Mass there. I’ll go to a parish in a neighboring town, Hey, t’s just a building made by human hands, it’s the Lords real presence that’s the most important, His body and blood. I don’t doubt that, I never did. Still, how could I sit in those pews, without kneelers btw, and not have these things on my mind?

Regardless, my hope is this will all pass. I believe in my heart it will. A 50+ year revolution will end and a new awakening will happen. Young Catholics who have more information today, and even new converts to the faith who have been in both worlds of the Christian faith , maybe it will be them that will fully realize the treasures of the Catholic faith . It just didn’t happen for my generation, but looking at the photos, can you really blame us?
 
Catholicos said:
Am I exaggerating, or perhaps just overreacting?
Click to expand...
no you are not

parishes go through phases; i grew up in a blue collar town that built a new church in the 70’s that was mid-range progressive; and now has re-converted to traditionalism

my wife grew up in a very wealthy town that converted the church to uber-progressive; borderline secular in the 80’s; it looked like a boxing ring w/ a purple carpet; you’d’ve had to really search to find the tabernacle

the parish in my wife’s town over the past couple years has spent a boatload of money to re-convert the church to a traditional place of catholic worship

my grandson was baptized there; in the “new” church

keep praying; there is hope
 
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The top one appears to be the Catholic parish – there is a tabernacle hidden behind a number of concelebrants in what probably was once a St. Joseph side altar area. The choir appears to be standing in the former sanctuary.

I’m sorry this happened to your parish…

My aunt and uncle attended a parish for nearly 50 years. Very near their house, nice church. It was going to be completely remodeled at tremendous expense with no (name removed by moderator)ut from those in the pews writing the checks. They pleaded and begged not to completely change the nature of the church (the sanctuary was going to be moved midway along a long, narrow church against a wall.) A hideous design. They were all ignored.

When it reopened, 90% of the congregation did not return. I’m not sure what’s going on there now. Something like 1 Sunday Mass down from 4 prior to the remodel.
 
Those pictures appear to be 2 different churches. Unless those are before and after pictures. In the first picture I see what appears to be a tabernacle to the right of the altar.

In my parish the tabernacle has been placed at the side of the church. However it is joined to a small chapel room. So you can see it from within the church as well as within the chapel. So while it is no longer by the Altar, It does have the advantage of allowing for one to come in during the day at anytime into the chapel since it has a separate entrance and Praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Whereas if it was only in the main Church one would not have that kind of access to it since it would be inaccessible because the doors are locked.
 
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At least the parishioners are modestly dressed. Not a bare arm to be seen. 😉
 
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Agreed there appears to be a tabernacle in the top pic. My eyesight isn’t great, but it appears there may be kneelers present on those seats on the top pix, but not in the pews of the bottom pix.

In the top pix, there is not an angle where I would expect to see the stations of the cross, but in the bottom picture, I would expect to see, but didn’t see them.

Angle of pictures… bottom might be from choir loft, but the top? Ceiling cam?

Bottom pix. Is that a cross or crucifix?

Blessings,
Stephie
 
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I don’t get it. Do Evangelicals worship a different God? Are we worshipping God, or are we distracted by our surroundings? Do we carry Christ in our hearts? Or do we only see him in the Eucharist?
 
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Wow. Thanks for the whack on the side of the head. With all rhe recent picky threads recently, it’s too easy to get lost in minutia.

Blessings,
Stephie
 
I’m fortunate to live three miles from my Diocesan Cathedral. I just attended Mass with the Bishop! I go nowhere else. The interior is a little modern but tasteful. Excellent Pipe Organ music with a choir. Also, recently someone has added flute accompaniment. Personally, I can’t wait for the Christmas Vigil. That’s when the trumpets get used 😃
 
I used to attend Mass somewhere in what was basically a church hall, as the church was being built. A priest got on to the congregation because no one seemed to be kneeling. People knelt after that.
 
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