I have seen all of this in our parish too. Let me apologize in advance for what will likely look like a rant, but in a sense I feel that our parishes are being looted and the congregations are being robbed in these decisions, and I cannot think about it without getting somewhat carried away.
As I see it, this all goes to a proper understanding of the sacred and who we serve, or more correctly, an improper understanding. About six months ago I came to Mass and found electric, push-button, votive candles where we used to have traditional wax versions. In the past I would usually stop to light a candle and pray for my elderly mother, but now will not. I cannot participate in the stripping of the temples for the worship of money, and I believe that is ultimately what fuels these decisions.
I found out just what the motivation was a few weeks later when I was volunteering at a sale of some kind on a Saturday. Several influential ladies from the altar society were there bragging about a new crucifix which they had purchased. I stopped to complement their choice on this, and conversation turned to other things, like the candles. I asked why it was done, and was told point blank it was because people were not putting in enough money with the old system. As far as I am concerned, what little money may be lost in candles is part of the operating expense of the Church. It is the prayers of the people, and even though people should make the proper offering for the candle, if a few don’t it is not a big deal. Tearing out the sacramentals from the Church IS a big deal though.
Then, a bit later, the entire event was thrown into sharper focus by another such decision. We have been having second collections for a couple of years for a “building fund.” This was to build a new and permanent Church, as our parish does not have one and uses a temporary hall at this time, and to help with overflow since we are currently standing room only for the evening Mass. I have donated to this fund many times and had been watching the announcements of new plans for the new structure as they were put forward. As far as anyone could tell things were moving forward in the manner to be expected on such a project.
This was all still the case as I sat down in Mass and took a look in the bulletin. It was all about “stewardship” (as if they aren’t always) and how a person was to give to God first rather than to spend for their own benefit and then give to God from what was left. I thought this was a good thing to mention and even though I tire of the stewardship focus I could not argue about it. But, then at the announcements we are told that the parish is no longer going to build a Church, but instead yet another hall (we have two already, without a main Church at all!). This would, we are told, raise more money as it could be rented for parties, bake and rummage sales and other such things, as well as being used to raise money by direct parish activities. Well, so much for stewardship. Not only are we now going to spend all that money rasied directly by promising a new church to instead build something else (sounds like stolen money to me), but we are also going to build something in hopes of increasing profits rather than constructing a proper Church for the worship of God. I really thought that the bulletin’s story was hilariously ironic.
Later, there is another announcement about the something like a million dollars (if memory serves) our parish would be spending on this building, the rest being provided by loan from the Bishop. We have no Church, celebrate Mass in front of a kitchen, confess in an office since we have no confessional, sit in broken pews (when there is room to sit in anything) and we are going to spend a million dollars on a third hall! But, we cannot afford candles! I am now waiting for the announcement that we will have no more communion since bread is too expensive. It should be coming any day now…
Patrick
God help you. Tim
