The Run Around with the Diocese

One would think that after leaving the message I did in the chancery office on the phone line for the bishop Sunday night that someone from the diocese would have gotten back to me personally at the latest before the close of business Tuesday, seeing as how I had left the message within an hour of the incident happening.

Not so. Funny, I would have thought by day two SOMEONE would have called me first and apologized, unprompted. But. No. Not in THIS diocese. It would have been nice if at the end of Monday, someone would have called to say: "We're SORRY, the bishop is hearing Fr. Mark's side of the incident, etc." [In the left message I said I'd like to set up a meeting with the bishop .]

It was nearing the end of the workday Tuesday, when I had to call the diocese to see if the janitor had erased the message or what. There hadn't even been the simple courtesy call from the diocese to acknowledge the message I left almost 48 hours previously. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Nichevo. BUPKIS.

So around 3:45 give or take on Tuesday, I called the diocese and got the bishop's secretary. I said "I'd like to speak with the bishop." I told her who I was, and it was clear SHE knew about what I'd said. on the macine "Sorry, he's on another line." "I'll hold." 5 minutes later: "He's still on line."

I asked what time the office closed and she told me 4:30. I called at 4:25 and he was "in a meeting." So I asked her to speak with whomever sets up the bishop's meetings. I was told he did that himself. Riiight. So I said "Please have the bishop call me. My job doesn't allow for calls during my work day, so please call during my lunch hour, or he may call at his leisure after 4:30."

Today, I got a call from the diocese. Bishop? Nope. The chancellor. A layman, with no power to tell the priests to do anything. I said that I'd like a meeting with the bishop. I said as I understood it, people had a right to request a meeting with the bishop - and that I wanted to bring a letter of formal complaint. He said he didn't know where I'd gotten that idea. He said that he'd recommend me meeting with the pastor first - as that's their "policy." I told him I didn't see what could be gained by that. I told him again what the incident entialed and said that I don't know why a bishop would not be concerned with preserving the sanctity of the Eucharist. And he said I was "putting words in his mouth."

They know the pastor has had a stroke in the past, and has been known to "go off" on people since the stroke. I am not the only one to have run into his temper. So they essentially want to throw me into a one on one private meeting with the pastor, where I have no "Friend at court" or have any power to discipline him to do the right thing. I.E. For him to stop instructing people not to stop people walking away to the pews with the Eucharist unconsummed. Frankly, what's to "discuss?" We're not having a "difference of opinion" if the hymns are any good or not. As regards protecting the Host, I feel perfectlly safe in saying I was 100% right in guarding it, and he was wrong.

I have no power to compel him to do ANYTHING. I believe correcting priests is the job of a bishop. Not a layperson. It's "above my paygrade." I thought that was the point of having bishops, in part - to see that the priests in the diocese were "With the program."

The chancellor said "nevertheless, we'd prefer you to meet with him first before requesting a meeting." I said "I'll *consider* it, and get back with you tomorrow." At that time I hadn't even thought that they MUST know of the pastor's tendency to temper when he's under stress. What were they thinking? Are they sitting there chortling and hoping this will go away?

I'd already been thinking of possibly writing to the appropirate dicastery for such things. Although, apparently these things tend to get kicked back to the diocese. But I think I will send a registered letter to the bishop, also requesting a meeting (if I don't get an apology, etc) and frankly if bishops aren't going to do their job of correcting the priests when they need to, then maybe things like this should be the nail in the coffin for Communion in the hand.

I think the ball is *supposed* to be in their court. If they HAVE spoken to the pastor, then they should have had the courtesy to tell me. But they seem to think the ball is in my court, and sadly, I think it is. I shouldn't have to do all the work. If they are being ostriches, they need to stop and wake up.

I expect people in Holy Orders to have enough sense to be on the same page on this, and it's appalling that they are not. Why should a laywoman have to do the bishop's job, frankly?

The irony of all this is that at times the pastor can be warm and generous. And I've known him for over 26 years. This PAINS me.

NO LAYPERSON should be put in this position!

[I probably ought to ALSO send a registered letter cc: directly to the diocesan archives.]

Last night I left the Sanctuary While Assisting with Communion

There was no film at 11, but I felt compelled to do what I did with good reason.

I have been attending my parish 37 years. For 34 of those years I have assisted at the 5:15 Sunday Mass as lector, EM, or server. Followers of this blog will know of the difficulties I've had since the supply priest who'd been at that Mass for most of the 34 years had been forced to retire last Easter.

Last night the deacon was not there, and in addition to serving the Mass, I assisted with giving the Host. About a 1/3 of the way through, some woman recieved from me, and did not put the Host in her mouth. I watched her for a few steps and as she got to the end of the aisle to turn, I was on her like white on rice and said to her that she MUST consume the Host right away. She looked at me blankly and consumed. This is not an everyweek occurence in the parish, but it is in a tourist area, and sad to say in recent years this sort of thing now happens several times a year.

As soon as I was back at the pastor's side, he turned on me and said in a sharp voice, "don't EVER do that again, you humiliated that woman, you do that again and you're through here." I "considered" for two seconds, and having already resolved from last year when he did the same thing to me, under a similar circumstance, I looked at him and said "I'm done."

I find it shocking and disgraceful that a priest would not want to put the care of the Eucharist as a paramount concern over someone's possible "humiliation." Either one believes in the Real Presence and acts like it, or one doesn't. If one believes, and is acting as EM or is a priest or deacon for that matter, it is shipshod at best, and I think a sin at worst not to follow through and do the right thing regardless of cost. What is the cost of NOT persuing a person like that? Scandal to the faith for the people who saw someone walk away with the Host and not consume and know that the party that gave it to them didn't seem to care either? Blatent indifference? Not on my watch. I either do the job right, or not at all. We have to ask why so many so-called "Catholics" no longer believe in the Real Presence.

So that's why I "quit" in 2 seconds rather than wait. With my luck some other person would have come up the same day and done the same. I put the ciborium on the Altar. Took the alb off, and put it over my arm. I didn't want people making up tales as to why I did what I did, so I went to the lectern and said "I care what happens to the Eucharist, and I hope you will too." and then I left.

Walked out of the sacristy, to my car, and went to the Sainted Fr. S's house to comisserate. I intend to take this to the bishop. And possibly, to the appropriate dicastery in Rome. I have no idea who served the rest of the Mass.

34 years, and that that was the endpoint. I believe the powers that be will try and make an issue that I announced what I did from the lectern, but I could not leave it as follows:

1) St Tarciscius: Martyred for protecting the Eucharist
2) St. Therese of Lisieux: Finds a morsel of the sacred species in the sacristy, and has the priest summoned while the sisters fall on their knees in adoration.
3) Pastor succeeds in forcing EM to not care about what happens to the Host.

I side with 1 & 2, and reject 3.

I have already sought the advise of another priest in addition to the sainted Fr. S.

I'll keep you posted how it comes out.

St Tarcisius, the "professor," and me

It is seldom that I write a 100% serious post, but this one is. It's been in the news and all over the blogosphere re: the militant atheist "professor" in Minnesota who has been blaspheming the Eucharist and urging others to steal a consecrated Host so he could desecrate it.

I've known atheists before who simply could not intellectually believe in God. Many wanted to believe but couldn't. Those people I find easy to pray for and hope that in spite of everything they manage to develop a conscience and do their best to do good and avoid evil.

But what this militant atheist did was pure evil. I hope he can be fired and civil action may be taken re: his incitement of another to steal a Host for purposes not intended and infringement upon the Catholics 1st Amendment rights to practice our worship services without harassment.

Yesterday I assisted serving at Mass. As I was given Communion to hold in my hand just before the priest's Communion, I looked down at Almighty God resting in my hand and tears started to form in my eyes due to the fact that I simply am at a loss to understand how anyone could so hate the Saviour I held in my hand. It is seldom I cry, period. Much less at Mass. I held them back, so I did not draw "focus" but was grateful for once that I did not assist as EM yesterday.

I thought of St. Tarcisius, who as a young boy, died rather than give up the Host to his non-Christian companions. I do not know if the story of St. Tarcisius is much taught to young 1st and 2nd graders today as it was when I was small. But it made a deep impression on me then as it does now, that yes, some things ARE worth dying for, contrary to what this "professor" claims. I would hope that if I were ever put in a position where I had to give up my life or the Host, my choice would be my life. And I hope all my Catholic friends feel the same.

Adoration. It's where it's At

Besides bene-
diction my favorite devo-
tion has always been to just sit with the Blessed Sacrament. Friday night, I went to the vigil Mass for the feast of the Immaculate Conception at my "sometimes church" - St. Therese. It's not too far from my house. I go there for Holy Days of Obligation when I don't have an assigned Mass at my normal parish. St. Therese was built at the end of an era, and the beginning of the next. It's a "modern" parish church, but with lots of very pretty stained glass windows and you don't have to do a hunt-and-search for the tabernacle. Not centered, but just to the left still in the main sanctuary, and it's nice to be able to sit right in front of it while at Mass. Hate the lighting in the church over all, too much track style lighting in visible evidence, and the sanctuary isn't as "warm" as I'd like it to be. Walls too blank, save drapings in the correct liturgical color, and a big crucifix. They also had a huge advent wreath. If it's me, I'm putting cool paintings in there.

The pastor seems rather nice, a shade chummy, but still in the range of where it's not going to bother most people, including, overall, me. [Just don't do those weird introductions at the beginning of Mass "Today we celebrate...." - I KNOW Father, that's why I'm here. ] He got "snaps" for doing Eucharistic Prayer #4. The cantor did a superb and really moving Ave Maria post communion. They have both piano and organ, and a good musician. I don't know what people have against the piano at Mass - I like it for some things, and I think it was just the perfect accompaniment for the Ave.

The thing I like most about St. Therese is they have a little side room attached to the church where they have perpetual adoration 24/7. I usually find a lot of solace in taking advantage of this. There's always at least one person there. Quite frequently more. There's room for about 9 people or so. After Mass one boy, about 8 came in all on his own, and prayed on his knees right in front of the monstrance. So sweet. A mother brought in a different boy later, and they knelt right in front too. I could hear her whisper to him to be still and quiet. The boy whispered back "Is that Jesus in there?" [pointing every so gently at the monstrance] Mom assured him it was and they prayed for a bit. I was in there for close to an hour, the bulk of the time there were 3 men with me. One the "assigned guy" who had "relieved" another. Another fellow came in and prayed a rosary. It's nice to know that there are men out there who carry a rosary with them. I don't think people carry a rosary with them as often as they used to - and it's a pity, but it's nice to see people still do it.

It's always so peaceful in there. Time seems to stop, and generally people are so still and quiet in someone inhales deeply it sounds loud. From the descriptions of heaven in Revelations, heaven seems like a noisy busy busy place...almost like a cross between a holy airport, with comings and goings and arrivals and a musical jam session with angels and choirs carrying on. My hope is that my part of the garden is beside those restful waters from Psalm 23. At adoration I can sometimes "lose myself" pretty good in the Real Presence. I want to be able to lose myself entirely in God's will. Forever. I hope that's what heaven's like.

If I got to "play liturgist"

This is the one prayer I would add to the Latin Rite. Maybe it would help get the point across about the Real Presence. I'm as appalled as most of you that a significant number of cradle Catholics seem to think the Eucharist is just a "symbol."

This prayer comes from the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and is said by the people, after the Our Father, just before they are to come up for Holy Communion:

PEOPLE: O Lord, I believe and profess that You are truly Christ, the Son of the living God, Who came into the World to save sinners, of whom I am the first. Accept me as a partaker of your mystical supper, O Son of God, for I will not reveal Your mysteries to our enemies, nor will I give you a kiss as did Judas, but like the thief will I confess to You.

Remember me, O Lord, when You shall come into Your kingdom.

Remember me, O Master, when You shall come into Your kingdom.

Remember me, O Holy One, when You shall come into Your kingdom.

May the partaking of your holy mysteries, O Lord, be not for my judgment, or condemnation, but for the healing of soul and body.

O Lord, I also believe and profess that this, which I am about to receive, is truly Your most precious Body and Your life-giving Blood, which, I pray, make me worthy to receive for the remission of all my sins and for life everlasting. Amen

O God, be merciful to me a sinner.

God, cleanse my sins and have mercy on me.

O Lord forgive me for I have sinned without number.