Catholic in Good Standing?
Just what is a Catholic in good standing? Would someone please tell me?
I was wondering what qualifications were required for a layperson to participate in being a Reader at Mass. Or, for someone to be a Eucharistic Minister? How about being qualified to serve on a Parish Committee? Or, even to help tally the collection offerings?
Everybody keeps telling me that; "you should to be a Catholic in good standing".
I am VERY CONCERNED that our Reverend Pastor is forbidding parishioners from being a Eucharistic Minister, from being a Reader at Mass and from serving on a Committee that they were once a part, even though they were duly elected by the community to such committees and have faithfully served our parish in that capacity for many years.
If your local priest thinks that you don't agree with him, can he suddenly declare that you have lost your "Catholic in Good Standing" rating and remove you from participating in any of the parish ministries... elected or not?
No Catholic Priest that I know of would dare to do some of the things this priest is attempting to pull off at our parish. Just how far will he go to satisfy the vindictiveness of his superior? And does his superior think that we are so naive to think that it could be originating from anywhere else?
And he expects us to respect him as the spiritual leader of our diocese...?
Go figure...
Please Dear God,... We Pray,... Give Us Back Our Vatican-II Parish!
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2 comments:
-From A fellow reader-
Dear readers:
In my humble opinion, you are reading Church history here. The Catholic Church will move in the direction expressed by the philosophy of this website, "allowing church laity more of a responsibility in determining the posture [not the best word here!] of their parish", or the Church will wither and become sidelined in the journey with Christ.
It may take a while, but the Church cannot cling to the superstitions and medieval structures of pre-Vatican II and be relevant to the modern world. Theologians have been discussing these issues for decades now, but
you would not know it by most Sunday homilies at any church. Our ignorance of our faith is shameful and a lost opportunity by the majority of priests who give homilies devoid of any message relevant to today.
What is happening at Holy Spirit Parish is not happening in any other parish to the same extent. Other laity revolts are centered around making the Church accountable for abuse, opposing the closing of parishes, and other important, but narrow, issues.
Usually when a progressive Catholic sees his/her parish moving backwards, s/he goes elsewhere or simply stops participating if there is no "elsewhere" to go.
But many parishioners at HSP have decided to stay and fight for their parish. That is commendable, and they will be called saints some day. These parishioners want a whole church experience. Vatican II has given
them a taste of that and there is no going back for them. They won't give up as "Do not fear to hope" is their motto. I would pity their poor pastor if he did
not deserve what he is getting!
From A Reader-
Could not a "Catholic in Good Standing" also be one that "feels the love" from their parish leader? If it could, then how many of us are not right now? How many of us even question whether we should go to church on any given Sunday or not?
Also, if too many "certifications" are going to be needed to volunteer as a eucharistic minister or C.C.D. teacher and other volunteer ministries then who is really going to have the time to fit them all in?
If one bases their committment only on the "leader" of our parish, then who is going to remain? We have already lost so many of our members. Our parish is all of US. We need to help each other stay committed to our parish! This website is a good way-- but are there any things happening that are positive?! Please include some of them.
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