.....but the Priest's Housekeeper says "No!"
I phoned the presbytery of a certain parish to determine the day and time of the next EF Mass.
The Priest's Housekeeper said that she would consult the diary.
"Yes" she said; "it is definitely at 11am"
"On a weekday or on a Sunday?" I asked.
PH: "Oh you can't have it on a Sunday"
Me: "We certainly could"
PH: "No you can't, 'they' wouldn't like it
Me: Who's 'they'?
PH: The people who come to Mass on a Sunday, they wouldn't like it
Me: "You mean they wouldn't like an Extraordinary Mass?
PH: "Yes, they just wouldn't like it
Me: (Breathing deeply and thin red mist rising) "But the Holy Father likes it"
PH: "But they just wouldn't..." blah, blah
So, it seems as if the Parish Priest cannot say "Yes"....the people of the parish can say "No" and the Priest's Housekeeper has assumed the role of bishop.
Where's the man from Del Monte when you need him?
I phoned the presbytery of a certain parish to determine the day and time of the next EF Mass.
The Priest's Housekeeper said that she would consult the diary.
"Yes" she said; "it is definitely at 11am"
"On a weekday or on a Sunday?" I asked.
PH: "Oh you can't have it on a Sunday"
Me: "We certainly could"
PH: "No you can't, 'they' wouldn't like it
Me: Who's 'they'?
PH: The people who come to Mass on a Sunday, they wouldn't like it
Me: "You mean they wouldn't like an Extraordinary Mass?
PH: "Yes, they just wouldn't like it
Me: (Breathing deeply and thin red mist rising) "But the Holy Father likes it"
PH: "But they just wouldn't..." blah, blah
So, it seems as if the Parish Priest cannot say "Yes"....the people of the parish can say "No" and the Priest's Housekeeper has assumed the role of bishop.
Where's the man from Del Monte when you need him?
I expect she was a doctors' receptionist in a past life. However, it might just have been a cover for a priest who didn't want say the EF. Still leaves an unpleasant taste, though.
ReplyDeleteGreetings again,
ReplyDeleteI thought I would send you an update of the soap opera that is continuing at St. Mary's, Louth. I think you may remember a while ago I said I was going in to battle. I found an accomplice so we are now the dynamic duo.
We do not have EF at Louth (Brigg is the nearest). However, we do get the Kyrie, Gloria, creed, Sanctus and Agnus Dei in Latin on the last Sunday in every month, lead by the excellent Robert O' Farrell (it is effectively No. 656 in Hymns old and new). I do not understand how it has remained in place for so many years considering the congregation. So on this part I guess I should not complain.
We have been battling the fact that there is no Walk of Witness, no Catechesis, and of course THE BIG ONE, getting kneeling re-instated (it was done at Brigg). We are making head way on the first two by slowly challenging people week by week. I have to be honest that the Witness will probably come from Churches in Louth Together who we have been pestering (the Methodist minister is keen on getting something sorted. So it is a start.
However, things got a heated after Mass this week and there was a stand off with the liberals of the church. I have to be honest Richard, I had no idea it was going to be such a struggle. Comments (from them) included "What is truth?" (this was with reference to the fact that they did not believe that the Church possessed the truth). This was followed by "It is all about Loving one another" (implying, in this specific conversation, that the Church must not impose teaching on Catholics).
This was then followed by me telling them that
1. "Vatican II had lead to the downfall of the church by allowing people to bring the secular world in to the Church via the 'me, me, me' mentality of the 50's and 60's"
2. "There is no place for their political correct mentality within the church when it compromised the truth and church teaching".
3. "Love in a Catholic context is not about telling people what they want to hear at the expense of not telling them Church and Gospel truths".
Needless to say I pointed out the failings of Vatican II and the 1980 National Pastoral Congress in every point.
I understand that we have to be charitable and I am as bad a sinner as the next person, but when people are standing on Catholic ground and saying "What is truth?" it was just one step too far for me.
It is obviously going to be a bigger battle than anticipated.
OPN - Greetings to you. I am sorry to read your account of happenings in Lincolnshire (we lived in Rippingale for five years back in the late 70s).
ReplyDeleteWe suffered identical experiences in Wales back in 1989 and I offer you the advice given us by a priest friend:
1. Do not get involved in the politics of old vs new. You will never convince modernists by argument no matter how reasonable.
2. Keep working on your priests and bishop, do not give up on them.
3. Pray to Our Lady
I am sure you are doing all of those things; remember, "Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice' sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven"
It is good to cling to that fact.
Excellent Advice.
ReplyDeleteI have to be honest that it is becoming obvious that challenging those set in their ways does not seem to be that effective. In fact, I said to Anna that these arguments seem to very much resemble the arguments that are sometime had with secularists/humanists i.e. they just don't get it and probably never will.
Anyway,
Many thanks