Have you all heard the line that no priest is willing to serve at All Saints Parish? I think it is an argument designed to shame and embarrass parishioners into acquiescence. I was shocked, shocked I tell you, to find that same argument being used on parishioners in other parishes in the DOR. From an article at Cleansing Fire about the clustered parish Our Lady of the Lakes:
"...Fr. Ring himself often said during pastoral planning that “no other priest is willing to pastor this parish..."
Sigh.
It WOULD be difficult to get a priest to come to All Saints, how can you dispute this? Who would want to serve under the current leadership? Thank God for Father Lew and his loving, submissive and tolerant personality or who knows if we would presently have a priest. Remember that Father Billotte chose to retire early, after repeated visits to the Bishop failed to bring about a change in leadership. Can you think of a parish that is more divided, more contraversial or more mislead? If I were a Priest, I would run if I was tapped to serve here!
ReplyDeleteMary
Actually, both Lady of the Lakes cluster and Blessed Kateri in Irondequoit are just as troubled as All Saints, and I'm sure there are others. The diocese is well aware of this. So why does it continue? What are the priorities in this diocese? Whether you agree or disagree with the following, it is clear that having happy parishioners is not a priority.
ReplyDeleteQuoting Ben Anderson (http://cleansingfiredor.com/2011/03/ecumenical-and-interfaith-dialogue-we-have-much-to-celebrate/):
"So we wonder how our leadership can be so blind to the glaringly obvious fact that whatever they are doing is failing miserably. The simple answer to this is that they are using different metrics. Mass attendance? Priestly vocations? School closings? meh! That’s not what is important. There are more important things to them – such as healing the “hurt” of women who feel called to be priests, advancing the homosexual agenda, and ”winning national attention and making international history” in the area of ecumenism and inter-faith dialogue."
They know large parishes will fail, but it helps the diocese close churches quicker. Oh, and don't forget the Canonical loopholes involved in stripping a church of its rights as its own parish! Buffalo Road groups a number of churches together, usually several medium to smaller ones with a larger, often progressive church. The new parish then tries to weaken individual parish loyalties and traditions among the medium to smaller parishes. Eventually the churches all close except for the larger parish, and everyone is assimilated and expected to buy in to this larger parish which witnessed little to no changes at all during the clustering and merger process.
ReplyDeleteWhen we get our new Bishop, patience folks, he will be here in the near future, I predict some major, long over-due, shakedowns, beginning right here in Corning. Our prayers are not wasted, Jesus wants, and needs, to protect His Church and He will.
ReplyDeleteNo priest will come here.... let's get to the real reason. I thought priests were ordained to serve the people of God and took a vow of obedience to the Bishop of the diocese. So, if a bishop assigned a priest to a parish, what would constitute not obeying the request, or assignment? Could it be the bishop does not expect obedience from his priests and they just say no. Could it be that statements like ,"they will not come here" are just be a scare tactic thinking leadership will get the members of the parish to bow in servitude because there is need for a priest here? I think the latter and we will not be treated like puppets.
ReplyDeleteI know of one priest who would LOVE to come to Corning. He would clean house in a hurry, too. But he is one of the few conservative Priests in the Diocese and is conveniently placed in a small parish where his influence is minimized. What a shame.
ReplyDeleteRead the letter/plea from Deacon Dean. What a crock: "With the economic challenges of our time, many more households are in need of our help...any more sacrifices you can make will allow our parish to make a difference in the lives of those who need it the most..."
ReplyDeleteWhere is he coming from on this?
The Food Pantry is supported by the parishioners and community- does the parish take money out of pocket to contribute? The Shawl Ministry is also supported by the parishioners- does the parish take money out of pocket to contribute? Same with Faith in Action, Health Ministry of the Southern Tier, Faith in Action and every ministry listed as a Social Outreach for the parish. Also, Teen Angel- since when does the parish donate funds to this program? Someone please tell me how my contribution to All Saints is being used to "help households". I'd be interested in seeing financial statements from previous years detailing parish donations to help the local impoverished.
Signed,
Tired of the misleading leadership
Maybe they need another kitchen upgrade or a sunroom addition,
ReplyDeletethat's a bright idea!
Three Sundays in a row, during lent, with sermons about giving money.
ReplyDeleteThis is just too much for me. I'm out.
Yes- give more money, so they can close our Churches. If it weren't so pathetic it would be laughable.
ReplyDelete"Follow your heart" right out the door.