Her eminence tells of an upcoming conference for lay people who run parishes as Pastoral Administrators/Parish Life coordinators/-insert title here for pretend priest- in the latest St. Anne/OLoL bulletin (extensive commentary added in red):

“Dear friends,

About 600-700 pastoral leaders of the Roman Catholic Churches around the country are not priests [Only a priest may be pastoral leader of a parish]. We are single and married women, women religious, single and married men some of whom are permanent deacons [If I read the Canon and commentary on it correctly, deacons should be the first option availed of in a priest shortage, not Women’s Ordination Conference nuns with five months to go until they reach the retirement age of 70]. In the Diocese of Rochester, eighteen such pastoral leaders serve twenty-three parishes [Must be proud that our relatively small diocese has 3% of the nation’s Pastoral Administrators]. I am one of them.

Across the country, we are called by different titles and the scope of our work varies [Here in Rochester it involves giving the homily, dressing in an alb, sitting alongside the celebrant, and a slew of other priest-usurping activities], and wouldn’t it be valuable if we could meet, hear some deepening talks and share best practices? [Basically swap notes on what canonical loopholes they’ve discovered]

That wish will be fulfilled, in part, next week, when the first-ever national conference will take place of people who serve under Canon 517.2. [You mean the Canon that allows laypeople to participate with a parish priest in pastoral care, but not direct or “administer” it? How much longer are people going to intentionally misinterpret this Canon to get what they want?]

Entitled “Extraordinary Pastoring” [Which only a priest may do], the conference will take place in Burlingame, CA from January 25 to January 28. Nine from our diocese are going. [So half of our Pastoral Administrators. But how will these parishes survive in their absence since they have made themselves out to be so valuable?] More when we get back.” [Guess her eminence will be in attendance]

According to the conference Web site, registration will cost $300 per person. So this will cost $2,700 to send nine administrators from our diocese to this liturgical loophole love fest. Who will be picking up the tab on this one?

How I await the day when priests will once again be running parishes, and the parallel hierarchy which has developed on Bishop Clark will be broken down.

Tags: Bishop Clark, Joan, Progressive Drivel, St. Anne

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