From the pen of Sr. Joan Sobala in the latest Saint Anne/Our Lady of Lourdes bulletin:
“Bishop Clark is acutely aware [interesting word choice] that his retirement year is 2012. He invited us all ? coworkers and Catholics throughout the diocese to share in the work of preparation to welcome his successor. That will unfold as we live through these next two years.”
It is great to hear that the preparations have already begun. Tell me that doesn’t give you a bounce in your step!
In completely unrelated yet related news, St. Anne’s attendance was 430, and Lourdes was 463. This trend of mid to low 400s attendance shows no sign of stopping. Behold the fruits of heterodoxy.
Post dedicated to: L.S.
Tags: Bishop Clark, Joan, News and Media
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The "work of preparation" is like Sherman's march to the sea! We should have a big party at the convention center to celebrate the end of our "years in the desert."
I think a mass of atonement and thanksgiving would be more appropriate. Extraordinary Form, Solemn Missa Canta with an assembled Choir of all scholi cantorium in the Diocese!
You are right CPT Tom, how about a "reception" after the Mass?
We could have liturgical dancers at the reception!
What do they consider their "work of preparation"? I'm worried it means closing more schools/parishes.
CathMom
I didn't think of that possibility, CathMom. It's certainly possible.
~Dr. K
Of interest is a comment I heard from a source inside the diocese that a large amount of priests have said they will retire after the new bishop is installed, because of the assumed "conservative" nature of that bishop. If true, this diocese is going to be in a world of hurt. Sort of like setting of thermite grenades as they abandon their positions.
Not to worry CPT Tom. A past Catholic Courier Newspaper article stated that the diocese was receiving calls and letters from "Priests" around the world, who were interested in coming to the Diocese of Rochester.
I would love to see many of the retired priests start to say Mass, until their feet get tired. So many of them have been pushed out the door, by you know who.
The 3 Masses per weekend limit is also making some of our younger priests very lazy.
Now this is my own personal opinion, I could tolerate Father Jim Callan and a few of the liberal priests. If they can fill up a Catholic parishes with parishioners, why not. I would rather see people in Church, in a liberal parish, rather than at home, like we have in the current situation.
For all of you wonderful orthodox Catholic parishioners, I already know what your side of the argument is regarding Father Callan and the liberal priests. You and I need to get out and evangelize, so that we can fill up our own parishes to "standing room only", and then we can concern ourselves about a parish like St. Mary's in downtown Rochester.
It might be better in the longer-term if that happens. In any case, if you're abandoning ship, I don't want you leading a parade, let alone a parish! I'm sure we could get some temporary assistance from a few orthodox religious orders if need be…
Anon the last–there is a difference between a "liberal priest" and a heretical schismatic who is formally excommunicated. Bill Spilly is the former, Jim Callan is the latter.
If the priests retire, so be it. If they are eligible to retire, then they should be allowed to, though i assume the bishop would have to approve it and Bishop Clark would likely do it before he leaves. It might be a rough road for a couple of years, but I am hopeful that there will be a strong resurgence in vocations and in men who will be faithful to the Church and to Rome. Think of it as a 'cleansing' of the diocese.
There are many young men waiting in the wings until Clark retires and the shield of amnesty is withdrawn from these liberal, dissenting shepherds.
I can't remember the exact number, but the last I checked, there are a significant number of priests who will reach retirement age in the next five years, regardless of who is named bishop. Out with the old, in with the new. We will have solid young men to replace them. We might be short-staffed for a few years, but things will get better as time goes on.
~Dr. K
There are just over 130 parishes/chapels/oratories, etc. in the DOR. By 2015, there will only be roughly 65 diocesan priests under the age of 75 and by 2020, that number drops to under 40. Short-staffed? Yes. Even if 90 men entered the priestly formation process 2013, they would not be ordained until 2018 and would probably not have the experience to be pastor for until at least 2025. The orders to not have the numbers to staff either. It is going to be tough, very tough for the next bishop of not only Rochester, but most of the northeast. Brooklyn announced a few weeks ago that they are starting a Pastoral Planning process and will probably close 1/3 of their parishes in the next three years.
And I doubt that the DOR, even under the excitement of a new "orthodox" bishop will generate more than a total of 10 or even 20 new seminarians in the first five years of his episcopate.
Another interesting tidbit – only 14 diocesan priests in Rochester have been ordained 15 years or less. And of them, less than 4 are younger than 40 years old.
I think those numbers point to just what a hellaciously awful ordinary M.H. Clark was for the past 30 years…
It's unfortunate thee priests consider propagating ideology more than saving souls. But. we're better off without them.