As Irondequoit Catholics were encouraged not to attend Christmas vigil Masses this year because of overcrowding concerns at their remaining worship sites, St. Thomas the Apostle Church, the largest church in the diocese was left empty. How sad, that Jesus was left to be alone in the tabernacle of His beautiful house. Loyal parishioners however decorated the Church for Christmas to honor the baby Jesus on His birthday. This once vibrant orthodox parish, filled to capacity on oh so many Christmas’s pasts, filled with the sounds of joyous Christmas carols, was silently empty this Christmas!
St. Thomas the Apostle - Christmas 2010
St. Thomas the Apostle - Christmas 2010
The three wise men find baby Jesus at St. Thomas the Apostle
Tags: Bishop Clark, Church Closings, Fr. Tanck, IPPG
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Yes, how sad it was. Many of us parishioners practically begged Fr. Tanck for one Christmas Mass at St. Thomas, but he preferred to play the grinch. Several St. Thomas people came early on Christmas Eve, Christmas morning, and the Sunday after Christmas, to pray and to sing some Christmas carols at Our Lady’s altar in front of the Blessed Sacrament. We didn’t want Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament to be alone on Christmas.
On Sunday AM (the Feast of the Holy Family), Father Horan and Father Rossi concelebrated. This is the 4th week of masses that I attended Holy Mass at a parish where the priests concelebrated. Is there anyway we can have some kind of a poll or tally to keep track of how many masses there were two or more priests at a mass? I thought we were running out of priests? BTW- the homily was not so much about the Holy Family as it was about that it is so difficult to be raising children these days. Wow- I love being enlightened, Horan-style. A little less about being me, or Tim (Horan)- how about just a straight homily on the ideal: Jesus Mary & Joseph?
Anonymous 7:03
You got that right!
Fr. Rossi is unable to run a parish at his age. He also has not been well due to a fall and was recently hospitalized. Should we not let him celebrate mass because of this or should only the healthy be allowed to say mass? As a mother with children, I find it refreshing that a homily can relate to my life. Aren’t their homilies inspired by the Holy Spirit? Who are we to question the Holy Spirit? We need to continue to pray for these priests who are over worked and applaud Fr. Horan’s work with vocations since the numbers of those interested in the priesthood has increased.
Ann — we’re talking concelebration here.
It is my understanding that once the new Mass schedule went into effect, both Fr. Rossi and Fr. Erdle felt underutilized. Fr. Erdle has since found a new home where he is more fully using his priestly talents. Although there is nothing wrong with concelebrating, it seems ashame not to make use of priests who are more than willing to offer their services.
Aren’t their homilies inspired by the Holy Spirit?
No. (Wow.)
Rich,
So then if the priest’s homily is not inspired by the Holy Spirit then why shouldn’t anybody be allowed to give a homily from pulpit – How’s that for a “WOW”!
“…..applaud Fr. Horan’s work with vocations since the numbers of those interested in the priesthood has increased.”
Ann,
I personally know many of the current seminarians. I can tell you that all of their vocations were nurtured by orthodox people and organizations that had nothing to do with the DoR and Fr. Horan. The DoR has been a wasteland for religious vocations for many years. They have actually diminished the priest and the priesthood. These seminarians are a new breed of young orthodoxy and are going to be “game changers” once they hit the streets as priests of the DoR in the next few years!
FYI…I am not the Jim who responded to Rich, but the one who entered the first blog about St. Thomas and Fr. Tanck….therefore, I’m going to be known as Jim M. from now on. Don’t want to cause any confusion.
Sorry, Jim, but the homily is part of the liturgy and – contrary to popular belief in some parts of this diocese – is reserved to ordained clergy.
From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM)…
Redemptionis Sacramentum is more explicit…
[64.] The homily, which is given in the course of the celebration of Holy Mass and is a part of the Liturgy itself, “should ordinarily be given by the Priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating Priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to a Deacon, but never to a layperson. In particular cases and for a just cause, the homily may even be given by a Bishop or a Priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate”.
[65.] It should be borne in mind that any previous norm that may have admitted non-ordained faithful to give the homily during the eucharistic celebration is to be considered abrogated by the norm of canon 767 §1. This practice is reprobated, so that it cannot be permitted to attain the force of custom.
[66.] The prohibition of the admission of laypersons to preach within the Mass applies also to seminarians, students of theological disciplines, and those who have assumed the function of those known as “pastoral assistants”; nor is there to be any exception for any other kind of layperson, or group, or community, or association.