Fr. Michael Mayer, previously the pastor of Light of Christ parish in the city Northeast (comprising St. Andrew and Annunciation), has received a new assignment from the diocese. During Fr. Brown’s sabbatical to battle an addiction, Fr. Mayer will serve as the temporary “Sacramental Minister”/”Assisting priest” for the parish.
St. Pius is sure to be a… how can I put this in the most P.C. way possible… interesting assignment for any priest given that it is led by a lay administrator and has at least one women’s ordination advocate on the staff. I hope that Father will be able to carry out his priestly duties without intrusion from those who wish to play priest.
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Also as a parishoner at St. Pius, I think people need to lighten up. Indeed we have a pastoral administrator. Indeed we have at LEAST one woman on staff who believes in ordination of women. I know for a fact there are many parishoners at St. Pius and elsewhere that believe this. I know for a fact that Fr. Mike will be able to perform his priestly duties without any issue since the last two priests that have been our sacramental ministers have been able to do so.
I find St. Pius to be a wonderful community despite all the negativity in the diocese today. We need the lay people to be the church again, since it really is our church and not the clergy’s church. I was struck by a conversation I had with a young man of about 11 who is a member of our parish. I asked him if church was fun, since a non-Catholic friend of his was raving about how great his church was. This young man said, no, church was dull and not fun at all.
THAT is a crying shame and while we argue about whether or not St. Pius will be “interesting” with a pastoral administrator and a staff member that believes in women’s ordination, young people go somewhere else to worship.
Sure… I can see the 11 year old hopping in his car and heading over to the Father’s House.
His friend was 13 and his MOTHER indeed takes him to the Father’s House where he looks forward to going to church every week. Can we say the same about our children? And where do you think that boy will go to church when he’s old enough to drive on his own? And what will keep that 11 year old coming to Mass every week when he’s old enough to make his own decision if he’s not getting anything out of the Mass now?
anon that is a real problem – allow me to speculate:
the child doesn’t enjoy mass because he’s not engaged. He’s not engaged because he doesn’t understand the mass. He doesn’t understand the mass because his faith formation has been nothing but fluff. One solution someone might offer (as it seems you are) is to make the mass match his spirituality – total fluff. Another alternative is to challenge the kid. We MUST challenge and educate our children. We must show them the depths of Catholic spirituality. Protestant (and fluffy Catholic) spirituality “might” make someone bold enough to admit they are a Christian. A deep Catholic spirituality is what martyrs are made of. I’d suggest what that kid needs a strong Catholic role model. Someone who is shaped by their Catholic faith. That’s why Adult catechesis is also so crucial. We can’t pass on to our children what we don’t possess ourselves.
I can tell you from experience that I thought when I was a protestant that I knew some people with deep faiths. It wasn’t until I became a Catholic when I found out there were deep waters I had never explored. If you want – email me your address. I’ll send you a book that might help.
anon – another good resource… check out the “Evangelization through the mass” episode of CA Live on Jan. 7th:
http://www.catholic.com/radio/calendar.php?type=month&calendar=1&category=0&month=01&year=2011