In a stunning display of arrogance, the parish council of Blessed Kateri parish voted at the December 2011 meeting to remove the Blessed Sacrament from St. Thomas the Apostle and St. Salome Churches. “Consensus was reached” declares the council! (see parish council meeting minutes below). These Churches are not closed. Both have been currently declared open by Bishop Clark and available for worship (as stated in his letter to the Vatican). It is astounding that, as pastor, Fr. Tanck would sit by and allow such a vote to be taken by his parish council. They have no ecclesiastical authority whatsoever to even recommend removing the Holy Eucharist from a Catholic Church. Why isn’t the parish council demanding the pastor provide the required canonical pastoral support to the Churches entrusted to his care?
The DOR along with liberal pastors such as Fr. Tanck, continue to foster a lay-run American church and misguide the laity as to their proper role in the church.
“Real estate and building assets are currently being reviewed by the Finance Council.
One major opportunity for savings the committee has recommended, which they
estimate will save $20K for the remainder of the 2011-2012 fiscal year, would happen if
the heat is reduced down to the ~50 degree range (to maintain temperature above
freezing to avoid pipe/water damage) inside the St. Salome church, St. Thomas church
and St. Thomas parish center. If the temperature is indeed lowered to reduce heating
costs for the rarely used spaces, Funerals or Weddings will need to be scheduled at one
of the three open sites and daily prayer at St. Thomas would need to be moved. Also,
all meeting and events currently scheduled at the STA parish center would need to be
rescheduled at one of the other parish sites.
It was brought to the attention of the pastoral council during the Dec 14th meeting that
Canon 934.2 law states that where the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved, there must
always be someone responsible for it and, insofar as possible, a priest to celebrate Mass
there at least twice a month.
Therefore, based on the pastoral council’s obligation to foster fiscal responsibility, and
that there are no current plans to schedule a weekly Mass in either the St. Salome or St.
Thomas the Apostle buildings, the Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Pastoral Council
recommends that the Most Holy Eucharist be removed from both St. Salome and St.
Thomas the Apostle churches. Consensus was reached by the council regarding this recommendation
Tags: Fr. Tanck, Progressive Drivel
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The decision of the parish council is merely advisory/recommendation since their only real function is to advise/recommend to the pastor. The ultimate decision is up to the pastor who is answerable to the bishop. It will eventually be resolved by an episcopal decision.
In my opinion, priests without the courage of their office often hide behind their own appointees to “parish council,” then influence the decision (or keep the talking and voting going) until they get the decision they want or which the diocese told them to get. It is like the judge telling the 12 members of the jury how they have to vote in order to go home for dinner.
Parish Council is a complete farce; it has no power (as Raymond says) but the pastor uses it as “That’s what ‘the people’ want.” Yeah. Right. That’s how St. Januarius’ Sanctuary ended up destroyed, but with 75% of the people opposed. That is how St. Mary Rushville got closed and all its money spent, with its parish council members not fulfilling their duties. And most members of the parish can never again respect those council members; the parish is thus divided.
Maybe, somehow, being a pastoral planning member or a parish council member makes it easier for some people to sell their soul or betray their parish, in the naive thought that if the pastor wants it, it must be right and good. It should make it all the more questionable! Otherwise, why even have a council? The members forget they are supposed to be serving God, not worshiping the pastor. Consensus is diocesan speak for doing the most watered down and uncreative thing at best, and the most evil or irresponsible of the choices at worst.
A good pastor is a true servant of souls and a joy to know. The great sadness is when the parishioner hopes for a pastor committed to holiness, and finds out that behind the mask he is only a diocesan hack. Been there. Never going there again. Leave the parish. Get away. Such destructiveness will only be known in the hereafter. A priest who expects nothing of himself teaches the laity to expect nothing of him or themselves.
The minutes of that Parish Coulcil meeting are online here and there is a potentially related item rather succinctly reported on page 1:
Jennifer Lockemeyer is not only a former St. Thomas the Apostle parishioner but she is also part of the group appealing the closure of STA to Rome (see here and here).
I suspect it would have been interesting to have been a fly on the wall during that meeting.
I certainly hope that Fr. Tanck has the backbone to confront the Parish Council on this issue….unfortunately though, Father is probably “in the tank” (pardon the pun) with them. As a St. Thomas the Apostle parishioner, I find this to be a very sad decision. Many people from St. Thomas (and the Irondequoit area) take the opportunity to pray, every day, in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament, in both the church proper, and in the Adoration Chapel, located in the St. Thomas Parish Center. Now, in addition to wanting to remove the Blessed Sacrament from the Church, the Parish Council is adding insult to injury, by threatening to turn the temperature down to 50 degrees in the “unused buildings” which includes the Parish Center that houses the Adoration Chapel. Does this mean that they will want to remove the Blessed Sacrament from the Adoration Chapel, too? I can almost hear the wicked witch of the West cackling: “I’ll get you St. Thomas parishioners, and your little Blessed Sacrament Chapel, too!!
Very disappointing to read this and the link to the parish council meeting minutes, however, justice will prevail. If not on earth, then with our Lord.
This is sad. The “tools” chosen by Tanck to do his dirty work (really, Clark’s) are sadder still. The “Parish Council” idea was a great mastermind for getting dirty work done and keeping one’s hands clean in the process. Just use people willing to be used, in exchange for – what? Compliments? Position? Closeness to authority?
And isn’t it funny how the gobbledy-gook phrases used by the parish council sound exactly like the ones used by Diocesan officials! Now, why is that?