As pointed out by Chysostom, some very positive news appeared in St. Mary’s bulletin this weekend. I have a few comments inline (in red below), but I don’t wish to drown out the fact that this is good news.
|Dear Friends,
In the midst of all the pastoral and liturgical changes in the past year, and from our own research into church documents it has become apparent that change needs to be made in the bread we have been using for Eucharist in order for us to be in conformity with the Roman Catholic tradition [IOW, as Monk speculated, the bread was illicit – which means validity could not be certain]. The bread used at Liturgy should, as far as possible, be recognizable as bread to all participants and help us to more fully symbolize our unity in Christ and our communion with the whole church throughout the world. [an interesting choice of wording. I would suggest rephrasing like this: The bread used at Liturgy should be made in accord with the laws of the Church so that it may truly become, without any doubt, Christ himself, and so that all who receive worthily may benefit from the grace of this ineffable gift.]Towards the end of last year in an attempt to respond to concerns we began to engage in conversation with various groups within the parish concerned with liturgy, leadership and bread making. In searching for recipes that are within church norms we found four for consideration. Our bread makers analyzed these and rejected two early on as the preparation process was too involved. In January some of the bread bakers gathered to bake and sample the other two recipes, one was selected and has been in use for last couple of weeks. Two problems have surfaced recently. First, the kneading process for the bread is tedious and very long; second, the bread is exceptionally dry after baking [ie crumbly]. The best wisdom from the bakers is that we have tried hard but finding a recipe that is palatable and staying within norms of church [those petty Church laws] is not possible at this time so the only option is to purchase hosts from our usual source the Sisters of St Joseph. [She sure makes Church law out to be such a drag. I’d like to turn this attitude 180 degrees around. The reason for these laws of the Church is to remove any doubt that Christ truly becomes present in the Blessed Sacrament. The Church’s laws are not there to unnecessarily burden anyone. They are there so that you don’t have to worry about using invalid matter and thus worshipping bread. An insightful parishioner should be up in arms over this. “You mean you were using an illicit recipe? You mean that it’s possible that Christ was not present in the Blessed Sacrament? Who is responsible for this? What can we do to make sure that no other silly nonsense goes on at this parish?]
Thank you so much to those who have dedicated so much time, energy and love over the years to the ministry of bread making [OK, I understand that absolutely everything I do for love of God and neighbor is in some sense a ministry, but really do we have to call it out each time and completely remove the significance of the word applying to explicit ministries (eg the ministerial priesthood)?], it is truly appreciated. We hope and pray that your care for the community may be able to find a new expression in ministry as time goes on.
We realize this is a change and is challenging, even painful for some [really? It’s painful to use licit matter? If this is someone’s reaction, then I’d suggest some serious pastoral work is at hand.]. There has been a movement in our Roman Catholic Church [RCC – protestants like to use this term as well] in recent times to emphasize the traditional and the transcendent [oh please! It’s a recent movement that Catholicism has emphasized the traditional and the transcendent? Again, this is totally backwards. It’s only recently (post V2) that Catholicism has NOT emphasized the traditional and the transcendent.] and we at St. Mary’s are part of that church [uh-huh]. We continue as a worshipping community to be creative [!] with music and movement and liturgical actions. We are St Mary’s. [hoo-rah. Sure sounds like Our Lady’s fiat, doesn’t it?]
We struggle together as a community and at times have to make changes in order to continue to grow and flourish. This is one of those times when it would be good to get together and talk. Please join us for a listening session on either 24th March at 3:15 in the Parish house or 25th March, after 10:30 Mass in the Dugan Center.
Blessings always,
Anne-Marie
Pastoral AdministratorDeacon Tom
Pastoral Associate: Liturgy
Busy being creative -that’s the problem with far too many of our parishes. And the results ALL end up being crummy (or crumbly, as the case may be). Why not just say the black and do the red? It really isn’t that difficult.
Ministy ‘this’ and ministry ‘that’ -silliness
I would like to go to that meeting to inform her that she is not a pastor, not a priest, and never will be a pastor or a priest. Her participation in homilies or in other illicit manners at Mass is neither welcome nor lawful, and if she lives in the rectory, she is to move out and make room for a real priest. If one cannot be found, the church should be closed.
Have a nice day.
We realize this is a change and is challenging, even painful for some
I always try to remind people that most of us on the traditional end are not consciously trying to be a stick-in-the-mud in favor of liturgical exactitude, but it is really for everyone’s protection. Deviations and accretions inevitably get out of hand and someone has to put the hammer down and that usually results in people feeling roughly handled when what they shouldn’t have had in the first place gets taken away. Better to avoid dousing yourself in gasoline and playing with matches from the start. The letter exudes cranky obedience, but I’d take it over defiance. But that leaves me curious and makes me ask like Michael Corleone, “who gave the order?” The “various groups”? The “Pastoral Administrator”? The bishop?
Seems like she got outed over Brogan’s Bread Baking Blooper; got told to stop (DoR being embarrassed on CF of all places!) and she’s putting a little spin on words, as if she were in charge. What matters is the result, and it’s great!
Uh-oh, they’re going to hold one of the dreaded “listening sessions”….
So, Bruce, why DON’T you go to that meeting and raise those questions? Maybe that would be a teaching moment for some who will attend, because some of them probably don’t have a clue that the rest of the Church is not like St. Mary’s, that there are those who actually have read the GIRM and revel in conforming to it (and all that the Magisterium teaches… and be sure to mention that the Magisterium is composed only of those bishops who are in union with the Holy Father). Attending and speaking could be a special Lenten corporal work of mercy! +JMJ
Which means a group of 10 progressively minded parishioners will raise hell and the administrator will “cave” to be pastoral .
I think what we are seeing here is the beginning of the “thaw” of the long winter we have endured in the DoR. Like Narnia, we are seeing a hint of the springtime that we have waited too long for. I don’t think this is just about bread making. Anne-Marie Brogan recognizes that there is a new reality that is emerging in the DoR. She soon will no longer have the backing of Bishop Clark and her false authority will be in jeopardy. She must deal with faithful priests now. There will be many such listening sessions throughout the diocese in the near future as many parishes struggle to return to their true traditional Catholic heritage after being led astray by the radical leadership imposed upon them over the last 30+ years.