A commenter on one of our recent posts stated that Fr. Tyman, the Sacramental Minister for the Our Lady of Lourdes+St. Anne Cluster, has expressed a desire to move the presider’s chair at St. Anne to the right of the altar, when looking towards the sanctuary from the congregation. Personally, I feel like there is potential for some good here, but also, potential for great liturgical woes.

For example:

Just when you think error couldn’t compound error, this comes out. From our very dear Sr. Sobala’s weekly “Just Between Us” column in her cluster bulletin, comes this hypocritical article.

Several things should have jumped out at you. Let’s start at the very beginning.

“It is an historic scandal that Christianity ever got divided.” Good deduction, Sherlock. Maybe that’s why we shouldn’t go around and say things that go contrary to the will of the Church? Straight from the horse’s mouth we read the word “scandal.” Sr. Joan admits, whole-heartedly and without hesitation that a “divided” Church is a “scandal.” I find it pathetic that one of the foremost women promoting disunity in the Diocese of Rochester opens her weekly reflection with such rhetoric.

So we then go on to read about a “covenant” signed by Bishop Clark and the local Episcopalian ordinary which, the good sister proudly declares, is a “jewel.” Now I’m all for peaceful-interaction with other religions. However, when you say you’re open to the other religion, that’s where problems come into play. You should be open to accepting that individual’s culture, but not open to professing their faith or nullifying your own. Of course, I give credit to Sr. Sobala for actually saying the word “Catholic,” but to “gather together” with the purpose of “enriching each tradition” is shameful. Our Tradition is rich enough without yielding to those who deny the authority of the supreme pontiff. 

Then again, Sr. Joan occasionally preaches at the Episcopalian parish she mentions, St. Thomas. And when she does, she is vested in her alb and, this is the clincher, receives communion. There is a clear line separating ecumenical dialogue and ecumenical blending. She has crossed it. I have spoken with two of the altar boys from that parish, and they both said, “that lady (Joan) is a Catholic nun, but she preaches at our parish. I don’t get that.” Even the Protestants don’t understand what she’s doing. Then again, in the spirit of her “Good Shepherd Sunday Homily,” we are the erring sheep, and she is the Good Shepherd who will carry us to enlightenment. We should bow before her Masters’ degree in Divinity.

So, in her spirit of “Christian unity,” we should gather all Christians together, regardless at to their allegiance to the True Church, and have one massive communion service. That’s disdainful. That’s heresy. As Pope Paul VI boldly declared to the World Council of Churches, “SUMUS PETRUS.” “We are Peter.” What a sublime statement of Catholic faith. And for a pope whose image is more “left” than most, this is truly a message. We are to engage in prayers for Christian unity, of course. But we are the Church. We are waiting for them, not the other way around.

Sr. Joan, perhaps you should have pride for what you have, the Catholic Church? I pray that, someday, you can appreciate the vast and immense treasure which is Tradition. And I mean that sincerely.

About a week ago Cleansing Fire relayed a story from a reader about how a man dressed as Santa Claus preached the homily during an Our Lady of Lourdes Mass (a blatant and shameless liturgical abuse).

As is usually the case with parishes that revel in liturgical abuse, they can’t keep themselves from advertising it all over the Internet. What follows below is taken right off of the St. Anne/Our Lady of Lourdes Web site, emphasis added:

“Our cluster had a unique visitor on the weekend of December 5th and 6th. St. Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra, came to visit us for his feast day on December 6th, sharing the homily with Fathery [sic] Tyman at the 5pm mass at Lourdes, bringing a gift to all of the children at mass, and posing for a photo.

In Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, presents are exchanged on St. Nicholas’ feast day. For young children in these countries, St. Nicholas’ Day Eve is even more fraught with anticipation than Christmas Eve!

In his homily, St. Nicholas talked about Christmas as the season of giving. As we get many presents in the Christmas season, we should remember that we, too, are a gift from God to the world. And as God has given us the ability to improve our world and the lives of others, this is a gift that we are bound to give to the people around us.”

How long, oh Lord?

Update 12/16/09: Wouldn’t you know it, the leadership at St. Anne/OLoL has modified the page so that it no longer mentions that the layperson gave a homily. Never fear, Cleansing Fire has you covered. Here is how the page originally appeared:

Tmac over at Journey to a New Pentecost informs us that Sr. Joan Sobala has been profiled as the nun of the week over at “A Nun’s Life.” Below is a story of Sr. Joan written by a parishioner of St. Mary’s downtown. Keep your eyes on the lookout for the blatant liturgical abuse advertised in this passage. To help, it’s in bold and underlined:

“Last summer I had the opportunity to re-connect with a very special nun, Joan Sobala, SSJ. Her community is Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester, NY.

I met Sister Joan when I was a student at the Eastman School of Music, and attending St. Mary?s parish in downtown Rochester. She was the pastoral associate of the parish at that time. She came into my life at a fragile time for me, spiritually speaking. I had grown dissatisfied with my Catholic faith, and was ready to search for something different. I knew faith was important in my life, but I hadn?t felt connected to the parish my family attended. But, several girls from my dorm hall were going to Mass the first week I spent in Rochester, so I went along.

It was an entirely new experience for me ? wonderful music, a community that immediately embraced us newcomers, and a woman (Sister Joan) giving the homily! I felt as though she was speaking directly to me, and with such wisdom. I became involved at St. Mary?s in music, and it really was my home away from home during the 4 years I spent in Rochester.”