Cleansing Fire

Defending Truth and Tradition in the Lay-Run Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester

Posts Tagged ‘Church of the Assumption’

Fr. Palumbos Continues to Promote Women Priests

July 25th, 2011, Promulgated by Dr. K

The priestess-supporting Pastor of Fairport’s Church of the Assumption and head of Bishop Clark’s priest personnel board is at it again. As you may recall, the music director at his parish, Mary Van Houten, recently announced that she was entering into schism in order to pursue ordained ministry. Father Palumbos printed her propaganda piece in his parish bulletin and penned an article himself claiming that he has found “joy” because she is “listening to her own heart with honesty and integrity.” I placed the blame for this schism squarely at the feet of Fr. Palumbos because of his previous bulletin articles in which he calls for us to “examine the criteria for ordination” (see here and here), the environment of “lay-empowerment”  which he has created at Assumption wherein the unique roles of priest and laity are often confused, and the fact that he hired a women’s ordination proponent and former Corpus Christi staff member to be the parish’s pastoral associate.

Once again, Fr. Palumbos has made a push for women priests in his bulletin. Here is an excerpt from his most recent column as sent in to us by an Assumption parishioner who is fed up with Palumbos’ antics:

“women’s rightful identity today as apostles, preachers, presiders, teachers and leaders in the church”? It is amazing that priests continue to get away with dissent promoting something declared by the Holy Father to be infallibly impossible. Then again, when you have a leader like Bishop Clark holding a protective umbrella over your head and giving consent through his continued silence, you can make all sorts of comments like this. In fact, these kinds of statements will even get you promoted to the pastorate of one of the largest churches in the Diocese of Rochester (Assumption is among the top five).

When a priest starts to lead souls away from Christ and His Church (in this case, by inspiring women to enter into schism), he needs to be removed for the good of souls entrusted to his care.

I am confident that St. Mary Magdalene would not endorse women turning their backs on the Church founded by Jesus Christ. Fr. Palumbos and other progressives who want priestesses, STOP staining the good name of this holy and faithful follower of Christ by making her into the patroness of your movement!

355 days.

Tags: , ,
Comments: 11 Comments »

Fr. Palumbos Inspires a Vocation … to the Priestess-hood

April 8th, 2011, Promulgated by Dr. K

If you are even a casual reader of this blog, you will know that we have focused heavily on a few Rochester parishes: St. Mary downtown, Church of the Assumption, and St. Anne/Lourdes. The reason is that these parishes are the worst offenders when it comes to flaunting dissent and liturgical abuse. You can infer from the title that I am going to focus on Church of the Assumption in this article. For those unfamiliar, Assumption is one of the diocese’s largest parishes which is led by Fr. Ed Palumbos, a powerful priest in the DoR who is also head of the bishop’s Priest Personnel Board.

A parishioner of Assumption sent us a copy of the upcoming parish bulletin. To my complete shock, Fr. Palumbos writes in his bulletin that the parish’s female music director, Mary Van Houten, has decided to resign from the staff in order to discern a vocation to “ordained ministry.” As if it wasn’t disturbing enough to read that a member of his flock was considering excommunicating herself and entering into schism, it seems as though Father finds no problem with this. In fact, as you will read below, he appears to have given his blessing because she has decided to “listen to her own heart with honesty and integrity.” Father repeatedly insists in the bulletin column that we must listen to God speaking to us within our hearts. While I would not argue against this message in general, I believe that it is inappropriate in this situation where a member of his flock believes that the Almighty wants her to simulate ordination and thereby leave the Catholic Church.

Below is Fr. Palumbos article, with emphasis and commentary:

“This week I have some sad news to share. Over the last 2 1/2 years we have all come to know and deeply appreciate the ministry of Mary Van Houten, our Director of Music. We’ve come to value her many gifts and the wonderful way in which she invites us to make our song our prayer. For many months Mary has been discerning God’s will in her life. Several months ago, it became clear that the Lord was calling her to pursue a dream that she has had for a very long time to enter more deeply into ministry [So far it's ambiguous what he's talking about, but keep reading. If you're still uncertain by the end of Father's column, read the laywoman's words further down the page].

It is important for all of us to listen to the voice of God speaking within our hearts. Mary’s discernment has led her to the conclusion that the Lord is calling her elsewhere for further discernment. As a result of this process, Mary has submitted her resignation as a member of our staff, effective at the end of June. This news is sad for us because Mary has brought the wonderful and powerful gift to the music ministry of our community. Our choirs are vibrant, our cantors and instrumentalists all offer the gift of their music beautifully and our whole parish has benefited from Mary’s prayerfulness and spirituality. The quality of our sung prayer is a wonderful gift to our parish community and a “joyful sound unto the Lord.” Mary has brought out the best in us!

[Now it gets interesting]

I feel torn as I share this announcement with you because Mary’s departure will mean a great loss for us, but I take consolation in the fact that Mary is following her heart and answering a call that she has prayerfully discerned, explored and accepted [How can he take consolation in a member of his flock leaving the Catholic Church? My impression is that he's more upset over her leaving the staff than entering into schism]. God asks each of us to do that in the course of our life, and so when someone’s path diverges from ours there is sadness and parting, but there is also joy in the satisfaction of knowing that someone is following her heart where we are face to face with God [What matters more: happiness in this life, or happiness in the life to come?]. Further on in the bulletin Mary writes a little bit more about this call [This is not a call from God]. We decided it would be important to tell everyone in the community about this sooner rather than later so that we might thank Mary for being a powerful woman of faith and for listening to her own heart with honesty and integrity. “ [Why should Ms. Van Houten be "thanked" for making the decision to pursue an excommunicable offense, placing her soul in peril, and setting a poor example for other women in the parish, especially the young?]

In the original digital form:

Fr. Palumbos bulletin article (click above to enlarge)

It is very disturbing to read Father’s article. A woman in his parish is about to leave the Catholic Church and he is able to find “joy” in it because she is “following her heart”? Excuse me, but I find no joy in watching a member of the Catholic Church step away from the Lord’s table and place their soul in danger… no joy whatsoever. I did not see a single condemnation of her decision in this article. Instead, his words are supportive.

Now we will take a look at Mary Van Houten’s farewell letter published in the same bulletin. Yes, Fr. Palumbos granted her bulletin space to explain her alleged “call” to ordained ministry.

Here is the letter:

“It is with great sadness that I inform you that I will be leaving Assumption Parish at the end of June.

For the past several years, I have sensed a deeper call from God in my life. In order to discern what this call might be, I sought the guidance and council of a few “wise people.” [One can only speculate who these "wise people" might be] These dear friends and spiritual directors who know and love me, helped me listen to God and discern how God was calling me. Their support and direction helped me to answer the tough questions that clarified God’s call in my life.

[And now we finally find out what she thinks she's being called to do]

I have discerned that I am being called by God to the vocation of ordained ministry. As you know, the Roman Catholic Church does not embrace the vocation of the ordained ministry of women. [Right; the ordination of women to the priesthood is contrary to the definitive, infallible teaching of the Catholic Church as established by Christ Himself. Similarly, women are also not ordained to the diaconate.] Believe me, I am aware of every implication that this call demands, and have shed many tears. This call makes absolutely no sense, especially since it is contrary to what the Catholic Church professes and teaches. [Nor should it make sense because it is not a true call. God is not going to call a person to leave His Church!] But what, my friends, am I to do? [You could decide against entering into schism and excommunicating yourself.  May I recommend that you seek spiritual directors who are faithful to Holy Mother Church? Why not find yourself a Pastor who respects the Church's teachings and disciplines instead of praying for them to change and encouraging others to do the same?] What does anyone do when they are summoned? With terrifying excitement, they follow... and so I must follow where my good and loving God calls me. [This woman is clearly confused and needs help fast. It is apparent that she is not getting it from her Pastor, who finds "joy" in the fact that she is pursuing her dreams, however wrong these may be]

I am convinced that without the support, love, and stability of Assumption Parish, I would never have had the “spiritual space” in which to do this kind of discernment. [And that is exactly where I place the blame; on Fr. Palumbos, on the staff of Assumption, and most importantly on Bishop Clark for appointing this dissenting priest to run one of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Rochester and letting him stay on all these years] So, I thank you. I thank you for your patience and good spirit. I thank you for your enthusiasm as you have grown into a community that sings so beautifully. And I thank you for your friendship and love. I will miss you all very much.

…

I humbly ask for your prayers. [I hope that these prayers will be for her to change her mind] I will continue to pray for all of you. And please pray for all seminarians of every faith and gender as they struggle to hear and follow the call of our Good and loving God.

Blessings, Mary Van Houten”

In digital form:

Van Houten article (click above to enlarge)

Dear readers (and diocesan officials), we have been cautioning you for two years about the problems brewing at Church of the Assumption. During his pastorate, Fr. Palumbos has molded Assumption into a parish where lay people are empowered to take on roles reserved for ordained ministers. This includes, but is not limited to, lay homilies, lay Gospel readings, and laypeople sprinkling holy water during the aspereges. In case we have forgotten, here are videos and photographs of these liturgical abuses:

1. Lay homilies (here, here, here, here)

2. Lay Gospel (see video here)

3. Lay aspereges (see video here)

With the distinct roles of ordained and laity being blurred by Fr. Palumbos, it is no wonder that this woman has become confused and believes that she is called to ordained ministry. Furthermore, Fr. Palumbos has penned a number of bulletin columns where he asks parishioners to pray for a change in who the Church ordains to the priesthood. See the following bulletins:

Palumbos on ordination criteria (click above to enlarge)

and…

Praying for change (click to enlarge)

What also may have contributed to Mary Van Houten’s decision to discern invalid ordination is the fact that there is a supporter of the Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC) in a high ranking position on the Assumption staff. As we have commented before, Deni Mack, a former member of Corpus Christi and supporter of the WOC, is the parish’s Pastoral Associate. Are we starting to see the fruit of having WOC supporters in positions of power here in Rochester? How many minds may have been corrupted and souls placed in danger by Sr. Joan Sobala (Pastoral Administrator of St. Anne/Lourdes), Nancy DeRycke (former Pastoral “Leader” of Good Shepherd, now on the staff at St. Pius X), Deni Mack, Gloria Ulterino (former head of the DoR’s Office of Women), Mary Ramerman (former Pastoral Associate of Corpus Christi and current priestess of Spiritus Christi) and countless others? The Diocese of Rochester knew the background of all of these women, but they simply don’t care. Dare I suggest that the presence of so many women’s ordination supporters in positions of power in the diocese has been intentional.

Is Bishop Clark going to take action, or will his silence once again give consent to what is happening at Assumption and with this poor woman? I place the blame for this woman’s confusion squarely at the feet of our bishop and Fr. Palumbos.  We have done all that we can here at Cleansing Fire to make known the problems at Assumption. Several people in the know have told us that the diocese reads this site, so they can’t feign ignorance! When is action going to come? Attendance (though high) is down at this parish, the significance of the priesthood is diminished there, and laypeople are confused.

If you have had enough, please respectfully write to Bishop Clark and to the Vatican about this situation. Be sure to send a copy of the bulletin articles so that they can see how this priest has more or less granted his approval for a member of his flock to excommunicate herself. Remember, the bishop will be required to make an ad limina visit to the Vatican sometime at the end of 2011 or early 2012. If you want to remind them about the problems in this diocese, now is the perfect time to do it.

The bishop can be reached here, for what it’s worth:

Bishop Matthew H. Clark

Pastoral Center
Diocese of Rochester
1150 Buffalo Road
Rochester, New York 14624

The Apostolic Nuncio to the United States can be reached here:

Archbishop Pietro Sambi

3339 Massachusetts Avenue,
NW, Washington DC 20008

Telephone: (202)333-7121
Fax: 337-4036

The Vatican Congregation for the Clergy can be reached here:

Cardinal Mauro Piacenza

Palazzo delle Congregazioni,
00193 Roma, Piazza Pio XII, 3

Most importantly, please pray for this woman and for change to come to the Diocese of Rochester. We have already witnessed four women seek invalid ordinations and a few married men seek illicit ordinations from this diocese. Our leaders are playing a terrible game in an effort to change the Church, and innocent laypeople are the victims. This culture of dissent needs to end.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Comments: 31 Comments »

Dying One Thousand Deaths

July 8th, 2010, Promulgated by Gen

Each passing week, many parishes in the Diocese of Rochester continue to see moral, theological, financial, liturgical, and spiritual declines. None more so than the once-proud and majestic St. Anne Church on Mt. Hope venue. Without fail, we receive a constant stream of Joan Sobala-related items from our readers and staffers, most of which we just omit because they’re the pathetic dying breaths of a dying breed of heretics. However, this is one we just had to convey to you, the readers, so that you can grasp the depths to which Sr. Sobala has dragged the people of the parish.

Every year, since the parish’s inception, the parishioners have held a beautiful and well-attended “Novena to St. Anne” which attracts, not only the parishioners themselves, but devotion-loving Catholics from the entire Diocese. Each year, a noted preacher from out of town has delivered the nightly sermons – all prestigious for their theological prowess. This pattern came to an abrupt end in 2008, when Sr. Sobala & Co. took over St. Anne. That year, Fr. Michael Marigliano, a Franciscan, was the preacher. I attended some of the nightly services, and I was moved by his zeal for the Faith and the Church. However, he did not care for Sr. Sobala’s seditious actions at the parish, and he made his sentiments known. Indeed, he inserted into the petitions at the closing Mass certain words to the effect of “We pray also for those faithful who suffer under corrupt leaders in the parish setting. May they suffer spiritual martyrdom for the glory of God and His Church.”

And so, Sr. Sobala has stopped the three-quarter century tradition of preaching excellence in favor of a more affordable (fine), simpler (fine), more local and controllable approach (not fine). The parish went from having priests like Fr. Marigliano preaching firey sermons to – now get this – Fr.’s Kennedy and Palumbos. Of course, this is an improvement over last year’s Sobala-Tyman-Lawlor rotation, but still . . . consider their orthodoxy. They have both been long-associated with being (I put this tactfully) associated with the “plight” of gays and lesbians in the Church. I know we need to reach out to these people, but not by signing our names to a letter of open dissent. They also contribute proudly to organizations of dubious moral focus.

So what are the people of the parish to expect this year, in terms of sermons? They used to be solid, theologically beautiful, and proud of their Catholicity. But now, it seems that cost and politicking are dancing hand-in-hand down the aisle at St. Anne. I fear for the people who still attend this novena, for many are unaware of the immense damage that the staff of the parish has caused.

Let us pray that Fr.'s Kennedy and Palumbos do not slip their political quest into the prayerful tone of the annual St. Anne Novena.

Now, I wholly understand needing to trim the budget. That’s a good thing to do, and if you can find preachers of the same caliber for no cost, that’s the way to go. But you cannot whore out a devotion for the cause of politicking (politickling?) gay rights. We can hope this doesn’t come up, but when you think of a list of DoR priests who are openly fighting for gays in ways they ought not to, what two names are at the top of the list? Kennedy and Palumbos. Of course, I’m sure they’re both charming gentlemen, but they (and many like them) need to realize that the pulpit is no place for dissenting political views.

What strikes me as the most telling fact in all this is the perpetual decline in attendance at St. Anne. If people liked what they were hearing at Mass (and things like the novena) attendance wouldn’t have dropped by around 50%. In a similar way, if people are engaged and challenged by what they hear on Sunday, they will become even more active in the parish. St. Anne is no longer attracting the vast number of volunteers it once had – you can see that in their bulletins, where the same names are repeated week after week. Indeed, they don’t even have children serving their 4:00 Mass anymore – when young people are replaced by the elderly, there is something seriously wrong there. If a child of 12 or 13 knows there’s something bad going on at Mass, so too should well-informed people in our situation.The novena used to be something which everyone at the parish looked forward to, and was advertised all around the diocese. I myself found out about it from Catholic Radio around 10 years ago. But now, the novena is just one more thing they (and we) have to worry about. “Will there be sound preaching?” “Will they be vested in a proper and dignified way?” “Will there be overt politicking/politickling?” The faithful ought not to worry whether or not church will be uplifting, and that’s why we’re seeing a massive decline in attendance, not just at St. Anne, but at every parish whose curriculum vitae leans away from Church doctrine and towards the glorification of error.

If anyone is planning on attending the novena, I would encourage you to record and document it to the best of your ability. Fr. Tyman himself has disparagingly referred to us as the “self-appointed bulldogs of orthodoxy,” so let’s not disappoint.

Tags: , , ,
Comments: 16 Comments »

Unoriginal Dissent

June 23rd, 2010, Promulgated by Dr. K

You know the progressives are running out of gas when they begin to plagiarize other progressives.

Below is Fr. Ed Palumbos’ rant about married priests from two weeks ago. We commented about it here.

Fr. Palumbos article

Now take a look at Fr. Mike Bausch’s rant about married priests from this past weekend. With the exception of a couple additions, isn’t it a word-for-word copy of Fr. Palumbos’ article?

Fr. Bausch article

Fr. Bausch article

Tags: ,
Comments: 4 Comments »

Church of the Assumption’s Decline in Attendance

June 20th, 2010, Promulgated by Dr. K

Fairport’s Church of the Assumption, aka the liturgical abuse Mecca of the Diocese of Rochester, has been experiencing a decline in weekend Mass attendance. Gee, I wonder why!

Here is the article, with emphasis and commentary:

“We were this year, as last year, cautious in our budgeting for the upcoming year. This is partly, as with last year, because of the long-term downturn in the economy, and partly due to a somewhat decreased attendance this year overall at weekend Masses (and therefore anticipated weekly collection totals). In part, regarding this trend in attendance, a Long-Range Strategic Planning Committee [read- "progressive commission" that will propose even wilder and more offensive liturgical irregularities in an attempt to attract young people, who they erroneously believe desire  "contemporary worship"], as Fr. Ed mentioned in his Said Ed recently, has been formed, comprised of several dedicated and long-term parishioners [read- older, progressive Spirit of Vatican II folks that continue to scratch their heads about why people aren't attending their irreverent Masses any longer], plus Fr. Ed and Fr. John. The committee is addressing in a positive and long-range manner the question of what attracts people to our parish [First you need to address what drives people away. Why don't you try the exact opposite of what you're doing right now, and see how that works for you? Lay preaching, lay homilies, lay aspereges, and showy displays during the Mass are sending people away, so get rid of these and see if the situation improves. It doesn't take  a rocket scientist.] and how to “get the good word out” to those who may be unchurched [First priority should be to stop the bleeding. Why are people LEAVING your parish? Answer that question, then you can try to reach out to the rest. What good is it going to do if you bring in the unchurched and they only end up leaving for the very same reasons that your former parishioners have left?] or in need of a loving, welcoming place to worship the Lord [How we have seen this admirable desire abused in the Diocese of Rochester...] and, as our mission says, “be Christ for one another.”

Source:

Ok, Church of the Assumption, you recognize you have a problem. Now you need to figure out what that problem is, and fix it. I don’t expect that they will fix the parish’s problems with their current leadership. Are Fr. Palumbos and Deni Mack seriously going to abandon their selfish progressive agendas in order to save souls? Nah, they’re too committed to “the cause” to embrace orthodoxy and tradition.

We are aware of a number of people, mostly young adults, who have left Church of the Assumption to attend Our Lady of Victory. Why not ask these people why they left? They won’t. They’ll just try the same thing that all the other progressive parishes have tried, and that is more wackiness, more tackiness, and even less reverence. OLV is the only parish within the Diocese of Rochester that has witnessed significant gains in attendance. Every parish in the DoR should call up Fr. Antinarelli on the phone and ask him how it’s done.

Tags:
Comments: 10 Comments »

‘Said Ed’ Says A Mouthful

June 14th, 2010, Promulgated by Dr. K

A reader who attends Fairport’s Church of the Assumption, aka the liturgical abuse apex of the Diocese of Rochester, sent along to us a copy of this weekend’s parish bulletin. Specifically, the weekly “Said Ed” piece scribed by the pastor, Ed Palumbos. In this particular article, Fr. Palumbos begins talking about the recent ordination of Dr. Scott Caton (a married father of six) to the transitional diaconate. If one remembers correctly, Deacon Caton made especially clear that he does not want to be the poster boy for married priests, which is a popular cause of the progressive movement. Apparently Fr. Palumbos didn’t get the memo; or he chose to ignore it. Using the Caton ordination to begin his weekly article, Fr. Palumbos then launches into his usual tripe about expanding the “criteria” for ordination. This is NOT the first time that Fr. Palumbos has writen about this topic.

Here is what is written in the most recent “Said Ed” article, emphasis and commentary added:

“Last Saturday we celebrated the ordination of our parishioner, Pat DiLaura, as a permanent Deacon. Pat is preaching this weekend at the Sunday Masses. We’ll be having a reception after the 11:00 am Mass in his honor. I’m very proud of our part in Pat’s formation and I congratulate him on his willingness to serve our church in this way.

The ordination ceremony provided me with the opportunity to meet another candidate whose name you may have seen in a recent press release. Scott Caton is a former Baptist Minister who is married with six children. Scott received special permission from the Vatican to be ordained a Deacon and eventually as a Catholic Priest, which in all likelihood take place next year.

Several parishioners have asked me how I feel about this [I don't believe that for one minute, but hey, it gives him an excuse to talk about one of his favorite passions]. I thought this column would be a good way for me to answer that question [Ah yes, no finer way to criticize a tradition and discipline of the Latin rite of the Catholic Church than to bash it openly in your parish bulletin! How appropriate].

First of all, I’m delighted to welcome a new person to our Presbyterate (the body of priests in the diocese in union with the bishop). I look forward to that day when I can welcome Scott as a brother priest. I’m delighted because the ordination of Scott clearly and powerfully demonstrates that marriage and priesthood can co-exist [Not that it should]. The Sacrament of Holy Orders and the Sacrament of Marriage do not exclude each other, priests can be married [Not that they should]. We see this in the Eastern Tradition of our Catholic Church and in special exceptions like Scott’s. The discipline of celibacy has been in force for 800 years, but prior to that priests did marry and have families [Oh, how the progressives love to restore the perceived glory days of the early Church].

With that being said, I also have to acknowledge that there is a certain sad frustration that comes up inside me as I think of all the wonderful men whom I have known through the years who have served the diocese as wonderful priests and who have been faced with the decision of having to live their lives as a married person or as a priest, but not as both [Or rather, breaking the promise of celibacy that they made before the Church. I guess these promises (and vows for some) don't mean much to people anymore, do they?]. At present the discipline of the Catholic Church does not allow for this. Although I highly affirm the value of celibacy and have striven to live it for almost four decades, let the record show, I believe it should be an option, not a mandate. What about all the fabulous deacons who serve our church? Wouldn’t some of them make wonderful priests should they wish to serve in this way [I have made this point before -- if these alleged deacons who would make good priests exist in Rochester, how come so few deacons are "Pastoral Administrators"? How many deacon administrators do we have? Two?] ?

As you probably can guess, this opinion is not shared by all in our church, and although I understand the reasons for celibacy both theologically and practically [Uh huh...], I think it’s time for us to re-examine the criteria for ordination [He has spoken these very same word before]. Surveys clearly indicate that a majority of Catholics in North America are not opposed to a married clergy and many (over 50%) would find this option very attractive in their own faith life [We do not base what we do as a Church on popular whim and surveys. Many surveys show that people disagree with the Church's teachings on birth control. Should we change that too because of what these surveys say? (hopefully he would say no)].

So, what do I do with these mixed feelings which may be shared by some of you?

I think we sit with them, don’t judge them and wait in joyful expectation as we see what God’s Holy Spirit is doing in our church. Things don’t change very quickly in our communion of 1.2 billion people. We need to remember that change in our church very often comes from the bottom up [I seem to remember the very same words spoken by one schismatic Jim Callan]. From the pews forward we need to be aware of God’s Spirit moving in our midst [What's to say that the Spirit has not already spoken, and that He said that priests should devote their entire lives to the service of God by living celibately? With progressives, the only time the Spirit is truly speaking is when it agrees with their agenda]. As we celebrated Pentecost a few weeks ago we confessed our belief in the presence of the Holy Spirit still rising up within us. I’m hoping that what I consider to be the “signs of the times” in our priesthood [Don't confuse a one time exemption for a former Protestant minister in the Diocese of Rochester as some kind of larger "sign of the times"] are going to be more clear and evident; and that we keep our hearts open as things continue to unfold.”

Source:

Fr. Ed’s retirement can not come soon enough. One could say that it’s the “sign of the times” that orthodoxy is gradually returning in our Church as so many of these liberal, Spirit of Vatican II priests drift off into the irrelevancy of retirement.

Fr. Palubmos reaches age 70 in five years.

Tags: , , ,
Comments: 29 Comments »

#1 in Liturgical Abuse

May 6th, 2010, Promulgated by Dr. K

More from the Diocese of Rochester liturgical irregularity capital, Fairport’s Church of the Assumption. In this installment, we will see the priest invite laypeople to “assist” him in carrying out the Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling Holy Water (formerly known as the Asperges). Were these laypersons acting as “Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Water” ? Secondly, we will enjoy another lay homily by a women’s ordination advocate, Deni Mack. So sit back, and enjoy while this parish once again chooses to ignore our Church’s liturgical norms.

1. Lay Asperges
Source-“The priest then sprinkles himself, the ministers and the assembly while an antiphon or other appropriate song is sung. “

and

Missale Romanum- “Taking the sprinkler, the priest sprinkles himself and his ministers, then the rest of the clergy and people. He may move through the church for the sprinkling of the people.”

-see video on old blog-

2. Lay homily
Source- “Can. 767 ?1. Among the forms of preaching, the homily, which is part of the liturgy itself and is reserved to a priest or deacon, is preeminent; in the homily the mysteries of faith and the norms of Christian life are to be explained from the sacred text during the course of the liturgical year.”

-see video on old blog-

The entire Mass may be viewed online here.

Tags: ,
Comments: 4 Comments »

Reminder: “Catholic” Service For Homosexual Dissident Group This Sunday

March 12th, 2010, Promulgated by Dr. K

As we mentioned before, Ms. Deni Mack, the Pastoral Associate of Church of the Assumption in Fairport, will be leading a “Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Word” for Dignity-Integrity Rochester. Dignity-Integrity is a dissident GLBT (Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transexual) group that advocates for a change in the Church’s teachings concerning homosexuality and homosexual acts (see also this link for further explanation about this group’s dissent). The liturgy will take place Sunday, March 14th at 5 PM for those who wish to attend. If you do go, be sure to send Cleansing Fire an e-mail. According to the D-I Web site, these services are held at St. Luke & St. Simon Cyrene Episcopal church in downtown Rochester.

Once again, Dignity-Integrity describes these Roman Catholic services as follows:

“Second Sundays

On the second Sunday, our Liturgy of the Word is in the Roman Catholic tradition, and it is led by a layperson who has studied theology or has other suitable qualifications. The service has many of the elements of a Mass, with a few extra features thrown in, but no communion. Nevertheless, it does fulfill your Sunday obligation [NO, it absolutely does not, and it's a lie to say that it does], and it’s based on the Roman Catholic guidelines for Sunday celebrations in the absence of a priest [Which is not allowed without Bishop Clark's approval...]. The presiders and homilists are people who would undoubtedly make great priests if the Roman Catholic church was fully open to the gifts of women and married men [Outrageous, "Spiritus Christi"-style statement of dissent]. Following the service, there is a coffee hour social starting around 6:15 PM.

For a sample of this Liturgy of the Word (including our prophetic “Liturgy of the Stones” [Dissenting made-up prayers pertaining to homosexuality]), visit the liturgical resource site STICKS & STONES / FLESH & BLOOD: Liturgical images and movements that speak to experience at www.mjnicosia.webs.com.”

We received an email recently informing us that Diocese of Rochester priests are not permitted to say Mass for Dignity-Integrity, and have not been for over a decade. If this is true, and I have no reason to doubt that it is, how come these makeshift Liturgy of the Word services are permitted by the diocese? Is this an attempt by the diocese to “be creative”? Is such a service supposed to not illicit complaints to the Vatican because they aren’t Masses and are occurring off site and out of sight?

The bottom line is, these services are wholly inappropriate given the nature of Dignity-Integrity and their dissent from Church teaching on homosexuality. Countless dioceses do not even permit Dignity USA groups to use Church property (they even admit to this on their Web site!), yet in the DoR, we have special services for them going on quietly. This is not right. We’re not talking about praying with homosexual persons, we’re talking about praying with a group that does not respect the Church’s teachings.

Tags: , , ,
Comments: 10 Comments »

It’s Called “Dissent”

February 22nd, 2010, Promulgated by Dr. K

We received a tip from a fed-up Assumption parishioner informing us that we should check out Deni Mack, the current Pastoral Associate at Church of the Assumption in Fairport. We previously posted about her illicitly preaching a homily in this post a week ago, and this post in November.

Ms. Mack, like Sr. Joan Sobala and Nancy DeRycke, has had ties to the Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC), an organization dedicated to promoting the ordination of women, contrary to the definitive teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Ms. Mack is mentioned twice on this page of the WOC Website. Here is what is written there, emphasis added:

“After lunch our Witness Wagon took us to Rochester, to tour Susan B. Anthony’s home. At this time, Bishop Christina Mayr Lumetzburger and her husband Michael arrived along with her mother, sister, and niece. Many of us bought items in the gift shop labeled with Anthony’s oft quoted words “Failure is impossible”… We were now ready to partake in a delightful afternoon tea and pastries put together by Deni Mack and Denise Donato of Spiritus Christi Church. “

and also the much more interesting passage, emphasis added:

“For the first time in several decades, three of the foremothers of WOC — Gratia L’Esperence, RSM, Rosalie Muschal-Reinhardt, and Joan Sobala, SSJ, the very women who first envsioned (with Deni Mack [Mack being called one of the original leaders of the WOC movement, along with Sr. Sobala] and Marsie Silvestro) the first Women’s Ordination Conference — spoke to us. They told us about witnessing years ago to the bishops and at ordinations. I listened with open ears aware of the struggle and hope that went before me. That evening we were invited to supper at Spiritus Christi where Mary Rammerman and Jim Callan spoke and we presented Judy with a gift. At Spiritus Christi we all participated in a memorable Mass celebrated by Mary Rammerman, Denise Donato, Jim Callan and Christina Mayr Lumetzburger. “

Notice how things work in the Diocese of Rochester. We have three prominent Women’s Ordination Conference advocates in our diocese still in “good standing” with the Church, two of which are leading parishes as de facto priestesses under the title “Pastoral Administrator”, or in Ms. DeRycke’s case, as self-anointed “Pastoral Leader.” A third prominent member, Ms. Mack, is serving as a Pastoral Associate. Why do so many supporters of heterodoxy and dissent have positions of power in our diocese? You can’t tell me that our bishop is unaware of their involvement with the WOC.

Perhaps it wouldn’t surprise anyone that Ms. Mack is a former member of Corpus Christi, a parish which engaged in heretical acts such as vesting laypeople in half-stoles and inviting them to elevate the chalice. In fact, the book “Standing in the Light: A Parishioner’s Story“, written by the soon-to-be-pretend-ordained Chava Redonnet of Spiritus Christi says (emphasis added):

“In 1982, Jim Callan invited several parishioners to become lay preachers. Among them were Margie Payne, Jim Smith, Sylvia Kostin, Irene Dymkar, Deni Mack and myself. We would preach at the noon Mass on Wednesdays, taking turns, and would meet monthly to critique each other’s homilies.“

There is no attempt to even call this preaching a “dialogue homily.” These preachings were, and I quote, “homilies.” In fact, Ms. Mack literally wrote the book on illicit lay preaching:

By the way, check out the first review, emphasis added:

?With great enthusiasm I recommend Extraordinary Preaching. I have the privilege of serving as bishop of the local church to which these women bring such wonderful gifts. They have given strength and hope to my life, and I know they have done the same for thousands of others in our local church. They love and live the Word, have a deep reverence for the human story, and possess an uncommon ability to draw them together in a way that puts our hearers in touch with God and their own hearts.? ? Bishop Matthew Clark, Diocese of Rochester, N.Y.“

Once again, you’re going to have a difficult time convincing me that our bishop is unaware about what’s going on. He has stated time and time again that he wishes that women could give homilies. We witness this weekly in our parishes, where laywomen preach illicitly during the homily in direct contradiction to the norms of the Catholic Church.

In addition to Bishop Clark’s glowing review of Ms. Mack’s book, a Presbyterian Minister in Rochester (head of the church where Spiritus Christi holds their services) also wrote a review of interest. Here is what she said:

“The book is much more than a feast of excellent preaching; it is also a deep well of spirituality, a witness to the ?ordination by the Spirit? that is the fountainhead of true priesthood. Each woman in turn became a minister to me as I read her words and was moved, comforted, shaken and challenged by unexpected new understandings of the Word.”

This minister appears to be suggesting that the women preachers profiled in the book are ordained by the Holy Spirit, which is, and I quote, “the fountainhead of true priesthood.” This is a very interesting comment. Come on, the Protestants can clearly see what’s going on in the Diocese of Rochester, why can’t us Catholics? Laywomen in our diocese are essentially being elevated to near-priest status when they are permitted to preach homilies, run parishes, and take on significant involvement in the liturgy and certain sacraments.

If you think all of this so far is an eyebrow raiser, get a load of this next item. Ms. Mack is listed on the Gay Alliance of the Genesse Valley Website as a “lay presider/preacher for our song-filled Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Word.” This can be viewed online here. This is not the first time that she has lead Liturgy of the Word services for this homosexual group, as the Website states that she “returns” to this role. Ms. Mack will also be leading yet another upcoming service for another Rochester homosexual group. This time it will be for “Dignity-Integrity Rochester” on March 14th. The ad for the upcoming service is seen below:

These services for Dignity-Integrity of Rochester are held at St. Luke & St. Simon Cyrene, an Episcopal church located in downtown Rochester. If you are still not yet outraged by all of this, you certainly will be after reading the following description of what these “Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Word” services involve:

“On the second Sunday, our Liturgy of the Word is in the Roman Catholic tradition, and it is led by a layperson who has studied theology or has other suitable qualifications. The service has many of the elements of a Mass, with a few extra features thrown in [Oh? "A few extra features"?], but no communion. Nevertheless, it does fulfill your Sunday obligation, and it’s based on the Roman Catholic guidelines for Sunday celebrations in the absence of a priest [A blatant abuse, and bold-faced lie. This does not in any way fulfill your Sunday obligation to attend Mass, and such services are only permitted when a priest is not available; not just out of convenience or other questionable motives...]. The presiders and homilists are people who would undoubtedly make great priests if the Roman Catholic church was fully open to the gifts of women and married men [Incredible dissent. Now it's clear that the purpose of these services is to promote the "advancement of the laity" and let women and married men play priest. The Vatican needs to be made aware of this immediately. This can not continue]. Following the service, there is a coffee hour social starting around 6:15 PM.

For a sample of this Liturgy of the Word (including our prophetic “Liturgy of the Stones” [See here]), visit the liturgical resource site STICKS & STONES / FLESH & BLOOD: Liturgical images and movements that speak to experience at www.mjnicosia.webs.com.”

This whole thing is disturbing. These Liturgy of the Word services for homosexual groups are called “Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest” and are mistakenly said to fulfill your Sunday obligation (see previous CF post on this topic). This group further states that these services give opportunities to preside to those who would “undoubtedly make good priests”. Women and married men are not ordained priests in the Roman Catholic Church. There is no “would make good priests” about it, especially when it comes to the ordination of women, which is clearly impossible based upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s worth mentioning that Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest MUST be authorized by the bishop. The persons leading such liturgies MUST have the bishop’s permission. This begs the question: Has Bishop Clark permitted these SCAP services for homosexual groups, and given permission for Ms. Deni Mack to lead them? I hope someone will contact the diocese to find out about this. The Diocese needs to be informed about these services, the nature of them, and how Dignity-Integrity views the role of these laywomen and married men based on what is written on their Website.

All of this information raises several questions:
1. Why do so many Pastoral Administrators and Associates in our diocese have ties to the Women’s Ordination Conference? Why are these women permitted to preach when a requirement for preaching is that the person is orthodox in faith? (support for women’s ordination making this orthodoxy doubtful)
2. Has the Diocese of Rochester, namely Bishop Clark, authorized Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest to be held at St. Luke’s Episcopal for homosexual groups? Who has been authorized to lead such services if this is true?
3. How can the diocese justify Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest (SCAP) when this provision only applies to situat
ions where no priest can be found, and no Masses are being held within a reasonable traveling distance?
4. How can the diocese justify SCAP services when the group they are provided for views these services as a chance for women and married men to play priest?
5. How can the diocese justify SCAP services that fail to follow the rubrics for such a service, and include a “Liturgy of the Stones”?

Tags: , , , , , ,
Comments: 36 Comments »

Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest

February 17th, 2010, Promulgated by Dr. K

In a post earlier today, we mentioned that Church of the Assumption held a “Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest” in place of its 4 PM Saturday vigil Mass (not the first time they have had one of these). You may view the video online. When I watched the video, I asked myself, “Is this appropriate and necessary?” Not knowing much about the norms surrounding such services, I didn’t think further about the topic. A post just now from a reader inquiring about these Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest (SCAP) pressed me into looking at what the Church has to say about such services.

First, you may want to watch the video here.

A layperson speaks at the beginning explaining why Assumption is having a SCAP instead of a priest-led Mass. Here is what she says:
“[The priest who would normally preside was]…stranded in Atlanta yesterday. God-willing, he is getting on a plane shortly down there, but he was in an extremely long line trying to get things changed. Deacon Bob will be leading this service. We will be having Holy Communion and we have followed diocesan procedures in situations where we… emergency situations such as this where we can not have a priest to celebrate Mass.”

Let’s take a look at the source for such a religious service, the “Directory for Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest.” Here are passages of interest that appear to have not been considered by Church of the Assumption prior to holding this priest-less service:

The very first condition under which such a SCAP service is permitted is “18. Whenever and wherever Mass cannot be celebrated on Sunday, the first thing to be ascertained is whether the faithful can go to a church in a place nearby to participate there in the eucharistic mystery. At the present time this solution is to be recommended and to be retained where it is in effect; but it demands that the faithful, rightly imbued with a fuller understanding of the Sunday assembly, respond with good will to a new situation.”

It appears that if there is another Mass being offered nearby, then such a service would prove unnecessary. St. Joseph in Penfield, which according to Mapquest is a mere eight minutes away from Church of the Assumption, has a Mass at 5 PM on Saturday. This would allow the people of Assumption who wanted to attend a Saturday vigil Mass plenty of time to go over to St. Joseph. There are also St. John of Rochester, Church of the Resurrection, St. Jerome, and St. Louis within reasonable driving distances of ten minutes or less.

Additionally, the following issue is also present:

“21. It is imperative that the faithful be taught to see the substitutional character of these celebrations, which should not be regarded as the optimal solution to new difficulties nor as a surrender to mere convenience. Therefore a gathering or assembly of this kind can never be held on a Sunday in places where Mass has already been celebrated or is to be celebrated or was celebrated on the preceding Saturday evening, even if the Mass is celebrated in a different language. Nor is it right to have more than one assembly of this kind on any given Sunday.”

If one watches the other Assumption videos for this past weekend, it can be seen that they had Masses the following day… three of them in fact. The document states that a SCAP service may not be celebrated if there is to be a Mass celebrated there.

I find it hard to believe that not only was it impossible for Fr. Palumbos or Fr. Loncle to offer this liturgy, but that the Assumption leadership was unable to locate a fill-in priest for one Mass. St. Joseph, which is again only eight minutes away, has four priests in residence. Surely one of these men could have offered Mass at Assumption. These SCAP services are intended for emergency situations when there is no priest available to offer Mass, not just out of convenience for the people who attend.

Simply put, a Communion Service is not a worthy substitute for the Holy Mass. These services present one a great potential for disaster, as such services could be abused so as to give the laity a chance to “lead” worship on a regular basis (hint: Women’s Ordination Conference members playing priest). I encourage all to be on watch for this, especially in the Diocese of Rochester.

If one thinks that they have satisfied their Sunday obligation by attending this service at Assumption, read the following from Ecclesiae de Mysterio:

“For the same reasons, it should be emphasised for the benefit of those participating, that such celebrations cannot substitute for the eucharistic Sacrifice and that the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday and Holy days is satisfied only by attendance at Holy Mass.“

Now, I am no canonist, but based on this passage, it sounds as though the people who attended did not satisfy their Sunday obligation to attend Holy Mass.

Tags: , ,
Comments: 8 Comments »

Another Illicit Lay Homily At Assumption

February 17th, 2010, Promulgated by Dr. K

If illicit lay homilies are your thing, you might enjoy the one seen in this Church of the Assumption Mass video from February 14th. The lay preacher begins to work her magic at 27 minutes 30 seconds into the video, and speaks for a solid 9-10 minutes. A lay homily was given at their 8:30 AM Mass, 11:00 AM Mass (linked above), and 4 PM Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest (You’re going to tell me that none of the four priests over at St. Joseph were available to fill in for the two Assumption priests who couldn’t make it to offer that Mass?)

For Church documentation clearly explaining that lay homilies/reflections/pretend “dialogues” outside of children Masses are not permitted, read this article.

Tags: ,
Comments: 3 Comments »

Said Ben Trumps Said Ed

February 2nd, 2010, Promulgated by Gen

The following was sent to us from a devoted supporter, and was found in the January 17, 2010 bulletin for the Church of the Assumption.

Note carefully the second sentence of the second paragraph of this juvenile bit of writing: “At the same time, we should continue to advocate for a change in the Church’s policy regarding who can respond to a call to ordained ministry.” Bear in mind, this from the priest who wears earrings in public. This sentence contains so many errors, it’s nearly impossible to begin. First off, “we should continue to advocate for a change” insinuates that we, the members of the Church, have the authority and the ability to change Her Mystical Body. We have no more ability to ordain women as priests as we do to tell our eyes “smell the incense.” It’s just impossible. It’s been established as it is for 2,000 years. What gives someone the absolutely unmitigated arrogance to take it upon themselves to change this? It was divinely instituted – Tradition has upheld it – martyrs have been killed for it – and yet we, in the tumult of the 21st century think that our meager half-century of experience entitles us to deform our Church.
Now, of course, we can delve even deeper into this treasure trove of sedition. ” . . . regarding who can respond to a call to ordained ministry.” God doesn’t call someone to something if they are unable to achieve it. I am not called to give birth. I may envy a mother’s ability to nourish her young, to literally carry life within her, but I cannot have it. It is a thing wholly unique to motherhood. No matter how strong a desire is, sometimes you have to realize that it does not come from God. I would never dream of actually “desiring” motherhood, partially because I don’t look too good in maternity clothing, but also because I respect the sanctity of that vocation – motherhood. If a woman feels called by God to be a priest, she should look inside herself. Vocations come from God, not from self.
Persis beautifully pointed this out a while back on her blog when she noted, “Did I want to be a priest(ess) for God’s glory, or for my own?”

Tags: ,
Comments: 3 Comments »

More Dissent In A Parish Bulletin

January 14th, 2010, Promulgated by Dr. K

Fr. Edward Palumbos, pastor of Church | of | the | Assumption (each word has a link for your reading pleasure) in Fairport, apparently is displeased that the Church isn’t inclusive enough when it comes to the ordination of priests. So he takes the time to use his parish bulletin to take a shot at the Church’s disciplines and/or teachings:

“For this reason, and many others, we need to be much more serious about encouraging young men to consider the ordained ministry. At the same time, we should continue to advocate for a change in the Church’s policy regarding who can respond to a call to ordained ministry. A change in our Church’s policy will take time. For the immediate future, we need to encourage those who respond to the call, and give them our prayerful support.”

The good father declines to elaborate on what exactly he means when he says “who can respond to a call”… perhaps its best that he does not. For if he is referring to ordaining women, such a thing has been infallibly declared impossible over a decade ago. Its a dead issue, so get over it progressives.

He also signed the What If We Just Said Wait petition, for what it’s worth.

Tags: ,
Comments: 1 Comment »

Christmas Mass Creativity

December 10th, 2009, Promulgated by Dr. K

Seriously, is there some competition I don’t know about between our area parishes to see who can come up with the goofiest idea to interject into the Mass? The Church of the Assumption unveils their entry into this contest with the following idea for their Christmas Mass:

“We will also ask boys and girls to hold up pictures of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, angels, shepherds, and animals when they are mentioned in the reading of the gospel at these Masses”

When we have a Filipino Mass, we embrace the Filipino traditions, when we have a regular Roman Catholic Mass, we need to turn it into a show. Come on people, this really isn’t necessary.

Tags: ,
Comments: 3 Comments »

More Lay Homilies

November 11th, 2009, Promulgated by Dr. K

Above is a screen shot of a laywoman preaching during the homily at a Church of the Assumption Mass. If you can stomach watching the video of the Mass, it is embedded below. The entire Mass was a liturgical abuse filled nightmare. When will people stop turning the worship of our Lord into a personal plaything?

Before somebody says it, I think she’s just wearing a scarf.

Past Assumption posts here and here. Remember folks, our area’s problems are not all at St. Anne and Good Shepherd. There are plenty of churches in our area that ignore the Church’s rubrics concerning the liturgy and turn the Mass into a spectacle.

Nod of the miter to Rochchacha. See also this post at Ten Reasons.

Tags: ,
Comments: 11 Comments »

For Fans of Illegal Lay Preaching During the Mass

October 15th, 2009, Promulgated by Dr. K

From the upcoming Church of the Assumption bulletin:

“This weekend, we welcome Paul Wilkes as a guest preacher. Paul is the author of many books on renewal and spiritual growth, among them Excellent Catholic Parishes: the Guide to Best Places and Practices, and has spoken in many other Catholic churches around the country. He is married, has two sons, lives in Washington D.C., preaches retreats and has written many books and articles on faith. This weekend he comes to us to inspire the beginning of what we are calling Spirit ACTS.”

If there is any doubt that the above-mentioned preaching will occur during the liturgy, the following is found on the second page of the bulletin: “Paul Wilkes preaching at all Masses.”

Mr. Paul Wilkes (above)

Just in case any are wondering about the orthodoxy of this individual invited to speak during Masses, here are some excerpts from his writings. The following is a “litmus test” published by Mr. Wilkes (available here) that he created to judge Pope Benedict XVI at the time of his elevation to the papacy, very much emphasis added:

“I want to put before you a series of questions, a series of litmus tests, so that we can better evaluate this man – with the incredibly difficult job he has – in the months ahead.

…

  • How is the pope doing in reaching out to those on the margins of the Church, the less-than-perfect, lapsed, or alienated Catholics?
  • Does he show an understanding that there is an “ideal” church of Rome and a “real” church for most people? [And this should change. There is but one, holy, Roman Catholic Church. The real Church should be the ideal Church.]
  • Has he appointed women and lay people to positions that were previously the province of the clergy? [Like what exactly? Lay homilists?]
  • Has he appointed pastoral leaders not only loyalists to key positions, as new bishops? [pastora; = progressive buzz word. Remember, Bishop Clark was called a "pastoral" bishop at the time of his appointment]
  • In his talks and in his actions, do we sense the emphasis is more on ?obeying the Church? or ?encountering the Christ? in the lives of everyday people?
  • Has he allowed theologians to creatively explore paths to God and to freely express their ideas, even those that he might have issue with? [Rev. McBrien?]
  • Is he giving individual bishops and national bishops? conferences leeway in seeing the needs and governing in their home dioceses? [Leeway meaning deviations from the rubrics and liturgical norms, correct?]
  • Is the pope actively seeking the input of his bishops in the governance of the worldwide Church?
  • Instead of papal proclamations from Rome, are we witnessing letters written in collaboration with the laity and clergy from various parts of the world–letters that respond pastorally to church issues? [The Church is not a democracy. The Church also does not alter itself to suit passing whims]
  • Synods are meetings on a special issue that seek a wide input so that the Church can better function. Are synods under Benedict XVI open to varying points of view, and does the final report accurately portray what the participants brought up? [As long as these views are not heretical]
  • On the “hot button” issues like optional celibacy, women?s ordination, homosexuality, free theological expression — is the pope listening to those who have views different from his own? [Women's ordination being infallibly impossible]
  • Will he support more imaginative thinking on issues that vex the church? [Indeed he has. Summorum Pontificum and the SSPX doctrinal discussions come to mind]
  • Is the pope making honest gestures of sorrow toward the many men and women abused by priests and nuns, admonishing the bishops involved in the cover-up, and insisting on preventive measures?
  • Is he a pope of the people or of the Curia? [Can't he just be the Pope of the Catholic Church? Must it be either/or?]
  • Is he reaching out in humility and candor to other faiths whose gateway to God is not Jesus Christ? [We're not Unitarians!]
  • Do we have a sense that this is a new and exciting era in the Catholic Church…or not?” [New and exciting? Mass attendance is at an all-time low. I think we need less excitement, and more reverence]

    • Can anyone say “cafeteria Catholicism.” Here is a review by fellow blogger, Rich Leonardi, of one of Mr. Wilkes’ books: click here.

    Mr. Wilkes is also the author of Good Enough Catholic.

    Tags: ,
    Comments: 5 Comments »

    Why it’s not a good idea to post your Mass videos on the Web

    October 9th, 2009, Promulgated by Dr. K

    Because everyone can see liturgical irregularities and innovations like the following (with no effort I might add):

    Eight chalices, seven of which are lined up on the left side of the altar. All appear to be ceramic. From Redemptionis Sacramentum #117: “Reprobated, therefore, is any practice of using for the celebration of Mass common vessels, or others lacking in quality, or devoid of all artistic merit or which are mere containers, as also other vessels made from glass, earthenware, clay, or other materials that break easily.”

    A plethora of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (wouldn’t St. Louis Church be jealous…). From Redemptionis Sacramentum #151: “Only out of true necessity is there to be recourse to the assistance of extraordinary ministers in the celebration of the Liturgy. Such recourse is not intended for the sake of a fuller participation of the laity but rather, by its very nature, is supplementary and provisional.”

    Giant hand-holding circle during the Our Father. The circle begins in the sanctuary, and extends to the congregation. From the USCCB: “No position is prescribed in the present Sacramentary for an assembly gesture during the Lord?s Prayer.”

    Priest giving homily outside of the sanctuary. “The priest, standing at the chair or at the ambo itself or, when appropriate, in another suitable place, gives the homily” (GIRM #136) . Roving around outside the sanctuary does not appear to be suitable.

    Deacon using a boom box during a Children’s Mass homily while everyone is seated at the edge of the sanctuary. From De Musica Sacra, #71 “The use of automatic instruments and machines, such as the automatic organ, phonograph, radio, tape or wire recorders, and other similar machines, is absolutely forbidden in liturgical functions and private devotions.” Also, see above regarding location of the delivery of the homily. It’s worth mentioning that this is closer to an actual dialogue homily than anything you’ll see involving our diocese’s “authorized lay preachers.”

    Laity extending their hands in blessing. “Lay people, within the context of Holy Mass, are unable to confer blessings. These blessings, rather, are the competence of the priest” (From CDW Prot. No. 930/08/L)

    Turning the Mass into a spectacle. Here the priest is blessing
    the (very many) sacristans and EMHC of the parish who were in attendance.

    I hope our next bishop will do a better job of catechizing the faithful, priests included, of what is and is not appropriate during our Roman Catholic liturgies. I highly doubt that these leaders have bad intentions, but the rubrics and Vatican instructions exist for a reason; and that reason is to promote reverence and order in the worship of our Lord. I hope this is not an example of the “vibrant worship” that is so desirable among our diocesan leaders and pastoral planning groups. All this really is is a bunch of eye candy to create a certain visual appeal for the congregation.

    Tags: ,
    Comments: 31 Comments »

    The Disturbing Diocese of Rochester CMA Video

    August 27th, 2009, Promulgated by Dr. K

    Here are several stills from the Diocese of Rochester’s newest CMA video put online a couple days ago. Such disrespect for St. Stanislaus Church, a House of God.


    Singing guitarist on the front steps of St. Stanislaus


    Choir stationed inside St. Stanislaus altar rail in front of side altar,
    another choir stationed in front of the other side altar



    Our guitarist friend parades inside and outside of St. Stanislaus Church

    This is a house of God, not a site for promo videos and hand-clapping! All of this going on within the altar rail in front of the tabernacle.

    The video also promotes a rather bizarre version of Roman Catholicism that progressives hold dear. Here are some images for your “inspiration”:


    “Charismatic” Catholicism


    The Nazi salute.
    “Lay people, within the context of Holy Mass, are unable to confer blessings. These blessings, rather, are the competence of the priest” (CDWDS Prot.No. 930/08/L)


    Waving around banners in the opening procession.

    And of course countless images of people holding hands during the Lord’s Prayer, something that is not found within the rubrics:



    July 15th, 2012 can not come soon enough.

    Update 8.28.09- Fallacies and Fashions has posted a transcript of the entire video with commentary. Do read it. Also check out Ten Reasons’ take.

    Tags: , , ,
    Comments: 35 Comments »