Posted on 12/21/2010 7:12:08 PM PST by Salvation
Yes, for God all points of time are present in their immediacy so all the suffering, physical and emotional and any other in light of Christ becomes a holy suffering moving us closer to Our Lord...the core knows this well.
Contact the Bishop. Don’t let that silly reason prevent you from Mass. The Mass is about Jesus; about God. It’s not about the Priests or the Congregation. We are there to behold.
Record numbers coming in..................here is just one article........here.
Great web site HERE..............."Catholics Come Home"...........
Thanks for both those links.
Facts speak for themselves, regardless of what some people may call comparisons.
I don't need a Church roof over my head to worship God. To me, Church has always been about community, while worshiping God has been everywhere and everyplace. I met my wife at Church. It's where my friends and I went to our first 8 years of school. It's where my Cub/Boy Scout troop met. Where I took music lessons. Played sports. Went to dances. I even signed up for an NRA gun safety course in the late 60's right there in the school/Church cafeteria. And yes, it's where I grew up worshiping God next to my parents and my grandparents in the pews, and as an Altar Boy.
Now I live in a small (remote) farming town in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley. I've tried to connect with the Priest. Offered to make him a web page so that newcomers can find him. (Was too scary for him - might get hacked or something) I offered to provide him with computer technical support, but he's computer illiterate and seems to want to stay that way. I offered to perform odd jobs for them... carpentry, etc... but there's more than enough illegal Mexican manual labor around, so I'm not needed in that capacity.
In short, I didn't feel welcome. His inner sanctuary of parishioners are all Mexicans, because that's the people with whom he can relate. Most Catholics around here are Mexicans. I don't fit in with their culture, and I'm just not going to drive 20 miles every single Sunday to go to Church with people that I'll only see on Sundays at Church. I've done that drive many times already, but it's not what I'm looking for.
I think I was spoiled as a kid with an awesome Parish.
So I only go regularly to Mass once per month (new Moon Saturdays) when a good astronomy friend of mine (retired Monsignor) says Mass in a remote town up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and I drive up there with my telescope . After Mass we go observing together.
I've been close to Priests before, as more than a parishioner. One of my very best friends I grew up with was just appointed a Bishop last year. My favorite astronomy buddy is a retired Monsignor. They're both good friends, and intellectual/spiritual giants. I respect them immensely, and would be in the front row every Sunday if only I lived in their parishes.
Anyway, I appreciate all of you trying to save me from mortal sin, but I just don't feel that type of relationship with God. And if it turns out I'm wrong, I hold no grudge against him. It is what it is and I am who I am. We'll all sleep in the bed that we've made when the time comes.
The attendance at my parish is 'steady' only because we hit bottom twenty years ago. It's hard to get lower than bottom.
Fifteen years ago my parish was closed. This was not because we had too many attendees to fit in the building.
Our new merged parish is about to close the school, at least there are continuous discussions about the number of empty desks in it.
About a month ago our Archdiocese announced it was closing several more parishes including the one in which I grew up.
I attend Midnight Mass almost every Christmas. When I was a kid at Midnight Mass they had to put a speaker in the vestibule so the people that had no hope of fitting into the fairly large church could listen to the rite and at least say they were in the building for the event.
Tomorrow night we won't likely fill more than half the church, and ours doesn't come close to holding the number of people as that one in my youth.
Perhaps they are doing better elsewhere. I hope so.
We should just call it FreeAdvice (FA)
Our awesome pastor is having a Latin Mass at 11am on Christmas Day—what a great present!
I was born in 1964 and don’t remember when every Mass was said in Latin-—but I am in love with it now. :)
At least watch Mass on EWTN?
If your television provider doesn’t have it, or you don’t have a television, you can watch it online.
They broadcast it at 8am Eastern, then again at 12pm-—should be 9am your time? Then again at 7pm Eastern.
God bless you and walk in the Holy Spirit. :)
“Look for Confession hours posted”
The Cathedral in this diocese offers confession from 4 to 4:30 on Saturday afternoons, except during the week before Easter, when they hold that there is a “Catholic tradition” of not offering that Sacrament.
There’s even a sign to the effect that the priest has to knock off exactly at 4:30 to get ready for Mass.
Every parish in this diocese has electric Masses: you know you’re going to get a shock; you just don’t know what it’s going to be.
Tuesday morning, for instance, the priest had no servers, and he ad-libbed during Mass.
I don’t attend Mass anymore because of medical problems. I miss going. And to make matters worse, am now without transportation. Had to scrap the vehicle. No one from my parish lives in this neighborhood, and don’t know anybody from the ones closer to me. Thank God Midnight Christmas Mass from the Vatican is available on network TV!
Arrgggh, you are kidding? No penance before Easter? Since when???
Although our attendance during the Mass is not what I'd like it to be, I am pleased that our numbers have remained pretty consistant over the past several years.
Merry Christmas!
I live far away from my family and I was remembering how as a child, we visited my grandparents every Sunday. We saw my Aunt and her family every week.
I’ve been feeling lonely living here and I prayed and told the Lord about it. (Like He doesn’t already know!) I miss visiting my family on Sundays.
He said in my heart “Then come by and visit me!” My parish has a Eucharistic Adoration Chapel that is open 24/7 (with a key code you have to have for security reasons these days).
I did last Sunday, and it was wonderful. :)
(We also have an ongoing Novena to the Miraculous Medal and Benediction on Tuesday evenings.)
It’s so wonderful that our beautiful traditions are returning!
I did, and Lord willing, I’ll do
Steve, you must be in the Twin Cities. How is that planning process going?
Bump to your post.
Bump to your post.
As our population ages, this will be an even bigger problem.
As a candidate for the diaconate, I am starting to make home visit in our parish. You have every right to contact your parish priest and have someone come by to give you communion. Ordinarily there are any number of people in the parish that will do that.
www.ewtn.com
Try that, my friend.
I love listening to daily Mass during the week while I’m working in the morning. (I work from home.)
You’ll also see the Midnight Mass from St Peter’s in its entirety as well. (no commercials, no stoppage of coverage at Holy Communion).
Many years ago my son and I as his careprovider went to our local Parish and I was almost always in tears after Catechism for him due to the snobbery from some Parishiners.
One year we show up for his Confirmation Class and those in power (not the Preist who has since left the Catholic Church) moved the class up a flight of stairs and had the Preist meet us there to let us know it was not accessible and the “teens” had decided to keep it that way....
Well many years late we found a very small Parish down south and went to Adult Catechism both recieved our Holy Confirmation.
Due to sons severe disability Father who is very conservative and does not mince words and who I Love/Respect like a Father I never had comes to our home every other week and we Recieve Holy Eucharist.
Even my physician says Father is the best thing that ever happen to our family in having a trusted person we can turn to.
Don’t throw in the towel and remember there is those that need Eucharist brought to them at home if that would interest you as a service.
We have even had Mass in our home.
Remember it is not God our Father but the misguided Parishiners that are to be held accountable in the end.
Perservere.
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