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Cowboy churches growing in U.S.
Religion and Spirituality ^
| July 25, 2006
Posted on 07/27/2006 11:36:28 AM PDT by NYer
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1
posted on
07/27/2006 11:36:29 AM PDT
by
NYer
To: NYer
2
posted on
07/27/2006 11:39:37 AM PDT
by
MNJohnnie
(Fire Murtha Now! Spread the word. Support Diana Irey. http://www.irey.com/)
To: NYer
What nonsense.
The only "Cowboy Churches" should be when real cowboys go to church.
To: american colleen; Lady In Blue; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; ...
Hidden Hero - Father Julian Cassar
|
Father Julian Cassar, Oregon mission priest. |
|
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Palm Sunday Mass. |
|
|
Blessing the animals. |
He winds his way up an icy ridge, near Oregon's 6,151-foot Dooley Mountain to get to his little mission chapel in Unity, counting 129 hairpin turns. Under his quickening breath, Father Julian Cassar murmurs,
"God, please be my co-pilot
"
It's another day in the life of this mission priest in the Diocese of Baker, who is not the type to stay in his rectory and wait for people to come to him. "I try to go in search of the lost sheep myself, and have retrieved quite a few, " he said.
Father Julian tends to the flock in three mission chapels in this vast, craggy, breathtakingly beautiful region of the country: North Powder, Halfway, and Unity. He covers many miles, regularly making an 80-mile round trip to visit a sick parishioner, and keeping himself company in his car with Beethoven and Fats Domino cassettes. It's a quite a change from his native homeland of the tiny island or Malta - and the hustle and bustle of New York City, his assignment before coming to Oregon.
To accommodate the influx of Mexican orchard workers who gather in this area during the planting and harvest seasons, he offers Mass in Spanish - and has seen attendance go from a dozen or so to several dozen.
Money is tight, but a subsidy from Catholic Extension helps. "I've seen Catholic Extension tags on various vestments and altar furnishings," Father Julian said. "Catholic Extension donations helped build nearly all the churches I've served in."
For that support, Father Julian is grateful. He's also awestruck by the generosity of his hardworking parishioners, who "give to the Church as much as they receive from her." Father Julian keeps a parish fund for the needy, and every week, a handful of his parishioners are helped with food vouchers, gas for their stranded cars or trucks, an electricity bill, a rent payment - or even - in a dire emergency - a night in a local motel.
In the Diocese of Baker, which covers two-thirds of the state, Catholics amount to only 9 percent of the population - a situation that delights the traveling priest. Why? "Simply because there is the possibility of reaching out to make converts."
4
posted on
07/27/2006 11:44:38 AM PDT
by
NYer
To: MNJohnnie
You are really showing your low-class character today. Be proud.
5
posted on
07/27/2006 11:59:31 AM PDT
by
B4Ranch
(Illegal immigration Control and US Border Security - The jobs George W. Bush refuses to do.)
To: NYer
Real vestments!
What a lovely sight to see for the blessing of the animals!
6
posted on
07/27/2006 12:04:14 PM PDT
by
netmilsmom
(To attack one section of Christianity in this day and age, is to waste time.)
To: MNJohnnie
7
posted on
07/27/2006 12:08:39 PM PDT
by
Gamecock
(""Jesus came to raise the dead. He did not come to teach the teachable." Robert Farrar Capon)
To: NYer; Alex Murphy
I saw the headline and figured Alex was posting something from Lark News. Yee Haw!
8
posted on
07/27/2006 12:21:49 PM PDT
by
siunevada
(If we learn nothing from history, what's the point of having one? - Peggy Hill)
To: siunevada; NYer; Gamecock
I saw the headline and figured Alex was posting something from Lark News. Yee Haw! ROTFL! My reputation preceedeth me! You should know better. Had it been one of mine, they'd have been cowboy midgets or something.
9
posted on
07/27/2006 12:29:46 PM PDT
by
Alex Murphy
(Colossians 4:6)
To: siunevada; Alex Murphy
10
posted on
07/27/2006 12:30:02 PM PDT
by
Gamecock
("Jesus came to raise the dead. He did not come to teach the teachable." Robert Farrar Capon)
To: NYer
I'd prefer a "cowboy" type Christian Church to the majority of "churches" found in my neck of the woods.
11
posted on
07/27/2006 1:58:52 PM PDT
by
colorcountry
( Run with scissors???? I can barely jog my memory)
To: colorcountry
Spent last week in Minneapolis at my wife's family reunion. We went to a elderly care home where her 99 year old aunt and grandmother of Ted Ullyot former chief of staff of Alberto Gonzales now resides. A charming little Norwegian pastoress was in charge of the service honoring this strong line of Norwegians from South Dakota. A very special day it was! Should have seen the surprised looks of the TBM's after feeling the special spirit this woman evoked. Lutherans: Only True Church!
12
posted on
07/27/2006 3:33:56 PM PDT
by
Utah Binger
(Southern Utah, where the world comes to see America)
To: Utah Binger
Lutherans are full of it (the Spirit). :-)
Hey, it's nice to see you.
Incoming Freepmail.
13
posted on
07/27/2006 3:59:41 PM PDT
by
colorcountry
( Run with scissors???? I can barely jog my memory)
To: NYer
Catholics amount to only 9 percent of the population - a situation that delights the traveling priest. Why? "Simply because there is the possibility of reaching out to make converts."*************
He's right. Good for him. Nice horse, too.
14
posted on
07/27/2006 4:17:29 PM PDT
by
trisham
(Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
To: NYer
As evangelical Christian congregations within the country and western culture, cowboy churches often meet in a barn or western-themed building. Some have their own rodeo arenas and country bands. Oftentimes, cattle tanks are used for baptisms. When we did this sixty years ago it was because we were having a revival meeting. Ah the old brush arbor days...
15
posted on
07/27/2006 4:20:37 PM PDT
by
Harmless Teddy Bear
(A propensity to hope and joy is real riches; one to fear and sorrow, real poverty)
To: NYer
"We don't want to be a place where people who are disgruntled with the traditional church come to in order to leave their church; we want to be a place for the unchurched," he said. "We certainly have a different atmosphere here it's a Western way of life. But there's really only one church, and that's the Lord's church."unchurched!?
What nonsense.
Church du jour....only in America and other spoiled, materialistic, self-centered societies.
Where DO they come up with such nonsense?
Drugs.
16
posted on
07/27/2006 4:58:54 PM PDT
by
starfish923
(Socrates: It's never right to do wrong.)
To: NYer
"I had not been in church in over 20 years," he said. "I had been hurt in church before. Two years ago, an evangelist stopped by my work, and I was saved right there at work. It goes to show that you don't have to be at an altar in a church to get saved."
_______________________________________
JESUS spent a lot of time preaching outside the temple.
17
posted on
07/27/2006 5:57:19 PM PDT
by
wmfights
(Lead, Follow, or Get Out Of The WAY!)
To: NYer; B4Ranch
18
posted on
07/27/2006 7:55:54 PM PDT
by
Brian Allen
("In war there is no substitute for victory." General Douglas MacArthur)
To: NYer
Woodstock churches.
Goth churches.
Hip-hop churches...
19
posted on
07/28/2006 12:46:37 AM PDT
by
Lexinom
To: NYer
Glad to know those clown mass nutjobs can find steady work again. (What cowboy church doesn't need a rodeo clown?)
20
posted on
07/28/2006 11:41:04 AM PDT
by
dangus
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