Archdiocese Cracks Down on St Stephen's Parish in Minneapolis (insiders look at their service)

Northland Catholic ^

[NYer]

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St Joan of Arc Parish in Minneapolis has long had a world-wide reputation as one of the most rebellious and dissident Catholic parishes in the U.S. That is not correct. While they maybe have been dissident, what they really excelled in was their public relations and their web page. They made sure that everyone who might have been interested knew what they were doing.

St Stephen's Parish, a couple miles to the north of them in the Stephens Square neighborhood of Minneapolis, matched SJA in their tremendous social outreach ministries to the poor and needy of the city. And it far surpassed them in their refusal to observe the requirements that the Catholic Church has for all of its parishes around the world.

After having attended a couple of services at SJA, last Spring I attended one at St Stephen's. I knew one of its parishioners and suspected that there were problems far exceeding those that were known about with the "Joanies."

At the time, there was a deacon assigned as the "Parish Life Administrator" and a priest assigned for the 11:15 service as the "Sacramental Minister." His duties seemed mostly to look uncomfortable while the laity of St Stephen's fully participated in the service, often leaving him in his chair, off to the side. The deacon lived in a distant suburb. The Parish Pouncil pretty much ran the parish.

The "Sacramental Minister" and a woman walked together up to the altar, took their microphones and the "Mass" began with the female “minister” welcoming everyone and asking visitors to introduce themselves. The "Sacramental Minister" then said the introductory prayers and then stepped back and let the female “minister” lead the congregation in saying the Kyrie Eleison.

Then a middle aged man gave the second reading, the Epistle, letting us know that it would be accompanied by a poem by an environmental poet. It was Earth Day. Halfway through the reading, a woman (possibly his wife) joined the lector and assisted him in finishing the poem. Relieved, thinking to myself, well I’m glad that’s over, now we can get down to the meat of the Mass.

But the Sacramental Minister, legs crossed, looking extremely uncomfortable, remained seated next to the female “minister” and the couple proceeded to read the Gospel, taking turns. The couple remained at the microphone and then proceeded to give the homily, again in turn.

After the Gospel/Homily abomination, the Creed was omitted and there were “General Intercessions” coming from various members of the congregation. The Sacramental Minister remained seated, still ill at ease, crossing and uncrossing his legs, leaning over his knees, hands in his pocket, while the female “minister” continued to control the flow of the service.

At this time, I declared to myself that I was not in attendance at a Mass and made my plans to go elsewhere at 5:00 to a St Paul parish.

It got worse. The gifts were presented, pita bread and the de rigueur Kool Aid pitchers of wine, normally used by dissenting parishes. The Sacramental Minister remained seated. They were presented to laypeople. At this point, I started to lose track of what was going on. There was just too much wrong.

The female “minister” then said the priest’s “Blessed are you Lord” prayer while the Sacramental Minister watched.

Then at the “consecration” of the host and the wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, THE ENTIRE CONGREGATION RECITED THE WORDS OF THE CONSECRATION ALONG WITH THE PRIEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He resumed saying the Eucharistic Prayer and when he raised the platter of pita bread at the “Great Amen”, THE FEMALE "MINISTER" RAISED THE K-MART GLASS GOBLET OF WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PRECIOUS BLOOD UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

There was more, including the fact that the Extraordinary Ministers assumed the lead in the distribution of Communion and the Sacramental Minister had to search for people who wanted it from him.

I won't document the errors; you can pretty well see them for yourself.

[livius]

These people are so pathetic. It looks primarily like a gathering of the over-50 crowd (actually, over-60 might be a better fit) combined with the - er, “rainbow” crowd.

The sad thing was that they had a bishop that let this go on for decades, and even more so, that Rome let that bishop let it go on for decades. JPII may have been a lovely man, but he was no administrator and he left these horrible bishops in place to completely run wild over the Faith.

[AliVeritas]

Harmless?

(Shakes head)

[narses]

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[Gerish]

No offense to some of my fellow FR’s, but I see a lot of whiteheads in the crowd. Some people just don’t understand that the 60’s ARE OVER!

[NYer]

Color me skeptical -- my own observation has been that the left is more into self-congratulation and government agencies and feel-good cr@p that benefits no one than they go for actual charity.

Excellent observation! In the more 'progressive' dioceses (though here it is limited to 2 parishes), the emphasis is on feeding the poor. The Rochester and Albany NY dioceses are rife with these outreach programs while their parishes are now being turned over to Lay Ecclesial Ministers, just like St. Stephen's. There is no bishop to reel them in for these liturgical abuses. If anything, the bishop is supportive. Bottom line - the more lay involvement, the greater the level of abuse. These folks are not trained in liturgy; they do what the "think" or "believe" or "feel" is 'What Jesus would do!'.

[NYer]

they are really harmless and will fade away, as the elderly of the parish pass on there will not be a younger generation to take their place.

Don't bank on that! Last year we posted an article about a young woman in CA who decided to become a priest(ess). This movement may not be large but it has expanded to a younger generation that feels justified in demanding their 'rights'.

[AlaninSA]

What’s especially sad is that SJA wasn’t always like this. I often attended SJA while a student at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

What I remember was a fairly traditional...and beautiful...church with a very welcoming community. It’s been corrupted...and that’s a real tragedy. This is an old French parish - and in a historic portion of Minneapolis.

[A.A. Cunningham]

but they are really harmless and will fade away

You probably harbor the same feelings about gangrene.

[BaBaStooey]

And I just read John Beevers’ biography on the courageous St. Joan, whom I love very dearly, and she would most definitely not approve.

[tiki]

My first thought was “Oh, my!” My second thought was, “They’re Protestant.”

I know people like this, they celebrate themselves. It is all about them and what they are doing, it is being up on stage and being seen. They go to Mass to feed their egos.

On another note, our parish too had the glass “goblets” until I said the right thing to the right person at the right time in the right manner. Voila! the glass is gone.

[PAR35]

these people are really just enjoying themselves on a Sunday morning.

That's the advantage of being Reformed. We know that the chief end of man is to glorify and enjoy God, not ourselves.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

That’s a problem with some liturgies, the focus is not on God as it should be, but becomes all about us.

[Zero Sum]

Indeed. I see a lot of white, middle-class people in that moblet - I don’t see any of the poor and homeless in their “gathering place.”

Looks like a bunch of Piskies.

[maryz]

Now that the TLM is back at Holy Trinity (at 9am!!!!),

How long has this been going on? I knew they were planning it, but didn't know it had started!

[maryz]

In the more 'progressive' dioceses (though here it is limited to 2 parishes), the emphasis is on feeding the poor.

Not sure of your point here -- what's wrong with feeding the poor (as long as it's "real" food that people would actually want to eat)? My suspicion is that in a lot of these programs, few of the poor actually get fed!

Not exactly on topic, but I remember reading something years ago about Tammany Hall -- in the bad old days, people did in fact sell their votes for a turkey at Thanksgiving. Then the "reformers" moved in. And after that, things were just as corrupt, but no one got a turkey at Thanksgiving any more!

[Serviam1]

http://www.holytrinitygerman.org/

The weekly celebration of the Tridentine Mass will resume at Holy Trinity beginning on Sunday, February 10, (the First Sunday in Lent). The Tridentine Mass will be celebrated each Sunday at 9:00 AM.

Effective on February 10, the English/German (Novus Ordo) Mass will be moved from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

[conservonator]

On another note, our parish too had the glass “goblets” until I said the right thing to the right person at the right time in the right manner. Voila! the glass is gone.

Please, please, PLEASE tell me what you did to get this done!!! Our priest, who is a decent, hard working and for the most part in line with the GIRM can't seem to abandon the use of glass goblets used by our platoon of ECM's on weekend masses. I'm hesitant to bring it up to him since I had no luck at all in quest to bring back the Sanctus bells...

[maryz]

Thanks!

[GOP_Thug_Mom]

You probably harbor the same feelings about gangrene.

ROTFLOL!!

[GOP_Thug_Mom]

Our New Archbishop (CARDINAL DiNardo :) forbid the glass goblets when he was ordained. I think the key to tiki's experience was the right person.

I've seen good results (though not right away) by praying diligently for the priest. Other than that, you have the option of taking your money to a different parish, which is what we've had to do off and on my whole life. (But not a schismatic one, of course). If your diocese is having problems, you can maybe find a different Rite like the Byzantine Rite or something.