Posted on 10/09/2011 1:19:05 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
Every penny goes right to the Vatican bank.
/s
LOL. It’s a “dynamically equivalent” translation. Or it is if you’re a stoner (or work for the NAB.)
Catholics need an ordained priest to preside over services. Yes, we can have services in homes, but that would be to smaller groups. There just aren’t enough priests to go around. A priest is only allowed to say 2 Masses per day, unless extreme circumstances dictate a dispensation.
In the 1960s (after Vatican 2) we did have home Masses where someone would volunteer their home and invite their neighbors. But, as far as I remember, those Masses were on weekday evenings. They did not count for Sundays.
And we’d still have the cost of upkeep for the buildings. The Church does not allow Catholic churches to just be abandoned. They can be sold with permission of the bishop, if a suitable buyer can be found. A suitable buyer would be another congregation — even a Protestant congregation. But all of the sacred furnishings would need to be removed first.
I belong to a combined Parish, and we have 6 buildings to keep up — 2 churches, 2 rectories, and office building, and a school. The historic, smaller church is used only on Holy Days, weddings, and 1/2 of the weekday Masses. All Sunday Masses are held at the larger, more modern church. Believe me, there was a flap about that when it was announced. It costs $50,000 per year just to keep the snow plowed at all the locations.
And generally, the big wave of Catholic immigration was to cities, where it made sense to have meeting places not only for worship but for mutual support.
And I think large churches are more fun. In my experience when you get over about 150 faithful families you can start having ministries to your community 'n stuff.
I do think home churches would be better than the kind of Shinto attachment to shrines that you get in some of these places, where money and effort go more to the 'fabric' than to anything resembling real witness.
But we do minister to the weak a LOT. I think it's heroic that y'all worship in homes. But for some of weaker faith, a building, while it can be a distraction -- even a fatal distraction, can also be a help.
I often say I learned about Beauty in my "growing-up" church (and other things, like self-discipline because I was an altar-boy) and it was through them that I began to learn about God -- who then graciously carried me to where I could turn to Him on metal chaise in cinder-block buildings or standing around in the large kitchen of a migrant worker camp. Poured concrete and nothing else.
But I started out on my knees 18" from some awesome textiles. I know I got my interest in textiles and weaving from my time as an altar boy. But I thank God that He kept whispering, "You think THAT's beautiful? Pshaw! That ain't nothing. I will SHOW you some Beauty: Look at my Son!"
Thank you so very much, more than I can say.
I’ve submitted my petition. I go before council on 10/24 for an interview.
Mind you, one of the friars said, “Oh, don’t worry. We Dominicans will take ANYbody!” (Sometimes I think for the Lay Dominicans that may be true! If they take me, well then!)
It will have been 4.5 years. 6 months as an enquirer, 1 year as “received” (novice),3 years as temporary promised, and now usque ad mortem, D.V. Sometime around 1/28, Thomas Aquinas Day.
It's not required but it is recommended often.
God’s Will, of course, but my prayers will be daily with you. I have a deep affection for the Dominicans, they have given so much to us all, for the love of God.
If I recall, I have been to that church a lot over the years, it’s one of the few that really preached about abortion. I remember one sermon that actually explained what the Church teaches on socialism. Very impressive parish.
You’ll be in my prayers as well.
Freegards
You’ve been to Saint Thomas Aquinas in Charlottesville? Kewel!
(Okay,I just “outed” my location ... Tra la.)
When were you there?
We’ve had some great friars who did not hold back.
Well, I reckon you can always have a mod deleteth yon posting.
I was probably there 10- 20 times in the last 8 years. I believe we mentioned it before to eachother but in reference to another parish in C’Ville...
Freegards
That comes to about $10,000.00 per parish per week. There is no way that kind of cash is coming from the collection basket so either the money is coming from somewhere else or the figure is bogus.
Please see my post 25. It should answer your questions.
Indeed. ; )
Well the next time, let me know in advance. We’ll figure out how to meet.
I was beginning to think I needed to put up an “I’m SORRY” billboard..:)
I know! Contact Quix and get him to design it for you!
This is the problem with apologies for making a mistake. You make a statement, it’s wrong, but you don’t know it yet. The person you made the statement to has pinged everyone on their ping list. But you don’t know who they are..or how many there are. Anyway, you find out you were wrong, you apologize. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 400 PEOPLE WHO WERE PINGED??? One at a time, they refute your already apologized for wrong answer....We need HELP here! How to do a mass apology to everyone who is on someone else’s ping list..The answer of course, is to never be wrong. But that would be impossible. At least for me..;)
The folks I was visiting moved, but they have relatives in the area, so if it ever works out I’ll shoot you a Freep-mail, and we’ll take it from there.
Like I said, you’ll be in my prayers dude!
Freegards, God Bless
I think Augustine published a book called “Retractiones”. May we all should have a section on our home page called: Ooops! And we could have “archived oopses” for previous errors. So instead of repeating the retraction one could just say, “Check my home page.”
I LIKE that!
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