Posted on 08/14/2005 9:17:15 AM PDT by Chi-townChief
I'll apologize in advance for this vanity post but I need to get this off my chest:
At our 10:30 a.m. mass this morning, our pastor was the celebrant. Today's Gospel was the story of Christ's meeting with the Canaanite woman and the eventual healing of her daughter. Our pastor then followed with his homily where he first related the plight of the Canaanite woman with a woman he knew who called him requesting prayers for an illness in her family which we could relate to since my wife and I are both contending with (minor, we hope) health issues.
The nest thing we know, the pastor is relating this to the "lady camped out in Texas asking for healing AND ACCOUNTABILITY" (the emphasis is my own). We sat there and listened through the sermon as he returned to the Sheehan story a few more times asking us to imagine an Iraqi woman who lost children in the same position.
Thankfully, it was pretty short and we stood for the Creed but then, immediately before the intercessions, the pastor returned to the topic.
This was too much for us so we turned and left, commenting to those around that we don't come to church to hear politics. I handed the usher my offering as we exited.
This is the first time something like this has happened in this church we have attended for the past twenty years or so and I feel pretty horrible about the whole thing.
liberalism and politics have no place in church period
You should have stood up and used one hand under your other arm's armpit to make farting noises before leaving.
You did the right thing.
I'd give that excuse a capital L for lame.
Who do you think pays the heating bills anyways?
I can see you haven't attended church and don't know the structure of a religious service.
The problems with politics DURING SERVICE is that only the pastors words are spoken. Since it is not a discussion format, it's much like having to listen to a lecture, whether you agree or not.
In church meetings or education classes where discussion is allowed, is an entirely different kettle of fish in my book.
But during services, politicizing is un-called for and unwelcome by most church attendees.
That's an excellent point. Perhaps the best solution would be to leave at an appropriate time that causes the least amount of disruption and attention to one's self - and then to make sure to go to Mass at a different church that morning.
Actually, when he starts talking politics, you have a right to express your political opinion as well. You should have risen and asked for rebuttal time...an excercise in being "fair and balanced." He is there to instruct you in the faith, and when he spouts his own political ideas, he is abusing his position. If more Christians did this regularly, we'd have less liberal propaganda being ladled out from the pulpits of this country.
Time to "church shop"...there are plenty of good congregations that don't have to listen to partisan politics in the pulpit!
He's actually been very anti-abortion, pro-marriage and family, and fairly orthodox in many other things (clamped down on the wimmin-priest stuff that was going on here, for example).
But his political opinions, particularly relating to Bush, the war, etc. are extremely left-wing. He was in Latin America for a number of years and obviously drank deep of the liberation theology (aka, anti-US) garbage. I think he has realized that he has got to separate that from his diocesan work, though. For one thing, Jacksonville (part of the diocese of St. Augustine) has many military families and someone finally managed to get through to him that he was being extremely cruel to them in his comments.
I think it's worth writing to them because you never know. Leftists live in their own parallel universe, and sometimes they simply aren't aware of the reality of other people's lives. (Particularly, I suspect, among the clergy, who are in many cases totally self-obsessed and unaware that anybody else in their parish even exists, to say nothing of being of any value.)
Did I read that right? You handed your offering on the way out? Can I ask why?
Yes. Chi-town Chief might want to try the very early
morning services, which I've noticed are usually
sermon-free or offer very brief homilies. 6 or 7
in the morning is too early for rants:)
JMJ, of course you did the right thing and no need to apologize for the vanity. This needed telling.
I would suggest you follow up and meet with the priest or send him a written letter.
I took issue with a priest's comments right before Clinton's reelection and handled it by going to Confession and telling the same priest I had hatred in my heart for the clergy who are endorsing this vile man and preaching Democrat politics. He was stunned.
Sorry you see it that way.
My tithing and others, pays the bills and keeps the priests living large.
I don't see where they have the right to gather up a captive audience who's there to hear the Word and instead hear how the poor Bisops need more money.
The church has everyone's address...send a plea through the mail, put it in the bulletin, whatever, but don't waste my time talkin' money when I'm there to hear God's word.
There very well could have been someone there for the first time, hungry to hear what God has to say, and instead....well, you know. Money.
You should have kept it.
Agreed.
How are the priests to know of our dissatisfaction when we continue to leave offerings?
We have left our parish because of this exact same thing. Only the priest here was telling us how great Kerry was. !!!!!
I hear it has gotten worse.
The parish we are now attending is fantastic. ALL the priests are great and have wonderful, faithful to the teachings of the Church, sermons.
Interesting note: Our new parish, Good Shepherd, in Mira Mesa, has standing room only Masses while the one we left, St. Michael's in Poway is seeing their Mass attendance dwindling.
Hmmmmmmm,, surprise, surprise.
The difficulty here is that he went right to the line but didn't cross over by too much. For example, the quote I cite: "lady camped out in Texas asking for healing AND ACCOUNTABILITY"; he didn't mention the president and that Sheehan is not asking but demanding a meeting. Quite clear to us at FR what's going down but for people who are not following the story closely, his comment may sound quite reasonable.
generations so I guess you can say I'm chicken or over-accomodating, etc.
No, I would say you showed good taste and proper manners. Pity your "Pastor" could not find it in his heart to do the same.
RonaldVZ
Since Aug 14, 2005
Isn't it ironic that so many of the voting base suport/almost demand that religion plays a role in forming political policy, but will walk out if politics are mentioned during religion.
I cannot decide which I find more amusing, your bigotry, or your ignorance.
Isn't it intresting that those, like Tony here, who demand an absolute ban on religion in politics are so gung ho to force their anti religious bigotry on everyone elses?
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