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.
You followed your heart and mind and for that owe no one an apology.
Frankly, if it were me I would have requested a meeting with the man to express my feelings regarding his preaching HIS politics in Church.
Ya, good point, except that for the President, he has to be so careful what he does. Can you imagine the uproar is he pulled his membership?
Yet, there are those who say he should stand up for his principles. I guess he'll have to answer that question. President Bush, are you reading this?
Well ya never know!!! He might be surfing the net.
What I had hoped to hear today is an interpretation (of which I have heard a few) of one of the more interesting Gospels. In this one, as in the case of the Samaritan women, Jesus acts as if he is overcoming a personal bigotry although I believe he is leading by example. But our guy got off the track pretty quickly.
While I was thinking that going to the Bishop would be the best way to handle this, I like your idea better than mine!
My point (again) is that in the Catholic Church, the sermon is not the reason for the Mass. Sometimes you have great sermons. Sometimes they're boring and awful and you forget instantly whatever mumble-juice came out from the priest. Sometimes they're wrong-headed and offensive (but not heretical.) In any case, you're there for the Eucharist and for the Word of God as revealed in the Bible - neither of which a priest can take away from you with any nonsense he spouts.
Why sit there, you can go down the road and get your communion and the word of god at another church. Does god really care where and when you get your communion and hear his words? I don't think he does. I am sorry I just can't agree with just sitting there and taking it.
You did the right thing. Priests should not attempt to brainwash parishoners and they should stay out of politics. (Separation of Church and State, I believe is the term.)
But Separation of Church and State only applies to the extremist right wing conservative Christians. Says so right in the Constitution. Just ask Howard Dean! <
Definitely write to him and complain, though. Don't let him get away with it. He may not have realized that you were leaving for the reason you did, so you have to tell him.
I'd have walked out too, and we could all go to the IHop together and talk about it :-)
I plan to, both him and our archbishop Cardinal George, although I want to calm down a bit first.
I'm not surprised--but it wont happen in my church!
I was about 5 or 6 years old and attending my former Catholic church with my parents (this would have been 1973 or so). The teenage CYO kids came up the aisle doing a barefoot"expressive dance" thing, and singing "All we are saying, is give peace a chance."
My dad took us all out. This wasn't the only example of our priest's liberal behavior and encouragement, including the tolerance of an openly gay man as a deacon (he's still a deacon in the DFW area, by the way).
My dad didn't really go much to church after that, and I'm no longer Catholic.
I wouldn't go back ...
Givng your pastor the benefit of the doubt, perhaps he hasn't read about the leftist, anti-Israel activities Sheehan and her group are a party to. Maybe he needs a good education...?
;-)
You think that's bad ,my wife who I love and cherish,and who at most times,is a middle-of-the roader told me she would be in the Sheehan camp shooting me the bird if I were in the freeper camp.I'm sure she was just kidding :(
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.
........................
Many will come in the form of false prophets. Chi-town chiefs observation of a propagandist posing as a pastor is one example.
Sorry to hear of this incident. I am sure it was very uncomfortable, and I would have done the very same thing in your position.
I handed the usher my offering as we exited.
That's the only part I disagree with. I wouldn't have given squat.
Money talks, especially to liberal Democrats like that pastor.
IMO, you did the right thing--except for handing over your offering.
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