Sunday, October 12, 2014
Mass changes begin; buckle your seatbelts!
Bishop Salvatore Matano has issued some rubrics for celebrating several sacraments in our diocese. The rubrics clear up some issues and abuses, but not all.
This morning at Mass Father announced a few changes - like requiring those seeking First Communion and First Penance and Confirmation to be regular Mass goers before they receive, or the sacrament might be delayed. Horrors. He sounded almost apologetic as he said it, probably afraid there might be some backlash. (After all, the Bishop has gotten some unfair flak already.)
He also talked about how Eucharistic ministers have to wait until after the priest receives Communion before approaching the altar - previously EMs at our parish had stood behind the altar while Father received.
If he had just announced the changes with a little explanation that we are following what the Bishop has decreed, it would have been fine. But Father added that before we just had guidelines and we didn't have to follow them strictly, now we had procedures. And we have to follow them.
That attitude helps to explain why there have been so many liturgical abuses and liturgical free lancing in the diocese over the years. Even when we only had "guidelines," the rules were there, just fudged or ignored because they were never really proclaimed or enforced. And folks who asked respectfully that we follow the rules were labeled and ostracized.
I'm waiting to hear how Father announces some of the other PROCEDURES - like the two-year confirmation process that has some people complaining because our kids are just so busy already - you know, with soccer leagues on Sunday mornings, jobs, sleeping in, etc.
Pax et bonum
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Bishop Matano has approximately seven years to prove that the "orthodox" experiment is the remedy that will encourage inactive Catholics to come back to the church and prevent active ones from leaving.
At least the experience in other dioceses where orthodoxy has prevailed is that folks do come back. I'm sure there will be some people who will leave, but I'm optimistic about a net positive effect here.
"At least the experience in other dioceses where orthodoxy has prevailed is that folks do come back." Show me the empirical evidence.
The Catholic population in Bishop Robert Finn's diocese since he's been a bishop, has declined 25%, which is horrific. Read the Joys and Grievances of an American Diocese (Bishop John Paprocki's diocese - some suburban parishes have experienced a 30% decline in Mass attendance). And yes - Mass attendance is down even in US dioceses like DOR that were led by progressive bishops like Hogan and Clark.
Mass attendance is not the sole measure of the spiritual health of a diocese. And some people - both progressives and orthodox, to loosely use two terms, will find reasons not to go. And yes, even seemingly orthodox bishops with flaws can be damaging to dioceses. I'm not talking about isolated cases. Note I said "net positive effect." It's like the debate over climate change. Some places will get warmer. Some will get colder. What we're talking about is overall.
Try this one - http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/996/called_by_name.aspx
In an attempt to quantify the effect that “theological attitude” may have on priestly ordination rates, Yuengert attempted to define orthodoxy or progressivism by identifying the publication vehicle used by the bishops. Those bishops who published articles in America were defined by the author as more likely to hold progressive or liberal attitudes about Church teachings—because America’s editorial positions are more likely to be in favor of an open discussion of several topics, including female priests, married priests, the relaxation of Catholic moral teachings on sexual matters, and the relaxation of papal authority vis-a-vis the bishops. Those who published in The Catholic Answer were defined by Yuengert as more likely to hold orthodox or conservative perspectives because the editorial positions of this periodical favor a closer adherence to the teaching office of the pope, an acceptance of traditional Church teachings on sexual morality, and a conviction that the individual conscience, well-formed, will never contradict Church teaching.
Although Yuengert found that bishops who published in The Catholic Answer had significantly higher ordination rates in their dioceses—supporting Archbishop Curtiss’ contention that bishops who support the traditional teachings of the Church will inspire priestly ordinations—it is clear that more research needs to be done to confirm this relationship.
Fidelity to the magisterium and traditional spirituality are strikingly manifest in several vocation-rich dioceses. Bishop Bruskewitz observes that "the orthodoxy, conservatism, and enthusiasm of the clergy, both young and old, bear witness to the splendor of the Catholic priesthood in southern Nebraska. The cheerful conformity of the priests to the magisterial teachings of the Church, to liturgical correctness, and to traditional Church discipline also plays an important part in the diocesan vocation picture." The web site maintained by the Savannah vocation office seeks prospective seminarians who "believe in the truths taught by the Catholic Church," "sometimes attend daily Mass or make visits to the Blessed Sacrament," and "frequently make use of the Sacrament of Confession." (Prospective Savannah seminarians are also expected to "have a normal sexual attraction for adult females.") The Pensacola-Tallahassee vocation director, Msgr. C. Slade Crawford emphasizes, among other factors, "fidelity to the magisterium… and the Catholic classics in faith, spirituality, and prayer; a serious and disciplined dedication to the practice of prayer; true devotion to the Blessed Virgin and the Eucharistic Lord; clarity considering the truth of human sexuality; [and] formation in the virtues of chastity, modesty, and the celibate way of life."
from http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/features2005/print2005/ziegler_seminarians_aug05.html
As for my own experience - my parish, where there are tinges of the progressive Catholicism common in this diocese for a while, has seen a drop of average Sunday attendance from 1,800 in the mid 90s to 700-800 this year. A variety of factors have helped with that decline, and I would not put "progressive" practices high on the list. But, two local more orthodox parishes that have experienced growth. St. Leo's in Hilton hired a youth minster from Steubenville, has a vibrant youth ministry, a number of orthodox groups and organizations (such as the Secular Franciscans) and a decidedly orthodox pastor. The parish has experienced dramatic growth. Some of that may be due to its suburban location, certainly - people are moving out that way. But the spiritual climate seems to be a factor. On the other hand, Our Lady of Victory, a staunchly orthodox parish located in an urban area that is not growing population-wise, has seen an upsurge in Mass attendance. The orthodox spirituality in the parish is clearly a factor in this case.
One must indeed take into account the personality of the leaders in diocese and parishes. In my parish's case, the pastor is a good man, but more of an introvert and intellectual. He would not attract people by his personality. The St. Leo's case involves a pastor who is extremely personable; he draws people because of his personality. (On the other hand, the OLV pastor can rub people the wrong way - in his case, it's the practices, not the personality, that seems to be drawing people.)
Mass attendance might not be the only sign of a healthy church, but it's certainly the most important factor. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the source and summit of the Christian life. What do you mean by a "net positive effect?"
Net positive effect? - While we may see some people leaving, or just stop coming, many of those were already on the way out or infrequent attendees. I suspect that some baby boomers who have been adrift will return as they get older (a national trend, by the way), and those reverts, along with converts, people moving into the diocese, children, will lead to a net increase in numbers. I also think there will be more vocations - we are already beginning to see that. We have a traditionalist school - St. John Bosco and the Chesterton Academy - that is growing and expanding. There are negotiations underway to reopen St. Thomas the Apostle Church and to move the Latin Mass there, which, now being celebrated Sunday mornings rather than in the middle of the afternoon, seems likely to increase its numbers. We had a massive women's conference in May - a thousand women, they had to turn people away - and a men's conference scheduled for next may, featuring traditional devotions and speakers. The net effect of all this will be some increased numbers, as well as a more active laity and increased "spiritual" activity.
It will be interesting to see if the "net positive effective" a/k/a "a smaller purer church will work. Like I said before, Bishop Matano has seven years to prove himself.
I don't think it will be a "smaller" purer church. I think it will include more active people.
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