Letter to
Ann T. Clerikuhl continued. Still.
Can.528-2.
The pastor is to see to it that the Most Holy Eucharist is the center of the
parish assembly of the faithful. He is to work so that the Christian faithful
are nourished……
You
may notice that the word faithful is much repeated in the sections of canon law
which I have cited. The pastor is to care for the faithful. The unwashed
infidel and the lapsed apostate are nowhere mentioned. This is explained by
some strange passages of scripture.
“A complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against
the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily
serving of food. So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and
said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to
serve tables. ‘Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good
reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this
task.…”
(Acts 6:1-3)
Well,
just who did the Twelve think they were?
They should have been anxious as humble followers of Jesus to serve the
poor and they should have been glad to wash their feet! That’s what real
Christians do! Au contraire!
I have another
story that might help explain. When I was a student at Bathsheba Bible College
I worked summers at Frostbite Falls Amalgamated Widget Company in the widget
warehouse. My job was to fill widget orders and put the heavy boxes of widgets
on wooden pallets. The fully loaded pallets would weigh close to a ton. A fork
lift driver would pick up the pallet of widgets and move it to the loading
dock. The fork lift drivers were a surly lot and prone to taking breaks.
The
whole warehouse funneled through the main aisle and the one-ton widget pallets
would pile up and the whole warehouse would grind to a halt. The foreman would
then jump on a forklift and personally move widget pallets. I remember pointing
out to my rich uncle, Gottlieb Gottbucks, what a great guy the foreman was, not
afraid to get down in the trenches and do some real work.
Uncle
Gottbucks just shook his head and said, “That foreman is the best paid fork
lift driver in Minnesota.” He meant that
if the foreman had been doing his job, there would never be a pile of widget
pallets and the business would not have ever ground to a halt.
In the body of
Christ we all have our jobs to do, and the people we are to serve. If I do your
job and you do mine — or worse if you assume
that I am the pastor and therefore it’s all my job — the church, like
the widget warehouse will grind to a halt, as we see it happening in Europe and
America.
“God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second
prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps,
administrations, various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All
are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers
of miracles, are they?…” (1Cor. 12:28, 29)
My
job is to nourish the faithful. Does this mean I should baptize it if it’s
breathing and bury it if it’s not, no questions asked? Perhaps a recent article
by the irascible and unpleasant Fr. Simon might be of some help at this point: “I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (John
10:14)
Friends,
There
is a map on the front page of the bulletin today. It shows the parish
boundaries. The times are a-changing. I am now the only priest at St.
Lambert’s. Deacon O’Leary and I are
responsible for the care of souls in this parish, not those of other
parishes. Our solemn duty is to build up
the church. So, for whom are we responsible?
As you may read in the Rev. Know it All’s rambling articles, we are
responsible to serve the faithful of St. Lambert’s Parish. A reasonable definition of a faithful
parishioner includes three categories:
- Baptized Catholics who live within the area bounded by Jarvis on the south Greenwood on the north, McCormick on the east and Kenton on the west. (This would include any gnomes or trolls living under trees on the southeast side of the golf course, but so far none have asked for Baptism or First Holy Communion.)
- Anyone who has registered in the parish and FAITHFULLY attends Sunday Mass here at St. Lambert’s.
- Anyone who has a genuine pastoral relationship with Deacon O’Leary or me.
Therefore,
I will not admit anyone to the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation or Matrimony
who is not a parishioner. The one exception I will make is for grandchildren of
faithful parishioners whose parents are also active Catholics in another
parish, as demonstrated by the required letter of permission form that child’s
pastor. Confession and the Anointing of the sick are open to all, because they
are sacraments of repentance that can be repeated.
I will accept
anyone for burial who has fulfilled the conditions of membership in the past or
active membership in the recent past. Residence in the parish boundaries at the
time of death will also be respected. This is meant to include members who have
moved away in retirement, but still legitimately regard St. Lambert as their
spiritual home.
Next
week: an explanation of the curses involved in Baptism and First Holy
Communion.
Friends you say but I do not believe the Catholic priest is my friend. I know several priests now that I've belonged to The Lord for three years. It is just a staff job for most. I could give details but you are not interested and that is because you are not my friend, precisely like my parish priest. Jesus is my friend. He has proven it to me. The priest is not my friend, time and time again they have proven it to me. There is one left and I patiently wait his results. It is not you. You are loved by the faithful including this servant. I have extended my hand to many only to be spit upon by the cradle folk. The priest speaks of being a friend to newcomers but it falls on mostly deaf ears including the mouth it came from. I will pray for them. And you for I Father 3C4t
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