Fr. Z's Blog

From a reader…

QUAERITUR:

Hello Father, I was raised (although not Catholic, I am a convert) to believe that you support your territorial parish no matter what, and attend their services and volunteer for their ministries, because even if the parish has a bad pastor and bad liturgy and bad catechesis, these things will never improve for those who remain, or are otherwise stuck, as long as the faithful leave for greener pastures. So I stay in my parish and attend the awful novus ordo mass offered because I believe I have a duty and an obligation to my church regardless of how I feel about it. I volunteer for RCIA but have no authority over the catechesis and sit and cringe as false doctrine is proffered. I pray and fast for our catechumens, and catechist, and the pastors, and these ridiculous “eucharistic ministers” as the priest has taken to calling the laity who hand out the host like hors d’oeuvres at the world’s worst cocktail party. Nobody likes me very much although I do my best to keep my head down. I am starting to question the wisdom of this approach because the whole thing is making me miserable. I can not save the church and I want my family to be inculturated into the true faith, not whatever this is. There is a much more orthodox parish nearby enough, although not territorially ours. Please advise. Thank you for your attention.

How sorry I am that you are in this pickle. One priest whom I consulted before answering … I wrote to several, including a bishop or two… wrote back:

Immediately upon reading this inquiry I felt a profound sadness to think that a man who takes his faith seriously, and is concerned about his family’s faith, should be put in this position by a brother priest. I cannot pass judgement on the priest’s conscience, but it would appear that his actions are disturbing.

My sentiments, too.

Your instinct to support your territorial parish is noble, generous and Catholic.

Ordinarily, the local parish should provide a community in which the faithful worship, receive instruction, serve neighbors, and help remedy lesser defects patiently.

Nevertheless, this principle does not impose an absolute duty to remain where liturgy, preaching, and catechesis endanger your peace or your family’s formation.

Canon law obliges the faithful to support the needs of the Church (can. 222 §1), but does not require exclusive attendance at, or financial support of, one’s territorial parish.

The faithful have a right to receive the Church’s spiritual goods (can. 213), and pastors must ensure that God’s word is proclaimed in its entirety and sound catechetical formation provided (can. 528).

Your responsibility is to safeguard and nourish your family’s Catholic faith, especially that of your children.

You have made a sincere effort. Remaining amid false doctrine while lacking the ability to correct it exposes you to occasions for anger, discouragement, and resentment. You cannot repair a parish single-handedly.

Go, therefore, with a clear conscience to the parish where doctrine is sound, worship reverent, and your family can grow in faith. Offer that parish your presence, abilities, prayers, volunteer work, and financial support.

You may courteously tell your present pastor why you are leaving, without accusation or bitterness. Registration and sacramental arrangements vary by parish or diocese, so ask the pastor of the other about requirements about reception of services there.  Remember also that registration at a parish that is not your territorial parish or “personal” or “national” parish doesn’t make you a parishioner there.  However registration is important for future needs and opportunities.

Depart peacefully, pray for those remaining, and seek the place where your family can flourish in Christ.

That said, I had a couple responses from my priestly consultants which merit posting because they were just too good.  For example,

Some will lament the notion of “parish shopping” arguing that if every orthodox and pious person left the local “Catholic Community of the Servant Leader and Hugs” and drove 30 miles to “St. Athanasius,” it would deprive CCSLH of the opportunity to reform. Sorry, but some places need to be shut down, and can’t be reformed.  In a reasonable world, if CCSLH hemorrhaged parishioners by the boatload and St. Athanasius grew by leaps and bounds, the wise solons of the chancery would look and say, “We need more priests like that pastor of St. Athanasius, and someone really needs to talk to that Servant Leader chap.”

Another:

There is a scene in the marvelous movie, A Man for All Seasons, in which Sir Thomas More says to the character, Richard Rich, “A man should go where he won’t be tempted.”

Another:

One is not required to be a passive participant in a situation that likely will cause spiritual harm.

And:

It is a noble thing to remain in once territorial parish, and if that is tolerable, it is the ideal. It sounds more like your faith is being assaulted. My advice in one word? Run!