4Real Forums: Prayers for my church

Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.

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Topic: Prayers for my church

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Tina P.
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Joined: June 28 2005
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Posted: Dec 20 2005 at 7:17am \| IP Logged

We live on an Air Force Base where ecumenism is practiced. There is only one church on base, and every denomination must practice at that church (even Judaism). Every two years, a new head chaplain (sometimes Protestant, sometimes Catholic) who runs the church.

This year, we have a Protestant head chaplain. Our Catholic pastor (who is also the only priest we have) is having a devil of a time standing up to this pushy, intolerant head chaplain. Part of it is that in a military environment, if you please your superiors, you get promoted. He wants to increase his rank. Part of it, I'm sure, has to do with the fact that his is the type of personality that just wants to please everybody. However, while he's pleasing the tyrant, he is frustrating the body of the church. Parish membership is plummeting. The parish coordinator already quit. We're waiting on word from the choir director as to whether she's going to quit. The Protestant choir director is quitting.

Our pastor is making demands on people to do things that he thinks would please the head chaplain. Though I've not been on the wrong end of too many of these demands and the demands on me are not costly (in time or energy), I feel negative charges reverberating off the walls of this church.

My kids asked Father whether they could go to Reconciliation with him after a daily mass and he told them no because he had to go to a meeting.

How many priests do you know that won't welcome a child for a few minutes of reconciliation before going to a meeting? What's more important to him, do you think?

I am ambivalent about remaining in the parish. We have only three months left. There is a much less political church on a base only about 10 minutes away. The trouble is, I sing at the parish on the base at which we live. I've been sorely tempted to quit myself but will persevere until at least after the current holidays. I am sad to say that I'm just getting through the holidays this year and without joy as far as church matters go.

Please pray for my church.

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Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
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Angie Mc
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Joined: Jan 31 2005
Location: Arizona
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Posted: Dec 20 2005 at 10:44am \| IP Logged

So sad, Tina. We're praying with lots of empathy (Dave is prior service AF, currently active duty with PHS.)

Love,

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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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