“We are managing on our own.”

Last year, Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith, secretary for the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments addressed a conference on “The Parish and the New Evangelization” in Rome. From Catholic News:

Archbishop Ranjith answered questions from the conference participants after his address.

A priest from the Netherlands, who presented his country as “the most secularized country in the world,” asked for encouragement “because we are so marginalized — we try to find any kind of means, like the media, to show our presence.”

Archbishop Ranjith answered, “It is good to use all the means available and to think that sometimes ‘dreams can become reality’” but “the most important thing is to feel strong and trust in God … and to pray.”

He gave the example of his diocese in Sri Lanka, which has a large non-Christian population. Catholic laypeople go and visit the Muslim or Hindu families, he explained, and “they have tea together and discuss about religion.”

“The sad thing would be to give up,” the archbishop affirmed. “Be strong, be courageous, you will succeed.”

A priest from Belgium asked if closing parishes reflected a lack of faith. Archbishop Ranjith offered the example of a spiritual partnership between a Sri Lankan diocese and a German one. When a German priest died, Sri Lanka offered: “I will send you the best priest I have.”

The German diocese considered the proposal but eventually decided to close the parish. This “‘we are managing on our own’ means closing churches,” Archbishop Ranjith lamented.

Unfortunately, this attitude pervades many Western dioceses, including Scranton. Remember Futurechurch?

As for the priests? The days when a priest actually belonged to a parish are long gone, and the bishops know it. They don’t really want more priests – too much hassle. (If they did, they’d be on the phone to India, Nigeria and Poland and have two dozen priests on their doorstep by next Monday.)

Called to Holiness and Mission, with its call to close nearly a hundred churches is Scranton’s way of saying, “We are managing on our own.” Instead, we need to restore our Catholic culture. We need to import priests from countries overflowing with vocations to work in our new mission land. We need to stop discouraging priests and priestly vocations.

A Magic Carpet Ride?

Have soft music playing in the background as you quiet yourself and imagine that you are on a magic carpet ride through the Diocese of Scranton 5-10 years from now, after it has been profoundly renewed. What are the youth doing? Who’s working out in the new mega-parish gym? Who’s sipping a latte in the parish coffeehouse?

Think I’m making this up? From the Diocese of Scranton Implementation Guide, page 101:

If you have any doubts remaining about the wisdom behind the parish restructuring plan, maybe this magic carpet ride will help.

We’ve only just begun…

Pessimism abounds in the Diocese of Scranton these days, both from clergy and the laity, and with good reason. The current policies of the diocesan leadership will close an unbelievable amount of our churches, turning away all but a faithful remnant of lay Catholics. I have argued many times that this approach is not acceptable.

Some are ready to give up the fight. It’s not worth the effort, they say. But Northeastern Pennsylvania is such an amazing place. We have a fascinating history, a rich cultural legacy, and beautiful geographic features. There is a future here. We’ve only just begun. We can rebuild what we have lost. We can breathe new life into our time-honored structures. But we have to act now before it’s too late, and the diocese’s planned renewal is not the way to do it.

Creating a strong Catholic culture is one of the principal ways toward true renewal or restoration of our diocese. Liturgy, music, and devotional practices are all facets of Catholic culture. A distinctive element of the Polish Catholic tradition is the Lenten service of Lamentations called Gorzie Zale, or “bitter sorrows.” This service begins with a pobudka, or wake-up call, bidding church-goers to prepare themselves to mediate on the sorrows of the suffering Christ. A meditation is given and Gorzkie Zale przybywajcie is sung, followed by a hymn, a series of lamentations, a sorrowful discourse between the soul and the Blessed Mother, and concluding with a threefold repetition of Ktorys za nas cierpal rany, or “By thy wounds and sacred passion, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.” This same pattern is repeated two more times with different hymns and lamentations throughout Lent. Benediction is usually given and a Polish Lenten hymn is customarily sung at the end of the service.

Gorzkie Zale will be sung this Sunday, March 8 at St. Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Mocanaqua beginning at 2:00 PM. This is the first such service at the church in many years. Readers who know of other churches offering Gorzkie Zale during Lent are encouraged to leave a comment with more information. The revival of beautiful customs such as the Polish Gorzkie Zale are positive steps toward true renewal. I strongly encourage you to support – or initiate – such efforts at your parish.