Originally posted by Deacon Lance:
Carole
Not that I agree with the nonsense this parish is selling but:
"And "Communal Reconciliation"? There is no such animal. There can't be. That's a Protestant innovation."
It depends what is meant here by Communal Reconciliation. The Roman Rite allows for a Communal Rite of Penance with individual confession and absolution as well as another with general confession and general absolution to be used only in the most dire circumstances i.e. soldiers going to battle. It would be illicit to use the latter in a parish context. The former is perfectly lawful.
"Or how about their "Cross of New Life"? The Rubrics clearly state that there must be a Crucifix. Yet this church has a large lucite modern sculpture of a man who is clearly not cruicifed."
There must be a Crucifix but it can be the Processional Cross and does not necessarily have to be the Altar Cross.
Fr. Deacon Lance
Fr. Deacon,
You are correct. I apologize for my assumptions, if indeed I am in error.
But given that this parish is having Sister Joan Chittister as a guest speaker (she is an outspoken proponent of the ordination of women and an active member of Call to Action as well as other notoriously anti-Magisterium and anti-authority groups), that the priest puts out letters stating that the Church has no business telling openly pro-abortion politicians that they cannot receive the Eucharist and that the parish considers having kneelers and following the GIRM to be a step "backwards", that the priest does not wear the proper vestments, that in his dedication of the "Cross of New Life" he calls the altar a "table" ...
I fear that their "Communal Reconciliation" is just that. The corporate confession used by the mainline Protestants (namely Lutherans). There are a few of these types of parishes in my diocese and I have unfortunately visited them. Those that call themselves "Catholic Communities" and offer "Communal Reconciliation" do tend toward a corporate confession.
I am familiar with the Communal Rite as our diocese does this during the Lenten season at different parishes. There is a liturgical rite and then individual confessions are heard by one of several (often time as many as 1 dozen) priests who are available.
But something about this parish and the things on their website makes me believe that this is not the case with them. Again, if I am in error I am sorry. But my fear is that it is all too "evangelical" and not nearly Catholic enough.
I further have my doubts about there being a processional crucifix.
I hope, for the sake of the people in this parish that I am wrong. I fear though that I am not.
