Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Cdl. Dolan's "Less Masses!" Directive

This is interesting.  And by the way, there's vestige of that here in Milwaukee.

...Msgr. Joseph Giandurco of St. Patrick's Church in Yorktown Heights, New York, penned a letter about the smaller number of Mass times for Christmas and New Year's. "Many Catholics in the archdiocese of New York are not aware that Cdl. Dolan has asked all pastors to try to cut down on the number of Masses in all our parishes," he explained. ...

Oh?

...The archdiocese's reduction policy, Msgr. Giandurco writes, is based on "fewer people coming to Mass," "fewer priests available" and the "rising costs for everything involved in having too many Masses."...

I see.  The "cost" of having "too many Masses" is a factor, as is "fewer people coming...."

Let us review actual Catholic teaching on the question of the Mass:

...In holy Mass, in obedience to Christ's command, "Do this in remembrance of me," we of the Church offer perfect praise to the heavenly Father, and sanctify ourselves and the world by the power that flows from the priestly office of our eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ.

The benefits of even one holy Mass are infinite and include the whole world. The blood of the new and everlasting covenant was "shed for you and for all."

In every Mass that is offered the Church remembers before God "those who take part in this offering, those here present and all your people, and all who seek you with a sincere heart." In a special way those who have holy Mass offered and those for whom a Mass is offered partake of the grace of the Eucharistic sacrifice
....

So the $100.00 or so in heat, light, a/c, and such (and that's a wildly generous amount) and the "few" attendees....that's the Cardinal's excuse for foregoing the benefits above?

Oh ye of little faith! 

What about Milwaukee?

Glad you asked.  See, on the Feast of All Souls, November 2nd, priests are given an exceptional gift:  they may celebrate THREE Masses (tri-nate) which are offered for the souls in Purgatory.  

So does your parish have three Mass offerings on Thursday?

Neither of the two I frequent offers three, even though both of them have more than one priest available for Mass.  In fact, there is only ONE Mass scheduled at each parish.

But they are saving money which, I suppose, is more important than saving souls.

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