In a column which intends to make a spoonful of "lay administrators" go down one way or the other, Bp. Sklba writes the following:
The importance of preaching in the pastoral shaping of a parish community is a given for anyone who has ever filled that role. This poses challenges, given our present liturgical laws.
The "liturgical law" happens to be Canon 767. Diogenes mentions that little 'challenge':
Notice the little zinger in the last line? The "present liturgical laws" the bishop refers to is, in reality, Canon 767, by which the homily is reserved to a priest or a deacon, which in turn reflects an unbroken Catholic practice with theological roots in Romans 10 ("How shall men believe him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear, without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they be sent?" vv 14f). Clearly Sklba feels the "challenges" posed by the doctrine of Holy Orders can be overcome with a little pastoral creativity.
The Bishop gets to the edge and looks over...
We do not see that "creative" implementations of C.767 are easily found.
If the rule needs to be changed, then it should and Bishop Sklba is free to advocate that. Not sure whether I agree with him but he has every right to pursue a change or variance.
ReplyDeleteThe Canon law was re-written by John Paul II (IIRC around 1985)
ReplyDeleteAin't gonna change, and while the Bishop is certainly free to pursue changes, it would be better if he were to increase Seminary attendance.