It's all about ME Church
Yesterday I joked that it was too bad we didn't' trade Bishop Hubbard for Bishop Herzog in the Diocese of Albany. Today I received the VOTF newsletter praising a new program by Bishop Hubbard "Called to BE Church." You know right off it VOTF is praising it that it is really not worthwhile and reading the program you can see exactly why the bishop is putting all his eggs in Pastoral Associates to run parishes because of their priest shortage.
At the Called to BE Church page the Bishop has a document called The Mission of the Contemporary Parish [PDF] which I think is a quite useful document. That is if you do exactly the opposite of what the document calls for in regards to parish life. I guess salvation and forgiveness of sins has nothing to do with parish life. And the Eucharist is hardly mentioned except in regards in EEM's. Prayer is only mentioned in the context of Ecumenism.
I thought to myself, "What more could people be looking for in a parish liturgy?" A welcoming environment; a well-choreographed service; maximum lay involvement, wonderful music, and a homily that informed, challenged and pulled all the elements of the liturgy in a cohesive whole. Yet the pews were only half filled, the collections in the parish had gone flat and within six months the school, which had been such a viable part of the parish since its inception in the late 1950s, had closed its doors.
I think this paragraph is a perfect example of how he just does not get it especially since in other parts of the document he calls contemporary music wonderful music. How do you judge maximum lay involvement? For me that we be that people were actively praying with the Mass, something that would be rather hard to determine. Obviously he has a different idea of what maximum lay involvement means and that is people physically doing something.
...for opportunities to partner ecumenically
in addressing the great social issues of our day: war, terrorism, economic disparity both nationally
and globally, family breakdown, sexual and
environmental exploitation and gender identity, as
well as the spiritual ills of hedonism, individual-
ism, consumerism and secularism that can corrupt
the spirit and the progress of understanding life's
ultimate meaning and fulfillment.
Not surprisingly something seems to be missing from his list of "great social issues of our day", of course abortion. Though he does mention abortion and embryonic stem-cell research latter in a dismissive way when he says why should they be the only moral issues? He does manage to mention "zoning ordinances" when it comes to social justice issues though. He also manages to quote the usual suspects such as Peter Steinfels and Teilhard de Chardin. Basically he just doesn't have a clue as to how to revive parish life. He has been the Bishop of Albany since 1977 and somehow wonders how parish life under his care is not what it should be.
Known as 
There is an 'axis of weevils' that runs between Bishop Hubbard's Albany and Bishop Clark's Rochester. As weevils destroy crops, these men destroy faith. Both are due to retire during the next six years or so. Godspeed.
If I were Pope, I would create a Mega-diocese in Antarctica with slots for 200 Auxiliary Bishops and start assigning some of the "usual suspects" there to minister to the penguins. They would be allowed to visit Rome every 25 years or so for their "ad limina" visits.
Always be suspicious of anything which uses 'church' without an article or as a verb or adjective.
"Always be suspicious of anything which uses 'church' without an article or as a verb or adjective."
Thank you! I can't stand hearing people talk about being Church, what is Church to you, how do we act as Church, so-and-so speaks to us as Church. Any theological or ecclesiological implications aside, it's just plain dreadful English.
"...a well-choreographed service..."
Indeed. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result, Bishop Herzog...since 1977...
"...a well-choreographed service..."
sounds like a performance brought down to what they think our "level is. Very condescending. If you want "...a well-choreographed service...",
go to a movie or a play, not to Mass.
Love "the axis of weevils" concept, Rich.
Whoa, you live in the long suffering Albany Diocese. At least you've worked off any accumulated time in Purgatory by suffering there.
Ahhh, the Albany Diocese. Home of Fr. Richard Vosko, infamous church wreckavator. Also the place where Hubbard and his childhood friend, Bp. Clark grew up together. Home of endless euphemisms to mask dissenting and heretical views and the reality of a dying diocese. My brother and his family live there. They travel across the border to the Stockbridge Shrine every sunday. You people from LA think you have it bad? I got news for ya.
"Priest Shortage" is putting it lightly. They have recruited heavily for the priesthood among "progressives." They have not been too receptive to more traditional types.
Bishop Hubbard once wrote that we, as Church, are moving away from a monastic approach to prayer to an apostolic approach to prayer. Then the Bishop suggested that apostolic prayer is not yet defined - I guess it is in formation. It would help to know where you are going if you want to revitalize the Church.
My diocese is right in the middle of the Axis of Weevils ;_;
To ponder a different question: Where was Bishop Herzog living when he converted? Was he in the RC Diocese of Albany, or the RC Diocese of Ogdensburg? Both of these dioceses' territories are the same as the Episcopal Diocese of Albany.
And Howard coming, spoke to them, saying: "Go therefore and teach all nations to have a welcoming environment and a well-choreographed service that pulls all the elements of the liturgy into a cohesive whole in the name of VOTF, CTA, and the Women's Ordination Conference."
Howard 28:18-19
My understanding is that former Bp. Herzog lived in New York's St. Lawrence Valley, and therefore in the Diocese of Ogdensburg.
Feel a sort of comfort in your mention of the long suffering faithful in the Albany Diocese. I came to this place by marriage and often asked God why did he place me here. When I think of all the people who don't even know their faith because of that man and his minions, I shudder. He will have a lot to answer for.
Hey Tolkien-I live in the same diocese, the one between the 'axis of weevils" (great comment, Rich). Our bishop is set to retire this year, and we're in the middle of a parish 'reconfiguration' that's going to close a lot of churches before this year is out. There's going to be NOTHING for the next bishop when he comes! God, I wish we had shepherds like Bruskiewicz and Finn-they'd clean up the mess!
John Hetman-I like your post, too.
I met Bishop Herzog twice, in the Catholic bookstore where I worked (the boss is an ND grad, but CTA liberal). When I saw his chunky bishop's ring, I said, "Nice ring you have..." Then he said, "Well, I'm the Episcopal Bishop of Albany." OOPS-I was pretty mortified! But I found out that he greatly admired John Paul II and Cardinal Ratzinger. He opposed the election of the homosexual Robinson as bishop. And while attending a conference of Episcopal Bishops, priests and laity who felt the way that he (Herzog) did, he got a call on his cell phone from his wife, who said just these two words, "HABEMUS PAPAM!"; the conference was on the day Benedict XVI was elected. And when he told everyone present the news, they all applauded! I even gave him a 'high five' when he told me of his opposition to Robinson!
God help the long-suffering Catholics of the Albany Diocese...Sts. Isaac Jogues, Rene Goupil and Jean Lalande (Martyrs of Auriesville), pray for the suffering flock for whom you shed your blood!