Lay homilists
Father Terry Rassmussen, pastor of St. Joseph in New Hope, finished reading, closed the Book of the Gospels, and stepped away from the ambo. From the congregation, Ginny Untiedt stepped forward.
Clad in a white robe, Untiedt bowed as Father Rassmussen laid his hands on her head and blessed her. She looked up, walked to the ambo and began preaching for the last time.
As many as 29 parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis have used lay preachers at Mass during the past 25 years. In January, however, Archbishop Harry Flynn instructed pastors to discontinue the practice. He gave his retirement date - May 2 - as the time by which parishes should develop "a pastoral plan" to end lay preaching at Mass.
In his January letter to pastors, Archbishop Flynn referenced the 2004 Vatican instruction "Redemptionis Sacramentum," which called eucharistic lay preaching - a non-ordained person reflecting on the Gospel reading at the place in Mass usually reserved for a homily by a priest or deacon - a liturgical abuse.
...Many lay preachers have expressed "enormous grief and anger" over the directive to stop the practice, said Patricia Hughes Baumer, who co-founded the lay preaching training organization Partners in Preaching with her husband, Fred, in 1997.
Proponents of lay preaching argue that canon law allows the practice and that both the congregation and pastors benefit from hearing Gospel reflections from diverse voices.
Well I guess it is about time. I am not sure exactly why a "pastoral plan" was needed since a liturgical abuse shouldn't be phased out, but eliminated. What exactly would a plan require other than that the priest or deacon deliver the homilies? Though I guess it can be a prudential decision because of the negative reaction. I just don't understand how this practice could ever have been allowed in the first place and over such a long period of time.
Especially since it was not Redemptionis Sacramentum that changed this. This instruction only reiterated that this was indeed a liturgical abuse. The 1983 code of Canon Law specifically says:
Canon 767
+1. Among the forms of preaching the homily is preeminent; it is apart of the liturgy itself and is reserved to a priest or to a deacon;
And no doubt the previous Code of Canon Law never allowed this practice either.
So whoever these unnamed proponents of lay preaching are that appeal to Canon Law they are not quite telling the truth.
The truth is that lay preaching is not prohibited, after all we are all part of the great commission to go out into the whole world and to preach the good news. It is just that lay people can't do it during Mass. So on Sunday or any other time you go to Mass you can preach the Gospel pretty much 23/7. The great apologist Frank Sheed stood up on his soapbox in Hyde Park and preached up a storm. People gifted with preaching the faith can certainly find opportunities and forums to do so. Just because you can't do it during the Mass doesn't mean that you can't preach the Gospel. This is just part of the same false idea I have talked about before that if you are not doing some activity directly in a Church or as part of the diocese/parish that it somehow doesn't count.
Though I would suspect that many of these lay homilists were not quite faithful to the Church. If you just ignore Canon Law and the instructions of the Church more than likely that you will get homilies that ignore what the Church teaches for the sake of "diverse views."
Known as 
Geez, if the RC lacks the knowledge to reign in its own leadership and rank-and-files, I wonder what else they are wrong about?
I so missed you all. My return is bringing an isle of sanity to a sea of crazy.
UAB
UAB
Disobedience is a constant . Ask any parent.
Seems like those who are more mature in their faith are more obedient. Go figure.
UAB,
It isn't a question of knowledge, it's a question of
a few pastor too hip for their duties.
Once again, you conclude 2+2=9. It isn't sanity to troll about that a faith you don't practice, and teachings you refuse to understand.
...er... "pastor(S) too hip for their duties."
I wonder what else they are wrong about?
The Church is wrong about nothing when it comes to her teachings. That it's made up of humans - who are flawed and sinful - well, that's a whole different story.
Uh, isn't it the priest that is being less faithful to the Canon Law more than the layperson?
I have heard laypeople give homilies before. In other situations, a priest gave gave the "homily" before a layperson gave a "reflection".
Wow UAB, for such an auspicious return you really forgot to bring the logic. But I guess some things never change. :-)
BTW UAB/Hoodlum
Some friends and I had taken guesses as to what your new psuedoname would be.
Some liked "Buffy the Logic Slayer" (or BSL as you medium seems to be as of late)
or Def Athiest
or Herr Trollmeister
and those are the ones I can print in proper company :-)
Imagine my chagrin when you came back as UAB (unmolested altar boy for the unitiated)...it's like someone laying all the easter eggs out in the open. Takes all the fun out of it. It ws fun flushing you out last time. *sigh*
sorry..uninitiated...thought that looked wrong.
Any guesses as to the orthodoxy of these lay homilies?
He gave his retirement date - May 2 - as the time by which parishes should develop "a pastoral plan" to end lay preaching at Mass.
How's that?
Seriously, Rich-- why does it have to be any more complicated than that? I think a huge source of "issues" in post-VII parish life is the rise of the "planning committee." It allows crazy and just plain bad decisions to be implemented without any individual accountability and giving the illusion that it's "what the parishioners want." I know pastors are busy people, but really, does it have to be any more complicated than NOT PUTTING ANY MORE LAY PEOPLE ON THE SCHEDULE and writing his own darned homilies?
There's also an element of humility or pride in a lay person when he ponders the desire to give a homily at Mass. The cachet and prestige that parishioners will gush and say, "Oh look, he's good enough to give a homily" can be very tempting to the ego. I have yet to hear news of any of the lay theologians on EWTN like Dr. Scott Hahn giving a homily at Mass when they've already done it successfully elsewhere.
These things drive me insane. When a shepherd refuses to feed his flock and just sits there while some prima donna with an ax to grind gets the air time due the gospel...and we wonder why vocations lapse? I know priest like this...they mean well(notice how that really is never a compliment?) but they are generally spineless and will do whatever they think will either garner them favor from the so-called intelligensia or wealthy or at least keep them out of his hair. Heaven save us from the ordained castrati!!
+
UAB remarks "Lacks the leadership... wonder what else they are wrong about" using this 'logic' Jesus would have been "wrong" because of the disobedience of Peter and Thomas the Apostle, among others.
This is why logic should be required.
They will get around it. The priest will give a 2 minute homily and a lay person will give a reflection and everything will be business as usual.
Along with Communion services, lay preaching at Mass is a sure-fire way to discourage priestly vocations. My seminary education totaled out at about $240,000. Combine this with the grace of ordination and the promises I made when I was ordained, and I am duty-bound (and legally bound!) to write and deliver my own homilies. There's no excuse for a priest to give this duty to someone else!
Fr. Philip, OP
Okay, but when someone from the parish stewardship committee or the local cirsis pregnancy center gets up and talks -- that's abuse?
Rats. That happens once a year (each) at my parish, and I thought we did Mass pretty well.
"when someone from the parish stewardship committee or the local crisis pregnancy center gets up and talks -- that's abuse?"
There's a difference between simple talks (which are after the final blessing, I'm assuming) and homilies. Priests don't get ordained for nothing...
broed,
Yeah, but when does that person speak? For us, it is either right before or right after the blessing ( I can't remember which.) It's when announcements that didn't make it to the bulletin are generally delivered by our pastor. If that's before the blessing, it's only so that the people won't be walking out the door, not to show disrespect. But sometimes we will be invited to stay after the blessing/before the recessional hymn to listen to someone for approx. 5 mins. (the speaker is required to keep the speech short).
OR, in cases where parish/diocesan business is concerned, a person will be designated to speak after(?) the homily for things like Catholic Charities, etc. It doesn't make practical sense to have them speak AFTER the gifts are brought up to the altar.
What makes me nervous is when non-ordained pastoral assistants deliver a homily/poem/reflection after the Gospel is read. I lose the gist of what is being said because a LOUD part of me is busy repeating "Yikes. I HOPE this is okay. It must be okay. A nun must be allowed to do this or we wouldn't be doing it. Maybe it's an exception..." through an interior monologue.
Or the "Oh, here we go." response in me freezes my brain despite all efforts to listen, and i barely comprehend anything. I assume this is a protective device so that I won't flip out when I hear "red-flag" words. A rather sophisticated defense mechanism, that. It pays no heed to certain phrases, but hears "sanctity of life", "Heart of Jesus", "unborn child", etc, clearly and happily.
(I think this might fall into the "how to brainwash yourself when necessary category.)
No, it's usually after the homily and before the Creed.
I'll talk to our pastor. I'm pretty confident he'll move it to the final blessing, if he realizes it is to avoid abuse.
Liturgical directives aren't usually given "effective immediately," are they? Think of Summorum Pontificum, released in July and taking effect in September, or the Pope's directive to the Neocatechumenate Way to bring their liturgical practices into line with the GIRM (given a long time, was it three years?).
I'd guess that, in this case, pastoral plans might include educating and preparing the parish for the change, and figuring out what to do with the lay preaching team (an excellent opportunity to start or expand parish Vespers, if you want my vote).
And yes, education and preparation may be required, if this directive isn't to be received as an act of raw clericalism that denies the graces the parishes believe they have received from lay preaching.
I know in the diocese of Saginaw with the present bishop who is bringing that diocese back
into line with Roman Catholicism, the directives for lay folks or 'sisters' to stop preaching was met with howls of anger. WHAT! Sister is so good at it! I have a relative ready to leave the church since she is so angry that things cannot be done as they wish. What kneelers! What glass is not good enough for sacred vessels! What, God is not mother/father! What I am not the sacrament!
And we have had this happen in my parish too. Sister gave a 'homily' on the feast of Corpus Christi about how Mass is a "ritual that has lost its meaning". She gave the priests' retret this year too. Or other lay folks talk. Or when John 6 comes up, we ahve guest speakers to talk aobut other things. Or most recently we invited a protestant to give our parish mission and he was welcome at communion too because "he is catholic, just no Roman Catholic' as father said.
This disobedience has to end.
Magdalen, I sorta want to ask what parish you're in, but at the same time, I'm afraid. My godchildren are still in the Diocese of Saginaw.
I can appreciate that priests are extremely busy and may not have a lot of time to spend on writing homilies. With that in mind, would it be possible for the Vatican to provide homilies for the Sunday Mass? Obviously, priests wouldn't be required to use the homily, but the option would be available. As someone who finds Benedict's writings so meaningful, I would have no problem hearing what he has written every Sunday...
Here's a pastoral plan: Begining now, the lay preaching ends during Mass, got it?
If they love preaching so much, put them togood use, Catechesis classes (as long as they're not teaching heresy)
Here's a pastoral plan: Begining now, the lay preaching ends during Mass, got it?
This isn't a pastoral plan, it's a revenge fantasy.
And while revenge fantasies are pleasurable, they don't help convince people this whole thing isn't simply an exercise of brute episcopal power.
Greg wrote: "I can appreciate that priests are extremely busy and may not have a lot of time to spend on writing homilies."
Preaching the Word at Mass is the first thing that should keep a priest busy. He can give up any and every thing except extreme sacramental emergencies to prepare his homily. I can't think of a single thing more important.
Fr. Philip, OP
I was briefly subjected to this a few yrs. ago, and neither the lay preaching nor the preaching of the priests who allowed it was edifying, converting, or good rhetoric. Kudos to the bishop for putting a stop to it! I only hope he'll make available some homiletic training for the priests.
Good luck on getting priest to sharpen their skills at preaching! Many priest I know don't take it seriously and feel no pressing need to improve. I feel this one of the dangers of secular/diocesan priesthood ( I am one BTW). IMHO when a person knows they will not be objectively nor officially evaluated on thier execution of pastoral duites, there is little impetus more some to change. Of course, any priest worth their salt realizes we are evaluated by a much higher power than a bishop..and this evaluator sees everything and knows what fervor or sluggishness was in our hearts.
You'll be able to tell much about a priest, even if he has the rhetorical skills of a 3rd grader, by the content of his homilies and his willingness to do them.
There are already good pre-written materials that key into the Sunday readings available. While it's not ideal, I have heard a priest whose command of English is quite shaky just get up to the pulpit and start reading from In Conversation with God, by Fr. Francis Fernandez, a priest of Opus Dei. If you google the title, you can read it online. I'm sure there are other publications available too. Again, it's not ideal, but at least it's orthodox, and provides some substantial spiritual "meat" to chew on rather than the blather and psychobabble I get subjected to more often that I'd like.
So late to this conversation, but...we continue to have lay preaching in our diocese. Several of us from my parish have written the bishop (I'd say 25-30 families), only to be told "well, WE have special permission. It's okay here." And as someone noted, the celebrating priest gives a 2 minute intro and the lay preacher (always the same nun) who "also participates in the ministry of preaching" reflects for about 10 minutes. It is incredibly frustrating since they seem to think we can't tell the difference between an abuse and a manipulation of the rules.
you know, the sad part of all of this is that those priests who allow this, are too stupid (not ignorant -- look up the difference) to know better. There was a priest in my parish who downloaded his sermons from the internet and read them. At least he read them. Also, how many priests dont keep their sermons ? if you work it right, every three years each one is read ; )
This isn't a pastoral plan, it's a revenge fantasy.
And while revenge fantasies are pleasurable, they don't help convince people this whole thing isn't simply an exercise of brute episcopal power.
It's not a revenge fantasy, it's putting a halt to the abuse that goes on. Too often we sit and let abues become the norm, instead of correcting when these things go on. To let an abuse go on is to participate in it.
It shouldn't require a committee to explain why the change is taking place. The Church isn't a democracy.
Rules should be followed, but prohibiting qualified lay preachers is a stupid rule that should be repealed.
I'm not saying that any of the lay preachers in this case were qualified.
Also, if the RCC permitted lay preachers it would have to address uncomfortable issues like 1 Tim. 2.