This one is by James Stephenson. I was handed the letter but I'm not sure to which newspaper(s) he sent it. I'm impressed with several of his points, since they are ones not often stressed, and he is speaking from the point of view of a senior.
Re: CLOSING CATHOLIC CHURCHES
I've been reading with interest the heart breaking stories from people who are having their churches closed. I agree with them for the most part. I, though, have a different concern. Is this bishop truly Catholic? What true shepherd would insult the greater portion of his flock by calling their churches "Wawa churches"? Then he insults seniors by saying we only go to church to socialize. No, your Excellency, we go to church to praise, honor, glorify, and worship God in general and Jesus Christ in particular. I have to wonder why he goes to church!
No, we donot need his day care either! Most of his daily communicants are seniors who are also responsible for much of the upkeep of the buildings and grounds.
1. What bothers me more is his remark about needing mega-churches with paid ministries,not small churches that focus on celebrating liturgies. Is he trying to get rid of the mass? The mass is about the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Get rid of liturgy, whether mega or small church and you have no Catholic faith.
2. Also, his remark about faith being about relationships, not about rules. Once again, the Catholic Church is all about rules. The rules that Jesus Christ gave us to run his Church, that is what sets us apart from other faiths.
3. This one really makes me wonder where His Excellency is coming from! He says the traditional hierarchy of the churches must change--the hierarchical setup that's been in place for two thousand years--just because Bishop Galante says so. And he wants to replace it with lay people?I repeat, is he truly Catholic? Is he trying to destroy the Camden, New Jersey Diocese with his grand scheme of mega-churches?
If we have a shortage of priests,he is part of the problem, not the solution. To date he has removed at least twenty good, orthodox priests from their parishes, some of whom have served under three and four other bishops with no problem.
Why not return them to active church service? And why has he only removed orthodox priests???
Most of the remarks that I refer to are in the 02/04/08 Courier Post.*
James Stephenson
Malaga, New Jersey
*I think he means the remarks of Galante to which he refers are taken from an article published in the Courier Post. Would it have been 04/02, though?
Re: CLOSING CATHOLIC CHURCHES
I've been reading with interest the heart breaking stories from people who are having their churches closed. I agree with them for the most part. I, though, have a different concern. Is this bishop truly Catholic? What true shepherd would insult the greater portion of his flock by calling their churches "Wawa churches"? Then he insults seniors by saying we only go to church to socialize. No, your Excellency, we go to church to praise, honor, glorify, and worship God in general and Jesus Christ in particular. I have to wonder why he goes to church!
No, we donot need his day care either! Most of his daily communicants are seniors who are also responsible for much of the upkeep of the buildings and grounds.
1. What bothers me more is his remark about needing mega-churches with paid ministries,not small churches that focus on celebrating liturgies. Is he trying to get rid of the mass? The mass is about the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Get rid of liturgy, whether mega or small church and you have no Catholic faith.
2. Also, his remark about faith being about relationships, not about rules. Once again, the Catholic Church is all about rules. The rules that Jesus Christ gave us to run his Church, that is what sets us apart from other faiths.
3. This one really makes me wonder where His Excellency is coming from! He says the traditional hierarchy of the churches must change--the hierarchical setup that's been in place for two thousand years--just because Bishop Galante says so. And he wants to replace it with lay people?I repeat, is he truly Catholic? Is he trying to destroy the Camden, New Jersey Diocese with his grand scheme of mega-churches?
If we have a shortage of priests,he is part of the problem, not the solution. To date he has removed at least twenty good, orthodox priests from their parishes, some of whom have served under three and four other bishops with no problem.
Why not return them to active church service? And why has he only removed orthodox priests???
Most of the remarks that I refer to are in the 02/04/08 Courier Post.*
James Stephenson
Malaga, New Jersey
*I think he means the remarks of Galante to which he refers are taken from an article published in the Courier Post. Would it have been 04/02, though?