This piece was just received by savestmarys by "R" (no full name was given). We felt that this piece was well-reasoned and articulate, and we agree this is a likely scenario.
I think that the Bishop's announcement is nothing but another scam. It is all part of the Process of "Gathering God's Gifts." The Bishop wants to "Wash His Hands" like Pilate did to Jesus. He's leaving it up to the Priest-Conveners to close our churches. The Bishop has now given his people false hope. The people now believe that their churches will remain open all year as secondary worship sites and are celebrating as if their churches have been saved from closure, when in reality they are being set up for the kill. After the Bishop merges our parishes by decree, it will be up to the new pastor and pastoral and financial councils to determine the actual worship sites. Let's not forget that these councils are only ADVISORY councils and it's the pastor who makes the final decision.
Just as Pilate gave Jesus over to the people to be crucified, Bishop Galante is giving our churches over to his hand picked priest-conveners who will carry out his plan. The priest-conveners will now convince the people that their churches will remain as secondary worship sites, when in reality they will be closed and the parish families will then suffer death by Bishop Galante. He claims to hear the voice of the people of God, which the Council of Parishes represents, but in truth ignores them.
If we reflect on this Sunday's readings, we see that Jeremias could not remain silent because of his desire to speak of the Lord:
I think that the Bishop's announcement is nothing but another scam. It is all part of the Process of "Gathering God's Gifts." The Bishop wants to "Wash His Hands" like Pilate did to Jesus. He's leaving it up to the Priest-Conveners to close our churches. The Bishop has now given his people false hope. The people now believe that their churches will remain open all year as secondary worship sites and are celebrating as if their churches have been saved from closure, when in reality they are being set up for the kill. After the Bishop merges our parishes by decree, it will be up to the new pastor and pastoral and financial councils to determine the actual worship sites. Let's not forget that these councils are only ADVISORY councils and it's the pastor who makes the final decision.
Just as Pilate gave Jesus over to the people to be crucified, Bishop Galante is giving our churches over to his hand picked priest-conveners who will carry out his plan. The priest-conveners will now convince the people that their churches will remain as secondary worship sites, when in reality they will be closed and the parish families will then suffer death by Bishop Galante. He claims to hear the voice of the people of God, which the Council of Parishes represents, but in truth ignores them.
If we reflect on this Sunday's readings, we see that Jeremias could not remain silent because of his desire to speak of the Lord:
there came in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was wearied, not being able to bear it.St. Paul tells us, in this letter to the Romans, to make sacrifices and avoid the trappings of our times. (Mega Churches--Bigger is not better.) In the Epistle to the Romans, St. Paul tells us, "Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good, pleasing and perfect." (Not the will of Bishop Galante!) This is not "The Gathering of God's Gifts" it is the "Destruction of God's Gifts."