Merry Christmas... Now Find Yourself a New Church

I've written about our new parish priests a few times before, but have since stopped since I did feel a bit uncomfortable putting it all out there on the internet.

Well our parish had always used the communion rail, at least as long as we've been there, and I imagine its gone back a long time if not always. We got our new pastor and associate priest in October I believe, and the first week the pastor said he wasn't going to change any of our traditions. We were happy because he wasn't going to change our traditions, and he does a very nice mass. The second week he tells everyone that while he can't stop us from using the communion rail, he would prefer if we would line up and receive standing. We were shocked since this was very different from what he said the week before. Since that time the unity of the parish has been broken and during every communion everyone watches to see which way everyone goes. Each week less and less people use the rail, and it was so sad to watch.

Well yesterday at mass the priest said he doesn't want people to line up for the rail anymore. After mass Mom went up to ask him if he would reconsider his position on the communion rail because it is important to the people of the parish, and he told her that she shouldn't come to this church for that and to find another parish.

I'm really shocked about him saying that to her. I've never heard of a priest saying that to someone before, and its not even like they were having a fight or anything, he just dropped it on her. And the thing that makes me angry is that while it will not have a drastic effect on our faith, saying that to someone else might cause them to leave the church for many years or forever. I'm just shocked and amazed at it all.