1. The priest who will be assigned (provided the money is there!) will begin his duties July 1st. That will make it nearly a year since the Motu Proprio was released.
2. quote- "The faithful having recourse to Father Parent will remain parishioners of the parish where they live. The jurisdiction of the chaplain extends to Mass and confessions for such persons." Do I detect a sneer?
3. quote- "The chaplaincy will be funded through the donations of the faithful at the Masses celebrated by Father Parent. The chaplaincy will exist as long as there is sufficient funding to meet its expenses. This budget is being prepared and will be communicated to those who will be benefiting from his ministry."
Let me say that I cannot wait to see this budget. You may pay by cash, check or credit card and once the donations have cleared the bank the Traditional Latin Mass will become available. Very pastoral.
4. The people who have been disappointed in the failure of the diocese to uphold the Catholic Faith have voted with their pocketbooks. They are being reined back in, told to ante up and get in line. Or else.
5. Fr. Parent has been in Maine for some time. He already adminsters 2 parishes. What will the budget include? Gas money? Salary? Health insurance? A pension? Gym fees? So the two parishes he administers are getting a "free priest" and I guess that's okay but the Traditionalists better get their checkbooks out, or the Bishop will not be able to implement the Motu Proprio in the manner in which he would like. What a burden that would be to bear you cheapskate, miserly traditionalists.
6. IF this was about the money, which it clearly is not, why doesn't the Bishop in his ardent desire to implement the Motu Proprio invite a Traditional order into the diocese? Like the Institute of Christ the King or the Fraternity of St. Peter? Because that would mean the diocese loses money and control.
New slogan for the Diocese of Maine- "Saving Souls and Money"
The letter:
February 24, 2008
Dear Friends of the Noon Mass at the Cathedral:
As you may be aware, I have been endeavoring to provide for the implementation of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum on a more stable basis and on a more extended basis in other locations in our diocese in addition to Portland and Newcastle.
I am pleased to announce that as of July 1, 2008, Father Robert Parent will serve as chaplain to the persons attached to the extraordinary form of the Roman liturgy residing in Southern and Central Maine. Father Parent is a native of Lewiston and a priest of the Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Newton, Massachusetts. He enjoys all the ministerial faculties of the Latin Church. Currently, he is the administrator of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Sabattus and St. Francis Mission in Greene. He will continue to reside at the family home in Auburn.
After July 1, he will be responsible for Sunday Mass in the extraordinary form here at the Cathedral and at the Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul in Lewiston, and in whichever additional locations may be possible either on the weekends or on weekdays. He will be available for the celebration of the sacraments and sacramentals, including funerals, as needed and where the provisions exist for these celebrations. The faithful having recourse to Father Parent will remain parishioners of the parish where they live. The jurisdiction of the chaplain extends to Mass and confessions for such persons. Jurisdiction for other sacraments and sacramentals would be obtained from the proper pastor of the place where the individual lives.
The chaplaincy will be funded through the donations of the faithful at the Masses celebrated by Father Parent. The chaplaincy will exist as long as there is sufficient funding to meet its expenses. This budget is being prepared and will be communicated to those who will be benefiting from his ministry.
It is my hope that this will allow for greater access to the extraordinary form of the Roman liturgy. I am grateful to Father Parent for accepting this new position. I count on your support and encouragement to him as he begins his ministry among you.
May God bless you with His peace. Please know that you are in my prayers.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Most Reverend Richard J. Malone
Bishop of Portland
3 comments:
I linked to your post on my blog, No fighting, no biting!. At first I was very excited about the TLMs being offered, but both are within 30 miles of each other and the rest of Maine is ignored.
I too, don't like the "pay up or shut up" tone from the letter.
I have to admit, I've never understood the reluctance to open up a Diocese to the ICKSP or FSSP. Particularly when we're busy closing parishes because of a shortage of priests and where there exists a stable body of faithful willing and able to support a parish dedicated to the extraordinary form.
Twenty or thirty years ago when the loyalty of those attached to the extraordinary form was perhaps a little more open to question it might have made sense to be overly cautious. I just don't see the reason now. Then again, I'm not a Bishop and I don't have all his cards in my hand, so who knows what I'm missing.
I didn't mind the letter so much, but did he have to sign the letter "you are in my prayers, and I am in your pocket"? That made it a little TOO obvious!
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