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Question Title Posted By Question Date
The Recitation of our Profession of Faith Vincent Thursday, March 26, 2009

Question:

Dear Mr. Slavek,

We have a new Church being built but for now we are in a temporary facility. Our former pastor and founder who passed away recently has been replaced.  The new pastor, at the start of Lent removed the Holy Water. After giving him a copy of a letter written by Undersecretary, Mons. Mario Marini of the Congregation for Divine Worship, has now put the Holy Water back.

A new problem has now replaced the above one, Father has now, upon his own choosing, eliminated the recitation of our Profession of Faith on three Sundays. His his reason for doing so was stated to me as being justified because we have several Catecheums present during Mass and they require attention, so I have chosen to eliminate the Profession of Faith.

My question is this, I have already spoken to him regarding this matter but with no success. And, since I was successful with regard to the previous matter mentioned above, other than re-mentioning it, and giving him a copy of Norm 43 and Norm 44 of the G.I.R.M, i.e. the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, is there any other Church Documentation that I could also provide for Father's consideration. Also, as a last resort, should he persist in this choice, would I be causing an even greater problem by making the Bishop aware of the present situation should it continue?

God bless you and thank for your devotion to do God’s work,

Vincent.
Question Answered by Mr. Jacob Slavek

Dear Vincent,

Sounds to me like you've already shown him enough documentation.  If he can't understand big words like "obligatory" then the problem is with him, not with the documentation.

I'm still sitting here trying to figure out what good removing the creed would do with all those catechumens present.  Assuming that they're in RCIA, in the third week of Lent they are to be PRESENTED with the Creed! (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, n.160)

Speak with whoever's in charge of your faith formation/RCIA, see if you can figure out what's going on.

Whether or not you contact your bishop is your own personal decision, but I can't imagine any harm that could come from it for at least trying.  Usually the unspoken rule about contacting the bishop is to at least make the priest aware beforehand just to be sure there are no misunderstandings.  At least that's what I would do.

Mr. Slavek
Footer Notes: (a) A Eucharistic Minister is clergy (Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion). Laity are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and should never be called Eucharistic Ministers.

(b) There is no such Mass called the Novus Ordo. The Current Mass is the Roman Missal of 2000, or the Oridinary Form of the Mass. The Tridentine Mass is the Roman Missal of 1962, or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Please refrain from using the term, Novus Ordo. Thanks.

(c) The titles of Acolyte and Lector belong exclusively to the Installed Offices of Acolyte and Lector, who are men (only) appointed by the Bishop. These roles performed by others are Altar Servers and Readers, respectively.