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SEVERE PROBLEMS WITH OUR BISHOP John Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Question:

The bishop of our diocese is progressive/liberal and his aim is to change/reform the teachings/practices of the Church. Already he has condoned a parish priest close to where I live who is preaching heresy. Countless numbers of people have complained (including myself) regarding how he's destroying the parish - however, our bishop is turning a blind eye to the situation and (so I've heard) this priest is one of our bishops "favourites"! In my particular parish (the cathedral parish of the diocese) our bishop is encouraging weekly lay preaching at Mass by one of his "ecclesial women" who (by the way) is 100% in support of women's ordination, and who is totally heterodox in her theology. In fact, our bishop has appointed her the Co-ordinator of Adult Faith Formation! - even though she denies the existence of purgatory and hell, supports women's rights with regard to pro-choice, and disbelieves other principal tenets of the Catholic Faith. Our bishop supports the ARC movement (Australian Reforming Catholics) and one of the senior lecturers in our diocesan seminary is saying that the words of consecration are no longer necessary at Mass! Should this be approved by the bishop, then we will no longer have a valid Mass in the diocese!

What can be done to correct and discipline a bishop who is destroying the faith of a diocese? Appeal to the Apostolic Nuncio? I don't live all that far from an adjoining diocese which (fortunately) is very traditional - and orthodox. However, you need to know I am physically disabled and confined to a wheelchair. I don't drive, and am totally dependent on wheelchair cabs. To reach the cathedral of this adjoining diocese, I would be paying at least $50 a week (minimum) which, for a person like myself who is physically disabled and on a pension, is quite considerable.

What should I do? The way things are going in this diocese, we could soon be left with an invalid Mass and other sacraments. Already, because of the constant ad-libbing at Mass (and other liturgical abuses), most of our Masses are illicit, to say the least. If the worst comes to the worst, is it still preferable to regularly attend an invalid Mass and make a "spiritual communion" to make up for what's lacking in the illicit/invalid form? In my particular case, I don't think I have an option.

Please help me in my dilemna.

God bless you -
JOHN
Question Answered by Q&A Manager

Dear John:

Your question is being moved to the Faith and Spirituality Forum as it is really not a question about liturgy or liturgical law. It is about, rather, the liberalism of a bishop and his priest. Your question will be answered shortly in the Faith and Spirituality Forum.

God Bless.
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.