tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199993534225416743.post3106711980872688713..comments2023-10-28T07:15:37.740-04:00Comments on Domestic Vocation: "SCAP" and the Great, Big Priest ShortageChristine the Soccer Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01270550419011368834noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199993534225416743.post-19384564126034880872008-03-31T16:21:00.000-04:002008-03-31T16:21:00.000-04:00Dear Catholics,We provide the SCAP at local nursin...Dear Catholics,<BR/><BR/>We provide the SCAP at local nursing homes, in keeping with the Bishops' view (and I quote Bishop Donald Trautman, head of the USCCB's Committee on Liturgy) that the rite "is intended to be used when there are no nearby parishes that people can attend, such as rural areas, jails or nursing homes." It is the first instance that causes the most problems. <BR/><BR/>However, the elderly are greatly served by the SCAP; even in our area where Masses are held frequently and "nearby" most in our urban area, the just aren't enough priests to visit the elderly.<BR/><BR/>Do any of you provide the SCAP for your elderly Catholics? We find that it is a very appealing ministry for families, who offer the rite together...<BR/><BR/>Blessings, <BR/>Lynn O. PetersonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199993534225416743.post-36881989713612255662008-03-12T20:24:00.000-04:002008-03-12T20:24:00.000-04:00Christine, they are only clustering in areas where...Christine, they are only clustering in areas where the money is NOT. Shame on me for saying it, but it's true. I had a good long look at all the demographics a couple of years ago when they were killing off the schools in this diocese, and I call it as I see it. If you're middle-class or inner-city, they're after your parish. All the towns where "dirt is expensive" they are leaving alone.<BR/><BR/>I don't think your parish is applying SCAP as it should be used.<BR/><BR/>I know that our Bishop has told all the pastors in the merged parishes that even when 2 priests are available, they must come up with a Sunday schedule involving both churches, that ONE priest can handle on his own. So it would have to really get drastic before they could use SCAP. That's fine with me--though it's going to be a little rough getting adjusted to worshipping in our alternate site. I know, Jesus is there just as much as He is in our "preferred" church....but....<BR/><BR/>This all hurts sometimes.Barb Szyszkiewiczhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00329184613713551475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199993534225416743.post-16610383724137818962008-03-11T09:51:00.000-04:002008-03-11T09:51:00.000-04:00Thanks, Barb. I think what bothers me is that the...Thanks, Barb. I think what bothers me is that they are planning to use SCAP, not keeping it in mind as a backup. As in, it will be a part of the schedule. And two people said, with our pastor present, that it fulfills Sunday's obligation, period. My biggest concern was that they would do it on a regular basis and we wouldn't know when they were planning it. But they said there would be a schedule, so our family would just attend <I>Mass</I> at another parish those weekends. <BR/><BR/>I just felt very frustrated. Maybe it's because I've only been a part of the parish for 4 years, but I feel like if Father can't be there one Sunday, then I'll go to Mass elsewhere. We're in the middle of an area with six parishes in very close proximity!<BR/><BR/>I'm surprised that central Jersey is having clustering, too, though. It seemed that everyone I knew was Catholic when I was a kid, and our parish was so huge that we had five or six priests and a few nuns in the convent. Of course, the convent is no more, as far a I know. That makes me sad. (But, as you can see from my flurry of late-night posts, I was pretty sad this week anyway.)Christine the Soccer Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01270550419011368834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6199993534225416743.post-60209628512472589012008-03-11T07:41:00.000-04:002008-03-11T07:41:00.000-04:00Christine, my parish right now is "merging" with a...Christine, my parish right now is "merging" with another parish. And we will not have the Easter Vigil this year, etc. etc. etc. It's painful, but we will all heal. I am trying very hard to keep in mind "It doesn't matter where I attend Mass, because Jesus is there no matter which building I'm in!"<BR/>Hang in there. I'm here to listen--it's happening everywhere. And we were assured that we'd only have a SCAP if the priest suddenly became ill (and that's understandable).Barb Szyszkiewiczhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00329184613713551475noreply@blogger.com