tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123808496292529808.post2053785058911964171..comments2024-01-21T04:26:20.215-05:00Comments on A Shepherd's Post: Church Means "Go."Fr. David Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14448576898945830796noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123808496292529808.post-91291140247699225532012-05-04T11:05:47.798-04:002012-05-04T11:05:47.798-04:00Thanks for reading the blog!Thanks for reading the blog!Fr. David Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14448576898945830796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123808496292529808.post-47232838640053470782012-05-04T10:22:53.386-04:002012-05-04T10:22:53.386-04:00I recently came across this blog recommended by a ...I recently came across this blog recommended by a friend in a bible study I attend. I found this blog interesting. I am a converted revert, one who spent 12 years in 3 different evangelical protestant churches due to geographical moves. Through the grace of God, I was directed back to the Catholic Church over 12 years ago and since lived in NH. I am now back in MA, on the Northshore, and have been for over a year. I am seeking a vibrant parish where I can serve in some capacity of evangelism. Over 25 years of actively participating in various ministries, I have found that building smaller communities through various ministries helps build the larger Church. There are many different Catholic Evangelical ministries such as Cursillio, Bible studies, Prayer groups, Life-in-the-Spirit Seminars, Women's and Men's Groups, and hospitality servers, etc. These are the more formal groups and I am sure others are created within each parish accordingly. <br /> It is nice to read this blog and be fed personally.<br />Thank you and God Bless.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123808496292529808.post-4619346710769488892012-04-30T16:32:25.457-04:002012-04-30T16:32:25.457-04:00We have only priests and deacons distribute commun...We have only priests and deacons distribute communion. It's not very fast; but then, Mass isn't a hurry.kkollwitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17691145638703824456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123808496292529808.post-36726553089322625002012-04-28T17:44:13.718-04:002012-04-28T17:44:13.718-04:00I have to agree, I mean no disrespect to the girls...I have to agree, I mean no disrespect to the girls who want to serve their parish; however, we really should only have male alter servers and we need to minimize the use of lay ministers of the Eucharist... like Mother Angelica says, "lay ministers are fine if the priest is serving 5000 people during his Mass" <br />God blessAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123808496292529808.post-1021326176151523642012-04-23T14:28:51.245-04:002012-04-23T14:28:51.245-04:00This is way interesting. I don't know what tho...This is way interesting. I don't know what those cells are, although they sound too structured to work well over time. Just my opinion, based on a lifetime of hearing about new stuff which I don't ever hear about again after a year or so.<br /><br />I can talk about what I see working at my Bible-Belt parish.<br /><br />We have a heaven-oriented, serious and well-executed (if that's the right phrase) Liturgy. Visitors are moved. <br /><br />Only male servers, which has been great for boys' participation and in generating vocations.<br /><br />The homilies have a catechetical dimension such that listeners can use what they hear to evangelize. It's explicitly stated that the parishioners should be familiar with the Bible; in fact, there are NAB Bibles in the pews along with the Missalettes. <br /><br />There are a couple of Bible-study groups that meet, one on Sunday between Masses, one during the week.<br /><br />RCIA is attendance is probably 60% Catholic; it's treated a bit like an adult ed class. Some people attend year after year.<br /><br />Periodically there's some other short-term event. This year we watched the Catholicism series, each episode being followed by the pastor's comments and q&a.<br /><br />Every month there's a well-attended and tasty KofC breakfast, which is good for the church family.<br /><br />Because of its evangelistic disposition, the parish gets a steady stream of well-informed converts who then are able to further evangelize. I'm thinking right now of a PK (preacher's kid) who entered the church two years ago to the acute distress of his family. But now both parents and his sister are Catholic (sister came in at the Vigil); two of their friends, a mother & daughter, came in; and the husband is now in the RCIA pipline.<br /><br />Or take my family: I'm a cradlecat, my wife a convert. We both taught/teach RCIA/Catechism. Our son married a Presbyterian who later was sponsored by my wife & became Catholic. Then her mother and father did the same, sponsored by her.<br /><br />There's also a lot of cross pollination among the parishes. KofC councils do things together, people have parties where people from assorted parishes are invited, there's a bunch of Catholic Facebookers who stay in touch across the parishes as well.kkollwitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17691145638703824456noreply@blogger.com