Blogger Priest

Sharing a few personal thoughts…

There is a need for greater uniformity and accountability in MARRIAGE (Pre-Cana) and BAPTISMAL PREPARATION. It is often difficult or impossible to insure a class for godparents. Some parishes require one meeting for parents and others, two. Classes can be cursory with no more content than filling out the appropriate forms. Some pastors refuse to baptize children who are born to parents not married in the Church. Others will do so with the admonition that they have to try and make matters right by God and his Church. Some Pre-Cana programs are as many as four weekends; others are two meetings or even one. The elements covered are often different as well. Some offer the FOCUS or PMI questionnaires of compatibility; others do not. Given that we are dealing with sacraments, pastors need more assistance and guidance in these areas. We would not want to miss out on what can become wonderful occasions for calling prodigals back to Catholic unity and practice. 

“In our ecclesiastical region there are priests who don’t baptize the children of single mothers because they weren’t conceived in the sanctity of marriage,” Bergoglio told his priests. “These are today’s hypocrites. Those who clericalize the Church. Those who separate the people of God from salvation. And this poor girl who, rather than returning the child to sender, had the courage to carry it into the world, must wander from parish to parish so that it’s baptized!”–Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis I)

Filed under: Archdiocese, Faith |