THE STRAW MAN OF EVERYONE, EVERYONE, EVERYONE! IT REALLY IS A JOKE!

Crux has a great article on the limits of the bombastic papal “todos, todos, todos” which by the way is masculine excluding the feminine, that’s how I read the Spanish, but I digress.

Read the funny Crux, but very true, story HERE.

The straw man, though, is to put forward that any Catholic parish in the world actually excludes Catholics or non-Catholics from participation in the parish according to their status. If you don’t misbehave during Mass or in the parish, you are quite welcome. 

My Diocese of Savannah recently held a requiem Mass where our former bishop celebrated the Requiem for a man who was the usher for 40 years in the parish, but never became a Catholic although he was married to a Catholic who once worked for the Diocese’s Communication office.

If that isn’t inclusive, I don’t know what is.

I always tell those in our RCIA, the non baptized, that they can participate in the Mass in every way they feel comfortable except for receiving Holy Communion. If they want to go to see a priest in the Confessional, the priest can’t offer absolution but he can bless them.

In all my parishes with schools, these schools were up to 40% non Catholic, one was 98% non Catholic. The non Catholics participated in Mass in every way, except for receiving Holy Communion and they could see a priest during our penance services to confess if they wish and receive a blessing. The majority of them went to confession and received a blessing. As far as actual participation, like singing, they blew the roof off the church building!!!

Recently I celebrated a Sunday Mass at one of the parishes where I celebrate Mass. A teenage boy was dressed as a girl and acted like one but was clearly bashful. No one harassed him, her or them, whatever pronoun they want to make them feel good about themselves, and this person, if they like that reference, may well have received Holy Communion. God bless him, her or them or it. They need all of God’s grace they can get and I am sure God loves them and wants them to be holy through repentance which He wants for all of us.

So, when we speak of exclusion, just what is being excluded? From going to Mass, from being registered in the parish or is it from receiving certain Sacraments???  I ask; you answer.