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Monday, February 3, 2020

WOW! RENEWAL IN CONTINUITY IN THIS DAY AND AGE, AND DRUM ROLL PLEASE, A BISHOP IS LEADING IT

I copy this from Fr. Z's blog. The only thing I would complain about is three years terms for priests. I think, six, with a renewable six, but no more than 12 is better.

Archbp. of Kampala forbids Communion in the hand, other decrees

From PML (Post Media Ltd in Uganda) comes this story.  HERE
The Archbishop of Kampala, Most Rev. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga (age 67), has issued some decrees.
First, he has decreed on 1 Feb 2020 that “every priest, be it a curate or parish priest, will be required to serve for three years in any given parish, school or area. From there, his contract can then be renewed for another three years, after which he will transferred to another area. He said no priest will be allowed to serve beyond two three-year terms at a parish.”
I suspect what this is a similar to the (I think bad) practice in these USA of assigning priests for a 6 year term, renewable. Instead, it is a three year term.
Moreover, Masses are not to be celebrated in homes.
Moreover, he has admonished cohabiting (unmarried) couples not to receive Communion.
Moreover, he has said that priests should avoid having lay people distribute Communion at Mass.
Moreover, priests and deacons are to wear proper vestments.
Moreover, and this is the big one, he has forbidden Communion in the hand. Separate story HERE
“Henceforth, it is forbidden to distribute or to receive Holy Communion In the hands. Mother Church enjoins US to hold the Most Holy Eucharist in the highest honor (Can. 898). Due to many reported instances of dishonoring the Eucharist that have been associated with reception of the Eucharist in the hands, it is lilting to return to the more reverent method of receiving the Eucharist on the tongue,…”
Hopefully this can be a model for decrees by other bishops across the world.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, our pastor in 30327 has been at the same parish for 33 years---that is probably a record in the state of Georgia! And as he is 76 now, probably will not be transferred to another parish. But I can see the point of a 12-year limit so we don't have "pastor worship"---layfolks getting so attached to a particular pastor that when he leaves, so do they. I hear that happens in some of the big Protestant churches here in Atlanta where the "superstar" pastor retires and so do some of his congregation. (In a lot of those Protestant churches, "pastor worship" is such that he or she is expected to preach at the main service every Sunday, with a break in the summer. Golly, no break for an associate to preach!)

I wonder what abuses there have been in the prelate's diocese when it comes to clerical dress at Mass? Someone not wearing an alb? Uganda certainly has not been the easiest place to practice the faith.

Tom Makin said...

In NY (Northport, Long Island) at St Anthony of Padua, we had a priest on loan to us from Uganda, and he was of this ilk. He was assigned to our parish and did not like our liberal Pastor. Seems like his home Bishop, and he is back there now, is right up his ally.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, we see the same thing in the Anglican Communion, the clergy in Africa more conservative than those in Europe or America.

DJR said...

Anonymous said... "Well, our pastor in 30327 has been at the same parish for 33 years---that is probably a record in the state of Georgia!"

Our former pastor was at our parish about 40 years. Epiphany Byzantine in Roswell.

Anonymous said...

Well, DJR, congrats on that---I was just driving by there Sunday night on way back from Super Bowl party. Maybe I should have said "of the Western Latin Rite" and maybe I would have been right.

Another change should be an auxiliary bishop shall serve at least 3 years before a promotion and a diocesan one a minimum of 5 years, for more of a sense of stability in a local diocese.

DJR said...

Anonymous said... "Well, DJR, congrats on that---I was just driving by there Sunday night on way back from Super Bowl party."

You should stop in sometime. We love to have visitors. Liturgy is at 5:30 pm Saturdays and 10:00 am Sundays (coffee & donuts afterwards)

During the Fast, Liturgy of the Presanctified will be at 7:30 pm Wednesdays and Fridays, a very beautiful liturgy.