Announcing the Catholic Freeper Locator List

June 14, 2002 | Romulus

[B Knotts]

Incidentally, I live in the Archdiocese of Portland, but attend Mass across the river in the Archdiocese of Seattle, as we have no other Churches in the western Gorge.

[american colleen]

I used to live in a small town and belong to the parish there. It is a beautiful, small white church that just warmed your heart when you entered. There was a beautiful, large crucifix hanging over the altar and the pews all had kneelers, it was a traditional lovely small church.

A few years ago, I went back in for a visit and found the crucifix placed in the back of the church over to the side (barely visible unless you looked for it) and it had been replaced by a plain cross over the altar (which doesn't house the Tabernacle anymore) - the front pews - about the first 10 rows - had been ripped out and replaced with chairs that have no kneelers. My heart was broken.

[katnip]

All Catholic Churches everywhere in the world have a crucifix.

The formerly beautiful little Church I grew up at in Queens NY replaced the Crucifix with a bizarre Risen Christ thing along with a real totem-pole tabernacle .

No Crucifixes there anymore.

[Gophack]

That's really sad. The crucifix is one thing, but the tabernacle ... I have heard of the tabernacle being moved out of the church proper, but I always felt that was just wrong. Jesus Christ is the focus of our worship, and He should have a prominent place in the church. If my church moved the tabernacle ... which is on the altar, to the right of center ... I would complain and change parishes if they didn't move it back.

Fortunately, I think that my priests are OK and would never do such a thing.

[Gophack]

From EWTN:

Crucifix at Mass
Question from Anita Pollock on 05-28-2002:
Does a pastor have the authority to eliminate the crucifix in worship space substituting a stylized cross (without corpus) during Mass?

Answer by Colin B. Donovan, STL on 06-07-2002:
No, because during Mass, at least, the General Instruction calls for a cross with a corpus on it. 117 ... There is also to be a cross on or near the altar, with a figure of Christ crucified.

[Salvation]

Portland Archdiocese -- Oregon

Archbishop Vlazny

[Salvation]

Some duplicates of those you already have pinged.

[Salvation]

It seems like something that needs to be done

Pray for the Bishops

[johniegrad]

Minnesota.

[johniegrad]

OOOOPS. Diocese of Duluth.

[Salvation]

No Crucifixes there anymore.

Bizarre. It is because Christ died for our sins that we are even here as believers.

[al_c]

Catholic by choice, Texan by the grace of God. ;o)
(Truthfully, both by the grace of God)

Allen, Texas ... Diocese of Dallas.

[kstewskis]

AZ- Phoenix diocese

[american colleen]

If my church moved the tabernacle ... which is on the altar, to the right of center ...

OK, I have a problem with this. My church is a modernish one (1958) that has the main altar and two small sides ... to the left and right of the main altar. The right side contains a statue of the BVM holding baby Jesus and Joseph alongside with his tools (and in front of this is where the large choir sings, but that is another story), and the other one used to have a statue that was removed and the Tabernacle was placed there on a small altar. Now, the main altar has grooves for the Tabernacle and both are made of the same marble... why move it? To me, it should be front and center... am I being too picky?

And you know... I miss votive candles.

[Gophack]

I am really beginning to think that it is up to the lay faithful to keep traditional alive and well in the Church. I know it sounds trite to say we only have ourselves to blame, but it's true in some ways. I blame myself because for nearly 20 years I rarely went to mass (I was a Christmas/Easter Catholic). That's 20 years where my prayers could have been joined with others to strengthen the church.

Now that we are seeing these problems, we can do something about it. The first is to know the rules, the second is to learn diplomacy, and the third is to never give up.

[Gophack]

My church was remodelled because of growth about 10 years ago, before I started attending. The altar is in the center of the church, and the tabernacle is not directly behind it, but to the right, and directly to the right of the crucifix. It is prominently displayed, I feel, even more a focal point than some of the older, traditional churches. It the tabernacle were directly behind the altar, it would be blocked by the priest and block the crucifix.

Hard to explain ... but I think the placement in my church is perfect.

[Domestic Church]

Pennsylvania

[Antoninus]

Camden, NJ

[Catholicguy]

Florida

[redhead]

Minnesota. Our bishop is Archbishop Harry Flynn... :o(