Monday, August 24, 2009

More Questions?

Add them as comments here. Try to shorten them. As you have seen, the questions can become so involved that they become difficult to use.

6 comments:

Katie Beaumont said...

Hi Standingmaryanna,
Thank you again for serving the people of God in this diocese with what is somewhat a ministry via this diablog (another invented word combining dialog and blog). I'm sure you will receive many blessings for your work. I realize this may be similar to my previous question;however, I would like to know if diocesan officials are willing to consider other approaches to deal with the concern of unseen Tabernacles in a sincere way by allowing ideas outside the status quo of what seems to be a diocesan dogmatic practice of Tabernacle-deprived sanctuaries. How can the diocese encourage or lead parishes to find ways to return the Tabernacle to a prominently visible location in the main sanctuary for Sunday worshippers(even if this is a parish site-based decision)? If not, does the diocese plan to keep the status quo of segregated prayer or "devotional segregation" (tabernacle - without the assembly vs. no tabernacle - with the assembly) in some parishes while not holding other parishes to the same standard?

Anonymous said...

Katie, why not shorten your question? This is a shorter version of what I think you're trying to say:


Will the diocese of Richmond ever promote tabernacle tolerance throughout the diocese to change the present situation of tabernacle intolerance?


Standing Maryanna, even if this isn't what Katie meant, would you please post this question? I'm curious too

standing maryanna said...

To Katie and Anonymous: Since Anonymous' question was short and the tabernacle question is the first one that Ms Combier-Donovan said she would answer, I added it to the list.

I hope the question was close enough to answer Katie's concerns too.

Katie Beaumont said...

Dear Anon 2:43 & Standingmaryanna:

That works. Sorry I'm so long-winded. I guess I get a little emotional and frustrated over this issue (which really shouldn't be an issue when our faith-community should have bigger fish to fry than fight over where a Tabernacle should be located). I side with restoring Tabernacles to a PROMINENTLY VISIBLE location in the main sanctuary of EVERY parish in the diocese (whether the faithful ask for it or not). It is simply unacceptable that this "tabernacle hide-and-go-seek" game has been accepted for as long as it has across this diocese. Just because most of the faithful may not find this to be an important issue, does not mean that it shouldn't be addressed. I bet if tabernacles were restored to prominent spots, most of the faithful would be fine with that too. Just because it may be suggest to be placed in a separate chapel or out-of-sight location by a USCCB document, does not mean we have to enforce it strictly. Can't we bend the rules a little and allow the faithful access to highly VISIBLE Tabernacles in our main sanctuaries before and after Sunday Mass?

Two shortened questions:

1. Do diocesan officials realize some of the faithful feel as if they are being segragated if they wish to pray in the presence of the Real Presence in the Tabernacle before Sunday Mass?

2. What do diocesan officials plan to do to end Tabernacle-discrimination?

standing maryanna said...

Katie, I added your first question to the list under Tabernacle Questions. Your second question is similar to another already posted...

Katie Beaumont said...

4 Christian Education Questions regarding CCD & RCIA:
-In addition to attending Pathways, what other means does the diocese use to confirm that the volunteer-catechists are well-informed Catholics?
-Is there any kind of assessment they take to make sure they have a solid foundation of knowledge on the teachings of the Church?
-How does the diocese decide on which items of Church Teachings to place emphasis? For example, how are the Teachings on Purgatory, Indulgences, Morality (i.e. artificial contraception) and other problematic Teachings addressed?
-Are the Church's Teachings addressed consistently across the diocese from parish to parish? Or does the culture of the parish dictate which Teachings will be emphasized or taught?