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From the Pastor: Thank You Follow-Up; plus Something Important!
Two weeks ago I put a “Thank You” in the bulletin for all of last year’s APA donors. As I mentioned, it was primarily for the true purpose of thanking everyone who donated to the Annual Pastoral Appeal but secondarily so that all donors who didn’t see their names in the list could see that their donation went to some other parish instead of Epiphany. I know this will shock you but there are occasions when information, whether it is financial or sacramental, is not properly recorded. We have discovered through this list that several donations did indeed fall into that “not properly recorded” category. So far, everyone whose APA donations were “missing” (and there were several) found that their donation had been incorrectly credited to the parish where they are registered even though they attend Epiphany and requested that it be credited to Epiphany. So this is a second reminder, but this time it is going out specifically to those of you who have not yet changed your parish registration, to check to make sure your donation was recorded. It is not that I don’t like the other parishes and don’t want them to get your money but I certainly want your donation to go where it is meant to go... especially if it was meant to go here! And, perhaps it is time to make the change to Epiphany “official” by calling or stopping by the office for a change of registration. Parish registration is not absolutely necessary, nor is it addressed anywhere in canon law, but it helps out every once in a while in this day of computerized file keeping and parish hopping. I have now received word that Bishop Parkes will indeed be here for Confirmations on Wednesday, February 7 at 7:00 pm. This is a first for us, for in prior years the Bishop has been unable to be here in person and has instead given me delegation to Confirm. This time the “proper” or “ordinary” minister of Confirmation will be here in person. What a great blessing. One of you recently reminded me that In 2016 I wrote about being delegated as follows: While studying the old books to make sure I both licitly and validly bestowed the sacrament, I came across some wonderful information which I would like to share with you. The following quotes are found in the 1950 Roman Ritual. “First, in regard to the minister of the sacrament of confirmation, the Code of Canon Law (canon 782), restating the dogmatic definition of the Council of Trent, says that the ordinary minister is a bishop only, but the extraordinary minister is a priest to whom this power has been granted either by common law or by a special indult of the Holy See.” So delegating priests to confer confirmation, though not the norm, is obviously not a novelty, either, though now the local bishop can make the delegation. A bit later it continues, “This goes back to the practice already followed by this Sacred Congregation in the indults granted to ordinary priests the power to confer confirmation in certain unusual instances...these priests would either already be honored with the distinction of Protonotary Apostolic, or that they be elevated to such, so as to carry out their function with greater dignity.” For those of you who missed it, that means that I should have, according to the old Rite, been given the title, “Monsignor” when I was granted delegation. I got ripped off! It even says that I, as “the substitute for the ordinary minister of confirmation be constituted, so far as possible, in some ecclesiastical dignity and that he (I) belong to the diocese, so that for example, he (I) could enjoy the use of the pontifical vestments and appurtenances, as also the other honors and privileges and distinctions which customarily belong to Protonotary Apostolics (Monsignors).” What exactly those “pontifical vestments and appurtenances” are, I have no idea. But I should have been able to wear them! Another rip off! The person who reminded me of this writing (and whose memory is better than mine, for I often forget what I wrote even before the bulletin is published!) put forth this interesting question: Is there any chance that Bishop Parkes is planning on surprising all of us by announcing at the Confirmations that he is going to “right a wrong” after the Rite and make me a Monsignor? Hmmm... With prayers for your holiness, Rev. Fr. Edwin Palka Comments are closed.
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