Eastern Catholic Children Receiving Latin Catholic Sacraments

Posted on January 26, 2023 by Cathy Caridi

Q: The Syro-Malabar Eastern Catholic Church confers all sacraments of initiation [Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist] to infants.  But many Syro-Malabar couples in the United States have their children baptized at their local Latin parishes—which would just be limited to baptism in the Latin rite.

My question is, as per canon law, could those children still continue to receive the other sacraments later on (Confirmation, Penance, First Communion) at their local Latin church?  Even though there’s a Syro-Malabar jurisdiction in the United States. –Melvin Continue reading →

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How Can You Obey a Law, If You Don’t Even Know It Exists?

Posted on January 12, 2023 by Cathy Caridi

Q:  Our Archbishop issued a Decree requiring the St. Michael prayer be prayed after all scheduled Masses.  For a variety of reasons, not every parish implemented the Decree and some don’t pray the prayer as directed.

Now, after four years, the Archbishop has allegedly sent a letter to be read at all parishes replacing the praying of the St. Michael prayer with a prayer for vocations.  Not every parish has heard this letter.  I learned about it in a facebook group….

If a bishop’s decree is law, then can it be cancelled with a letter, and one not everyone gets?  How are decrees supposed to be rescinded?  What happens when priest and people don’t obey a bishop’s decree?  How does canon law apply to bishops’ decrees?  Thank you. –Susan Continue reading →

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What’s the Difference Between a Pastor, and a Parish Administrator?

Posted on December 29, 2022 by Cathy Caridi

Q: I read your piece about the pastor of a parish having to be a priest, not a layperson.  That leads me to ask another question, what’s the difference between a pastor, and a “parish administrator”?

The pastor of our parish died in early 2021, and the bishop replaced him not with a new pastor, but with a parish administrator.  It’s a younger priest who has never been a pastor before.  He has been at our parish for almost two years now.

Why isn’t he called a pastor?  As far as I can tell he does all the work of a typical pastor….  I was wondering if he has a different title because he’s new to the role and is kind of like a “pastor in training,” is that possible? –Margot Continue reading →

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Confession, and General Absolution (Repost)

Posted on December 16, 2022 by Cathy Caridi

This piece has been reposted repeatedly over the years during the Christmas season–because incredibly, the illegal abuse of General Absolution by some parish clergy is still happening!  Thus it makes sense to repost it yet again.  A very happy and holy Christmas to all readers!

Q: Last year, I visited my relatives at Christmas time, and we all went to their parish to a communal penance service before Christmas. There were probably almost a hundred people there, and only one priest. He didn’t hear each person’s confession, as we expected. Instead, he stood near the altar, said some prayers, and blessed all of us. Then he told us we were absolved of our sins, and that was it. Was that priest wrong to do what he did? Did God really forgive us our sins?  –Robert Continue reading →

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When Can a Layperson Be a Pastor of a Parish?

Posted on December 1, 2022 by Cathy Caridi

Q: My sister-in-law and I were having an innocent conversation about our parishes, and ended up in a huge fight.  I made some comment like, “the pastor of a parish always has to be a priest,” and she went ballistic, insisting that in her diocese there are parishes with lay pastors, even women pastors.  She named several parishes and specifically told me who their lay pastors were.

I know that in some places, there are more parishes than there are priests, but does that mean you can actually have a pastor who is a layperson?  I’m wondering how that could work since they can’t say Mass … what does canon law say?  If it makes any difference, my brother and sister-in-law live in [a rural diocese with a dire shortage of priests]. –Gene Continue reading →

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