My Point Rhymes in Russian

By Thomas Creen, MJ • Phoenix, AZ

It is so easy to criticize priests. They are in the spotlight and sometimes are so busy that it is difficult for them to be aware of every aspect of their ministry. That being said, let’s take a few minutes and criticize them.

Once during a retreat, members of Miles Jesu were encouraging one priest to hear confessions while another priest celebrated Mass for the retreatants. The priest refused to do so because he thought that the Church did not approve of hearing confessions in church while Mass was being celebrated. It seemed strange to me because my experience had been that it was always the best priests and the best parishes which DID provide confession during Mass.

So after looking it up, I found that in a Reply from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on this question in the year 2001 (Notitiae 37, 259-260), the Congregation indicated that there is no impediment to administer the sacrament of penance while a Eucharistic celebration is in progress in the church.

On Palm Sunday this year, a very devout pastor announced that there would be no confessions available on Good Friday or Holy Saturday because “the Church does not celebrate the sacraments on those days.” Sounded funny. So I checked with one of the Miles Jesu priests, and he said that the priest was almost correct but missed an essential point. The Missal for Good Friday reads, “On this and the following day, by a most ancient tradition, the Church does not celebrate the Sacraments at all, except for Penance and the Anointing of the Sick.” Oops.

My point? In important ecclesial matters, the Catholic laity must follow the Russian proverb – “Trust but verify.” It is even better in Russian because it rhymes, “Доверяй, но проверяй”.

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