In recent weeks, Carlson admits he has ruffled feathers by enforcing church guidelines set by the Vatican forbidding lay ministers from preaching at Mass celebrations.
The preaching "controversy" is one of a number of protocol issues Carlson is bringing back in line with Rome dictates. Other areas of concern include how Communion bread is prepared and when parishioners will kneel and stand during worship services.
"It’s the most controversial thing I’ve done, according to what I’m hearing, because it impacts women," the bishop said.
"The thing is, Rome has clearly said that the only people who can preach the homily at the Eucharist are priests, deacons or bishops — (ordained) people who can consecrate the elements. I don’t have the authority to allow a lay minister, whether that person is a male or female, to preach.
[Via Amy Welborn]
First off bravo to Bishop Carlson. Looking at the reporting in the article we have "(ordained) people who can consecrate the elements", not quite – deacons don’t fit in that category. The correct distinction is those with Holy Orders. I wonder if reporters have ever referred to government regulations as "dictates? like the EPA issued a dictate today. Yet anything coming from the Vatican they don’s like always fits in that category. Nice objective reporting and of course the objective is to bash the Church.
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The correct distinction is those with Holy Orders.
But Deacons also have Holy Orders.
Publius,
But deacons are allowed to give homilies.
What Jeff meant is that only people with Holy Orders can preach; it has nothing to do with whether they can consecrate the species.
What Jeff meant is that only people with Holy Orders can preach; it has nothing to do with whether they can consecrate the species.
Okay, I got it now.
They call them “dictates” because, as we all know, the pope is a Dictator… (rolls eyes)
I didn’t know about this for a long time, and our parish frequently breaks this simple rule. FREQUENTLY. I wonder if I ought to let our bishop know about it, and maybe he’ll remind the whole diocese of the proper rules. Or dictates. Or whatever you want to call them. (I don’t depend on the MSM to get much right about the Church anyway.)