Saturday, March 07, 2009

Reader Question: Implementing the Reform of the Reform to Overcome Division

I must confess that I have been rather busy this past week, working here and there on a longer piece that I am hopeful of putting up soon.

So I am passing along to our readership a question that was sent in a bit ago:

As the chairman of our Parish Pastoral Council and a would be disciple of the Reform of the Reform, I have been asked to help renew an urban church that has fallen on hard times. We are a diverse group made up of [many language groups].

Because each culture has its own customers, language and liturgical heritage, each group has its own version of worship and its own Mass. The Mass celebrated in the ordinary form in the language of the people has created divisions in the universal Church and our parish is a small version of how well intentioned means have led our parish to separate ends.

My goal as chairman is to lead our parish council away from the practices that divide us towards our shared Catholic culture. I believe that, with God's grace, Pope Benedict's Reform of the Reform can help our parish come together and share the universal truth of Christ's Church.

Our parish is blessed with thoughtful pastoral leadership. We are fortunate to have two young and vibrate priests who share a desire to bring unity, respect and Catholic tradition back to its rightful place in our parish. With a desire to implement the Reform of the Reform.

Can you suggest a method to begin the process? Is there a reading list of reference materials available? Any suggestions would be most welcome.

It is at this point that I want to open this up to our readers and in particular our priests who have been experienced in working to implement the reform of the reform.

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