Talk About Liturgical Abuse...

[HisChildForever]

Today I came home from a 9-day cruise (yes, it was heavenly bliss) but instead of talking about the Caribbean I'd like to share a story about the "little cruiser that could" who woke up at 8, put on her Sunday dress, and happily went to the lounge that would serve as a makeshift chapel for 8:30 Mass. It was not a priest but a bishop -- what a treat! -- who was celebrating that morning. Bishop...Bill Wagan (or was it spelled Wagon? no matter!)...a name I had never heard before, but then again, I'm not well-versed in Bishop names. Now why on earth was a bishop on a cruise ship? It was a peculiar sight but it was also very early and my vacation brain shrugged it off. So, for the first 30-40 minutes, he talked about his conversion story, which sounded fairly legitimate, and was also quite moving. He asked if the Anglican priest he met the other day was there (she was) and greeted her. Yeah there were some questionable remarks, like "I'm a novice priest," and even "I've been known to drop the f-bomb on the altar" but the night before I was at a show, and at the end of the show the cruise director gave announcements, one being that "we have a very special guest on board who has offered to have Catholic Mass tomorrow at 8:30am" so again I'm basically under the assumption that it's all good.

 

Now the good bishop explained at one point that he told a few people Mass would start at 9, so I just assumed he was waiting for those people to trickle in. Literally before he said "now, Mass will begin" one woman was quite huffy and stormed out. I assumed she was impatient because it was at least 35 minutes beyond the time Mass was supposed to start. She was also rambling this and that, and I could hear her angry voice in the foyer area but not really what she was saying. A bit annoying that Mass was so delayed, sure, but heck I wanted to start my Sunday out right so I kept myself firmly planted in my cool swivel chair. Now enter epic facepalm. He said there would be "a few changes" to the Mass, one being "open communion" and the Anglican priest would be saying the consecration with him. So I said "peace out" to the peoples in my section and was followed by over half the makeshift congregation. Now the woman who was huffing and puffing didn't seem so out-of-sorts, silly me. I chatted with her and a few other people and we all decided that this guy was fishy, either a complete fake for whatever his reasoning or an ex-seminarian peeved at the Church and on some entitlement binge. Not technically liturgical abuse then if the guy is a fake priest.

 

Cue a few days later, struck up a nice conversation with a couple I met on one of the islands, and somehow we got onto the topic of this "bishop." The husband actually had a long conversation with him on deck. Well, it turns out the good bishop is actually an employee at Lowe's (and yes, he wears all of his glorious bishop attire at work) with his own non-profit church. Also, every other word out of his mouth was f-this or insertextremelyfoulcurseword-that.

 

So, points for trying to meet my Sunday obligation. smh.

[Lilllabettt]

cruise ships are my nightmare. perfect set up for lord of the flies.
At least most of the congregation went "screw this" with you. That's impressive.
Although maybe not, if the sample was folks who wake up at 8:30 on a cruise to go to what they expect will be Sunday Mass.

Edited November 23, 2013 by Lilllabettt

[AnneLine]

I started to ask if it could possibly have been the retired bishop of Sacramento, Bishop William Weigand... but I can't imagine he would have done something like that....

 

But it sounds like he is a PHoney bishop with a Capital PH! 

 

What is the matter with Lowe's that they would let him work wearing that...?   makes me sad whoever he is....

 

I have a feeling he isn't a legit bishop at all......

[NotreDame]

Did they actually have a mass planned, or did they just run across the bishop and decide to have one ad hoc? 

 

 

[AnneLine]

My guess is that he 'volunteered' and they never checked credentials.... sigh.

[Gabriela]

If he has his own "non-profit church", then is he just running around in bishops' attire so that he can spread scandal about the Catholic Church?

[CatherineM]

I made some vestments once for a bishop who had his own church. Wonder if it was the same one.

[HisChildForever]

Although maybe not, if the sample was folks who wake up at 8:30 on a cruise to go to what they expect will be Sunday Mass.

 

Yeah this was exactly my thought too. The place was packed, and it was a large lounge, so that was a great sign. Although I was the only young person which was disheartening.

 

My guess is that he 'volunteered' and they never checked credentials.... sigh.

 

Yeah this.

 

If he has his own "non-profit church", then is he just running around in bishops' attire so that he can spread scandal about the Catholic Church?

 

Okay get ready for more confusion lol. He actually said "I'm not a Roman Catholic priest" before introducing himself as a bishop, so I thought he was just trying out some clever way to introduce himself as a bishop. But then I thought maybe he's Eastern Catholic. Again as he explained his conversion story there were red flags, and I saw that more retrospectively than in the moment. So it was weird because maybe he doesn't identify as Catholic? Yet he's totally cool wearing bishop's attire and performing "Mass." And he's definitely into whatever religious beliefs he has because on the cruise message board he left a note that he'll be in the ship's chapel every day at 4 (the chapel was very very small which is why everything was set up in this lounge btw).

 

I made some vestments once for a bishop who had his own church. Wonder if it was the same one.

 

Well he actually wasn't in vestments, that was odd too, but I didn't give it much thought because I figured this guy is a bishop (well that was my initial assumption) so he can be in just the black cassock. I'm not that great when it comes to the hierarchy's outfits.

[Era Might]

Shoulda quizzed him, ask him to name the last 5 Popes in 10 seconds flat...that gets em every time.

[Norseman82]

Shoulda quizzed him, ask him to name the last 5 Popes in 10 seconds flat...that gets em every time.

 

Or ask him which position he will be facing - ad orientem, ad hominem, ex opere operato, or ex opere operantis...

[AnneLine]

You know... more I think about this... I think you should tell the cruise line. 

 

Especially if the cruise line was advertising he would be there and would say Mass....

 

AND EVEN MORE, in one sense, if he was claiming to 'be there at 4 every afternoon' -- because that is an invite for people to come to him for 'spiritual counsel' and/or confession or the like....

 

I think the Cruise Line needs to do some checking if he is 'advertising' that they offer Mass...  At least at one point, cruise ships and similar things gave a deal to clergy who would provide these services (Mass); I'd hate to think he got a deal on his fare on top of all of this....

 

AND I'd be curious to know what cruise line had to say for itself....

Edited November 24, 2013 by AnneLine

[Not The Philosopher]

You know, I've never liked the idea of a cruise. This just makes me want to go on one even less.

[NotreDame]

You know... more I think about this... I think you should tell the cruise line. 

 

Especially if the cruise line was advertising he would be there and would say Mass....

 

AND EVEN MORE, in one sense, if he was claiming to 'be there at 4 every afternoon' -- because that is an invite for people to come to him for 'spiritual counsel' and/or confession or the like....

 

I think the Cruise Line needs to do some checking if he is 'advertising' that they offer Mass...  At least at one point, cruise ships and similar things gave a deal to clergy who would provide these services (Mass); I'd hate to think he got a deal on his fare on top of all of this....

 

AND I'd be curious to know what cruise line had to say for itself....

 

I'm still wondering if this was planned or just a one-off.

 

Were they not advertising mass until he volunteered?   If they weren't planning a mass, then all of a sudden decided to have one once they discovered the illustrious bishop was on board, then the cruise line probably need a heads up about this guy and how he fooled the crew into announcing a "catholic mass", but it probably ends there.

 

However, if they were advertising mass all along, then something very fishy is going on.  If they regularly have mass on 9 day cruises, then they must work with a diocese or order to schedule priests (or a deacon for communion service, perhaps, with appropriate permission.)  In this case, there would probably have been a Church-approved representative on the boat.  So where was that person during mass?  Were they duped as well?  Did they willingly go along?  Were they tied up below deck?  

 

Anyways, I'm sorry you had to go through that.  I'm sure it wasn't very pleasant. 

Edited November 24, 2013 by NotreDame

[Jaime]

Kudos for trying to get to mass while on what was probably a total dream vacation!!  I remember trying to do that on an Alaskan cruise and it was darn tempting to skip it

[HisChildForever]

You know, I've never liked the idea of a cruise. This just makes me want to go on one even less.

 

It was a paradise vacation. Everything about it was amazing (besides faux Mass lol). I highly suggest a cruise vacation but ALSO stress the importance of doing a lot of research before you go.