What makes a healthy parish?

[Desert Walker]

My parish has been led by liberal priests for the past 15 years and is slowly but surely crumbling. It is NOT growing.

That's my experience with how liberalism IN Catholicism does not grow a healthy Catholic parish.

I'd love to hear other thoughts on this. I am utterly frustrated with it.

[Era Might]

Well I guess it depends on what you mean by "healthy".

There are a lot of parishes staffed by heterodox Priests that are thriving (I know of one or two in my own Archdiocese). But a vibrant community does not necessarily mean it's a healthy CATHOLIC parish, in the sense of the fullness of faith is being received, the Sacraments celebrated correctly, etc.

[Donna]

Bless your heart, DW.

[Fixxxer]

Some fruits, veggies and some Christ. enjoy!

[morostheos]

I have found that heterodox priests are more popular and "successful" at running a parish on a short term basis in large part, but after they've been there a while things start to catch up to them and start to fall apart. When a priest's ministry is not founded on grace through the Sacraments, concupiscence begins to kick in and before you know it things are a mess.

Orthodox priests are often less popular and cause more issues within the parish in the short term (usually by doing things as they should be done), but in the long run much more successful and cohesive. When parishioners are fed substance, they grow in their faith and their example is a witness to others.

[Jaime]

adoration

Once that happens, everything else falls into place.

[Cam42]

[quote name='hot stuff' date='Feb 19 2006, 11:22 AM']adoration

Once that happens, everything else falls into place.
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Yep. Stand behind that 1000%. I have shared in the past what happened when I got my parents pastor to start adoration at their parish in Iowa, after a 20 year absence. It is amazing.

[Myles Domini]

Adoration+orthodoxy+outsanding liturgy+Our Lady=Happy parish :

[Norseman82]

[quote name='Era Might' date='Feb 18 2006, 07:04 PM']Well I guess it depends on what you mean by "healthy".

There are a lot of parishes staffed by heterodox Priests that are thriving (I know of one or two in my own Archdiocese). But a vibrant community does not necessarily mean it's a healthy CATHOLIC parish, in the sense of the fullness of faith is being received, the Sacraments celebrated correctly, etc.
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Same here in Chicago.

[dairygirl4u2c]

Thought I'd throw some randoms in as a former Catholic. One, if it were a conservative priest, it wouldn't necessarily be any more attended at least as far as attendig goes. Often times conservative priests scare away the public. Then you'd complain about the liberal laity.

[Cam42]

[quote name='dairygirl4u2c' date='Feb 19 2006, 12:42 PM']Thought I'd throw some randoms in as a former Catholic. One, if it were a conservative priest, it wouldn't necessarily be any more attended at least as far as attendig goes. Often times conservative priests scare away the public. Then you'd complain about the liberal laity.
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Gotta love stereotypes.....

[MC Just]

Orthodoxy makes a healthy parish. Plain and Simple. Orthodoxy meaning, they didnt slaughter the VII documents with misenterpratations. Ya know that phony "spirit" of Vatican II.

Edited February 19, 2006 by MC Just

[Cam42]

[quote name='MC Just' date='Feb 19 2006, 01:07 PM']Orthodoxy makes a healthy parish. Plain and Simple. Orthodoxy meaning, they didnt slaughter the VII documents with misenterpratations. Ya know that phony "spirit" of Vatican II.
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I don't think that it is fair to label the spirit of Vatican Council II as "phony."

I mean seriously, you could as easily say,"that phony 'spirit' of Quo Primum Tempore." And you'd be more accurate. The schismatic SSPXers have completely misunderstood the papal bull from 600 years ago.

[MC Just]

[quote name='Cam42' date='Feb 19 2006, 11:53 AM']I don't think that it is fair to label the spirit of Vatican Council II as "phony."

I mean seriously, you could as easily say,"that phony 'spirit' of Quo Primum Tempore."  And you'd be more accurate.  The schismatic SSPXers have completely misunderstood the papal bull from 600 years ago.
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i'm not talking about the council, i called the so called "spirit" that the liberals apply to it phony..

[Theoketos]

Mostly what makes any institution healthy is the truth.