What Will Happen to Chest Beating Churches That Hold Services During Covid
Only time will tell, of course, but when a preacher brags his church will hold services no matter the pandemic risk not every member will think that is a great idea. If you are a person in the risk category who hears the preacher scold you for not attending, what will be your reaction?
I'm sure there will churches that make it through the pandemic successfully. I'm guessing that human nature, being what it is, will cause many church goers to be angry at their churches who hold services when it is dangerous to do so. Other churches which do not hold services will have angry members who want church regardless of the health consequences.
I have read that church revenue in general has taken a hit during the pandemic. It stands to reason that if a church was relying on the weekly collection plate and that collection plate is no longer passed there will be less money. All of us would agree, I think, that out of sight out of mind would hurt churches along with restaurants and many other places we spend our money. Many unemployed people surely will hurt as well.
One of the weaknesses in the church economic model I have discussed here before is the underutilization of most church buildings. Some now have day care where formerly that space was used only once or twice a week. Most sanctuaries are used only for weekly services. There they stand with high ceilings using tons of energy and maintenance budgets for what purpose? The only purpose, of course, is that members like it.
The most common refrain from politicians to everyday citizens is "We're in this together. Together we will make it through this." When churches open, as well as bars and other non essential gatherings, we are not in it "together."
Some of us feel what we want is more important than the health of others.
Catholics yearn for the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ, consumed in our bodies as Heavenly food. The Eucharist is made so by the priest at Mass. While certain Bishops have dispensed their flocks from attending Mass in person, that is no longer the case in nearly every diocese in the world. Still, Catholics can skip Mass if they are sick or would endanger themselves by attending Mass. There are some online options to view the Mass but nothing supplants the Eucharist.
ReplyDeleteI think all Catholics would benefit from having priests like the one described here - https://anticatholicticket.com/archives/1510
Don't watch the accompanying video if you are fearful of this priest describing the most anti-Catholic presidential in US history, Biden-Harris, or Harris-Biden if you're paying attention.
Jon has an economic lens which he measures Christian Churches. Catholic Churches and many Christian Churches don't wilt away and die due to economics. Many times, those Churches grow as people in dire economic circumstances flock to the churches. Restaurants, retail stores, cruise lines and other business may go out of business but Churches are not in the "business" category.
As for church leaders using energy to heat churches, that may be the situation in many places. I once had a business trip to Poland in late winter. It was freezing out as I walked from hotel to church on a Sunday during that trip. When I arrived 20 minutes before Mass, the church was almost full and the fog of people's breath was filling the air. The heat was not on. The parishioners had arrived early to recite a 15-minute rosary and other prayers, then attend the 1 hour Mass.
If that Church were a business, the heat would have been on.
Matt, October 15, 2020 at 2:47 PM
DeleteHello Matt. Good to hear from you.
Perhaps in America “Catholic Churches and many Christian Churches don't wilt away and die due to economics.” in part because of a wee bit of socialism.
“The U.S. Roman Catholic Church used a special and unprecedented exemption from federal rules to amass at least $1.4 billion in taxpayer-backed coronavirus aid, with many millions going to dioceses that have paid huge settlements or sought bankruptcy protection because of clergy sexual abuse cover-ups.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/catholic-church-coronavirus-aid-lobbying/. The aid I suspect is mostly forgivable loans. The Church is all about forgiveness.
The most “anti-Catholic presidential [ticket?] in U.S. history” up against a SCOTUS with 7 of the 9 justices of Catholic faith, a Republican Senate that packed the lower courts with marginally qualified judges by crafty but disingenuous manipulation of procedures, and an incumbent, corrupt beyond the pale by any measure of which I am aware. You must love your chances. By the way in reference to Trump’s “antifa” dog whistle. it is hard to imagine the existence of meaningful anti-fascism in an environment free of fascism. The thesis comes before the antithesis I believe.
“If that [Polish] Church were a business, the heat would have been on.” Are the Catholic Churches in Fargo, ND heated in the winter? If so, maybe turning the heat way down for some breath fog during Mass in the winter would be a real world test of faith for parishioners. I assume the plate would still be passed to cover the overhead.
The PPP money was distributed to hundreds of thousands of businesses, non-profits, charitable organizations and churches in a response to COVID, in order to keep people employed at those businesses and organizations. It's hardly a Catholic or Christian rule, policy or law. Look at any business down your street and chances are at least half utilized the PPP program. You have to apply and you have prove that you used the funds to pay for legitimate things. Paying off lawsuits is not a valid expense.
DeleteThe Catholics on the Supreme Court were nominated by both Democrat and Republican Presidents. Self-identifying as Catholic is no measure of their actual fidelity to the Faith. Pelosi and Biden claim to be Catholic. Half of the Catholics in the US Senate are Democrats who won't vote to confirm ACB. Half of the Catholics in the US Senate are Republicans who will vote to confirm ACB, with the probably exception of Susan Collins from Maine.
Regardless, the good priest in the video made the case of Harris-Biden being the most anti-Catholic Presidential ticket in American history.
Claim what you wish about the federal courts and the Republican appointed judges. Words are cheap. Measurements of judges' abilities and qualifications are mostly subjective. One measurement is the number of rulings over-ruled by the Appellate Courts or the SCOTUS. The liberal 9th Court of Appeals is the most over-ruled Appellate Court in the nation. That is an objective measure of their competence. So, you might want to rethink the claim that Trump's appointments are unqualified as he is reshaping the 9th Appellate Court by ignoring the recommendations of Feinstein and Harris on district court appointments.
Corruption is hardly something a liberal can understand or measure. The Russian hoax tried to take down a sitting President. It was a liberal, Democrat strategy that has been proven to be corrupt beyond the pale. So was the FBI's use of eavesdropping on the Trump campaign, the abuse of the FISA court by Obama's FBI. The list goes on and on and on.
Thanks for lecturing me on the heated churches in Fargo. Noted.
Matt Noah, Oct 16, 2020 at 11:26 AM
DeleteThank you your carefully reasoned reply.
“[The Payroll Protection Program is] hardly a Catholic or Christian rule, policy or law.” I wasn’t implying that it was. Only that the Catholic Churches securing loans for “payroll protection” from the Small Business Administration (SBA) helped support their mission, as if their “spiritual mission” was similar to the business model of the grab and go down the street. In Poland if the heat isn’t on in a Catholic Church they are not a business. In America the heat is kept on in the Churches, in this instance, with the help of taxpayer backed SBA loans, signaling to some liberals that can hardly understand or measure corruption that a Churches spiritual mission is after all a business none the less.
I found your paragraph on the workings of the courts informative. I do understand that a judges stated religion, per se, is not necessarily a predictor of their opinions in cases before them. Although it must be difficult after a lifetime of exposure to the dogma and doctrine of a specific religion to avoid its influence on decisions and judgement.
Not sure the intent of; “Thanks for lecturing me on the heated churches in Fargo. Noted.” I’ll wait for the announcement of a “Mass รก la Poland” in the “New Earth”.
How often do you think Pelosi or Biden darken a Catholic church door? {Hint: Not very often.}
DeleteHow often do you think Justice Scalia or Justice Thomas darken a Catholic church door?
Hence, the claim that a "lifetime of exposure to the dogma and doctrine" is not true in respect to Biden or Pelosi as they have spent their lifetimes pursuing political power. Scalia and Thomas, while still putting a great deal of time in their legal careers are still faithful to Christ, their Catholic faith and their pursuit of eternal life.
Until 2020, there was no PPP for churches. The churches managed before the USA became the USA and from 1776 until 2019 without PPP.
There is plenty of fodder for criticism of the men and women who represent the Catholic Church. There are criminals, egomaniacs, power hungry people in the Church. And yet, there are saints like Mother Teresa, Padre Pio, St. Augustine,
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