Popular priest who strays from Roman Missal resigns
(POSTED: 2/20/12) A Downstate priest who has a habit of improvising prayers during Mass has resigned from his post after he was instructed to adhere to the guidelines set forth in the new Roman Missal.
The Rev. Bill Rowe, longtime pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Mount Carmel, Ill., said for the past 20 years he has been adapting some of the prayers read during Mass, the central act of worship in Catholicism, to better reflect the week’s gospel reading, songs and homily.
During preparation for the new translation of the Roman Missal, a book that guides the celebration of Mass and was implemented in November in all English-speaking countries, Bishop Edward Braxton sent a letter informing priests in the Diocese of Belleville that departing from the rubrics and prayers of the Mass “will no longer be permitted after the initiation of the new Missal.”
“I just got so used to praying that way,” said Rowe, 72. “To read words from the book would almost feel phony; it wouldn’t feel like an honest expression of prayer.”
Rowe offered in October to step down from his position as pastor of St. Mary’s, and Braxton accepted his resignation in a Jan. 30 letter. Rowe, who will remain a priest, is set to leave St. Mary’s in June after 18 years with the parish, which has about 450 people in attendance at weekly services.
Many people in the community, both parishioners and non-Catholics, have been rocked by the recent announcement, and petitions are circulating to get Rowe back.
“He is a beloved pastor of the parish,” said Alice Wirth, principal of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Mount Carmel. “He makes the Mass so meaningful, just brings it to life. The prayers that he prays are just so impassioned about his love for our Catholic Church.”
Braxton, however, said in a Feb. 14 letter to parishioners that “many” people have stopped worshiping at St. Mary’s and several of them have brought in audio and video tapes documenting the priest’s changes to Mass.
“The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as every priest knows, is the public worship of the Church. It is not the priest’s personal, devotional prayer,” Braxton wrote. “All Catholics have the right to expect to experience the same rites and prayers when they participate in the Eucharist.”
Here is an example Rowe provided of how he might alter the words at Mass for a recent gospel about Jesus healing and forgiving a paralyzed man: The Missal at one point states, “Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, always pondering spiritual things, we may carry out in both word and deed that which is pleasing to you.” Instead, Rowe said, “God of healing and comfort, thank you for sending us your son to free us from guilt and fear that paralyzes our spirits. May we rise up and follow your word more closely.”
During the Eucharistic prayer, instead of saying, “Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his death and resurrection, we offer you . . .” Rowe said, “Therefore, as we celebrate how Jesus can free hearts from sin and fear and who died and rose again, we offer you . . .”
The Rev. Msgr. Jim Buerster, pastor of St. Boniface Church in Downstate Germantown, said: “Father Bill has a unique ability to do what no other priest has the talent or ability to do in terms of how he incorporates readings and songs into the total Mass.”
Buerster recently resigned from his position on the diocese’s personnel board, which he said is being left out of decisions and not being used “in a meaningful way.”
“I am hoping pastorally that our bishop can see this through for the good of this man, for the good of the faith community and for the good of the bigger community,” he said. “I hope that people keep doors open rather than shut doors.”
Braxton, who is in Rome, could not be reached for comment.
By Katie Drews, for ChicagoCatholicNews.com
Contact: info@chicagocatholicnews.com
After reading yet another sad tale of still another misguided man of the cloth, I can’t help but think of our Lord’s questioning of whether He would find any trace of the faith when He comes again. How long must we suffer the type of conceit that says; “I know best how to make Mass more meaningful”? It’s so bad in mid-Michigan that I make sure that I’m not there on Sunday during my vacations because I honestly can’t find a Catholic Church up there that plays it straight when it involves liturgical rubrics. You’d think that with all of the Protestant churches up there that a Catholic church would be looking to offer a different type of worship, not just to be faithful, but to offer a contrast as well.
About time the bishop reins in another priest who thinks the Mass is his own personal expression. These jerks have done more than enough damage to the Church. Talk about clericalism! The priest believes that he can tailor the Mass to his own needs and desires, and deprives the people f the Mass as the Church asks. It’s about time the bishop asserts his authority!
Hello,
I posted this as a response to an older post, but I see this is a growing problem. The same thing is happening in the Northwest Suburbs, I can not find a normal Mass anywhere, … Arlington Heights, Palatine, Mount Prospect, … every church / priest is running their own show, and yet it is a show. Not sticking to rubrics, ballet dancers during psalms, clapping, not kneeling when people should. The book mentioned below should be a mandatory reading for all priests in the diocese. How do I, as a parishioner deal with this? I know i should just come up to the priest and say, please stick to the rubrics and not make it into an hour of entertainment, but …
Here is my earlier post and the book that should be translated in a hurry and send out to every church immediately.
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Does anyone know if a book by Father Nicola Bux entitled (would be) “How to Go to Mass and Not Lose Your Faith” will be translated into English? Written originally in Italian, has already been published in Polish.
It addresses many aspect of the Liturgy. Below is one of the author’s quotes:
“If you go to a Mass in one place and then go to Mass in another, you will not find the same Mass. This means that it is not the Mass of the Catholic Church, which people have a right to, but it is just the Mass of this parish or that priest, …”
This is something I’m struggling with living in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. I’ve been to five of so churches in the area now and like the quote says, each Mass is different. No Confiteor at some, Lamb of God with some additional verses, cantors holding up both hands – something that as far as I’m concerned is a gesture reserved for the priest, cantors appearing more important the the priest thinking they are at their recital, people not kneeling when they should, clapping after the homily, clapping after the Mass for the choir, etc.
I’m really struggling with this, truly. I’m not looking for a perfect Mass, I’m looking for a normal Mass, not a social gathering. Is there a list, somewhere, of churches in the Northwest Suburbs (Arlington Heights, Palatine, …) where there is a normal, solemn, traditional Mass? I’m not looking for a Latin Mass. But for a Holy Mass, not a social gathering, chat with a neighbor, …
Regards,
Andrew B.
Andrew – I agree with you and struggle with the state of the Catholic Church. If you are looking for a holy traditional Catholic Church – visit Marytown in Libertyville. – It is a shrine, not a parish – but has daily and weekend Mass open to the public and many weekly devotions adoration 24/7, First Friday, First Saturday, etc.
I’m shocked and saddened that this priest would want to make a political statement regarding the mass. And apparently doing his own thing is more important than serving the Lord and his people. It seems the refrain of too many Catholics, both clergy, religious and lay people is “I will not serve”.