to enhance one's spiritual life.

Case in point: a member of the pastoral Transition Team at the infamous Joan of Arc parish in Minneapolis delivers a presentation (i.e. surrogate homily) on what the parish can expect from the next pastor:

I, like many of you, have had my own struggles with our parish transition and knowing that we have completed only part of the journey. I have known for quite some time about George’s retirement plans and yet it was a shock when it finally became real. I didn’t want to let go of him. I barely made it through my farewell remarks about George at the Friday night celebration without crying.

When I was asked to be on the transition team, I was honored and yet worried about keeping 4500 households happy when I knew we really would have much work and responsibility, maybe a little influence and no authority and no control. I feel a great weight from the worries that sit in the midst of our parish life about who will be sent to us and if he will be a fit. I’m hurt that it has to be a him and can’t be a her. I’m frustrated that after seeking out and interviewing 30 people that we haven’t secured the right fit. I have been confused and upset over Jim’s not being appointed. I can’t help the emotions. They just happen. But, spiritually, I have to decide what I am going to do with those emotions. There is the challenge.

For myself, I have continually found peace and faith and trust with my transition team partners. I have trust in the universe and the God that can hold us, just like the water holds the swimmer. I have vast trust in the resiliency of this entire community that no matter who comes here we will gain in our spiritual journey from that person in unpredictable ways. The new pastor will gain much from us and be influenced by us. That happened with George and with other pastors that we have had. It will happen again. I am not afraid that we will have an appointee who will challenge our deepest essence. We will remain Joan of Arc but in a new shell and we will all swim together. We are not alone. We are in a trustworthy world even when the temporary darkness seems threatening.

I feel called to act as a member of a peace church even when I feel threatened. I challenge myself to not create enemies where there are none. To the degree there is concerns with the hierarchy, I’m trying to practice love, the serenity prayer and integrate that with the Buddhist practice of nonattachment and I all I know from the Theory of Everything that I teach.

I'm not sure what planet they are trying to recruit a priest from, but I'm getting more curious by the day. What, exactly, are they hoping for? A priest open to cross dressing?

So the search for a new and improved Golden Calf continues. Maybe they need to broaden the scope of their search. I'm sure if they recruited from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, they'd find at least one priest - or maybe even a deacon husband/wife team - who would suit their tastes.

Labels: choleric