Elitoft wrote:
Aye. My post was poorly written in haste while I was about to head off to work. I was referring to the administrative aspects of changing jurisdictions and not to the spiritual dimensions of a true calling. Not always are the two in agreement.

Wondering wrote:
Indeed Wondering, you did not write anything that has not already been posted dozens if not hundreds of times on this forum.

For the record, I have no aspirations to the priesthood--never said I did. I'm content to be a Third Order Carmelite and revel in the majesty of the Divine Liturgy (well, and learn Ukrainian too ).

Apologies for inserting my own circumstances into this thread, perhaps further replies would be best be handled via PM.

Do not twist my words - few people take kindly to such abuse. I did that wedding, not because I felt bound to do so by some goofy legalism, but because if I did not do the wedding nobody else would and I had enough pastoral compassion for the unhappy couple not to leave them in the lurch.

Or to put it another way, I did that wedding because I recognized that I was indeed bound by a REAL law, which reads Salus Animarum Suprema Lex. The poor priest who mistakenly felt that he could not marry the couple because the groom's grandfather had been baptized in another kind of Church forgot that principle - but that principle over-rides other considerations. It cannot be used to justify sinful or immoral behavior, but it does indeed justify departing quite a distance from the alleged letter of an alleged law.

Unfortunately, in this world we live in, there are people who actively WANT to be "bound by laws" as often as possible, preferably every step of the way. I've already expressed my opinion of that position more than sufficiently.

I'll stop here, for the moment, because I really am angry at finding my words distorted as they just were. In future, refrain from such misconduct (don't do it to me and don't do it to anybody else either).

Fr. Serge

In short Fr Archimandrite saved the day, when paralysis had set in, it was he who took control. Not because he was looking for something to fill his time with but as it seems to me he could see something serious was at stake here and no one was looking after the people. The damage as Fr has said above could have lead the couple and others to be so put off by the 'Law stuff' that might never darken a Church door again. Thanks God for priests who know their stuff.

Pavlusha - please accept my thanks, and not for the first time!

Fr. Serge

*commences profound bow to the east, then realises thats not where Dublin is...its the other side of Mecca from here*

You are most welcome!

This thread has really gone off track from the topic originally posted. Many misunderstanding and perceptions have been taken to the posts as of late. Rather than having these continue, I am going to close the thread. If it is necessary, I would suggest a fresh new thread be started.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+
Administrator