Over at Amy's blog, one of her comment strings went off on a little tangent. There was mention of a parish down in Chicago, which has a ministry (called the Armorbearers) of men who pray and fast for the ministry of the pastor, and make themselves available to personally assist as necessary. And the commentariat was writing as though this was evil, or at least powerful strange.
But I say: would that every pastor and every bishop has a team of prayer warriors to support his ministry! Would that every minister who needed to go on a pastoral call where things are dangerous or where tongues would wag had companions to accompany him and bear witness to the truth. Every parish needs its armorbearers.
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An update on the last post: still waiting for the pharmacist to get his mail. However, my tests came back, and we now know what is causing the extreme pain --- and it's treatable in the long term. Namely, my uric acid level is sky-high, and I have gout. It's been a long hard week, but the pain is beginning to subside on its own, I'm only at grit-teeth level now instead of weep-and-scream. Things are looking up.
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Wednesday, January 17, 2007
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7 comments:
Yes 13 on a scale of ten that could be gout. First time almost got me to go to ER. Also the fever blister of area around ball of foot week later
mike
Yes, every parish should support its pastor with prayer, fasting, and assistance.
The self-description of the Armorbearers, though, doesn't mention supporting the parish pastor. It mentions supporting Michael L. Pfleger. Twice. By name. They don't support an office, they support a particular individual. (And "support" is a weak word to describe "an individual and collective desire to lay down their lives" for the particular individual.)
Fr. Pfleger, meanwhile, is a man who talks in terms of vague paranoia and vigilantism.
That's not a combination I'd want in my parish.
I have to admit, it isn't very PC or politic to actually _list_ that particular ministry on the website. Especially when there are folk about just looking to turn other peoples' parishes and dioceses into their own little battlefields in our Church's faction fighting.
So you're in favor of parishes keeping certain ministries quiet for factional advantage?
No, Terrence. In order to stay Catholic and out of the crossfire, if possible. More like the same reason one doesn't brag on the streets about the precious gold jewelry or fine hunting arms or cash under the mattress in the house, or put up a big sign on the door when you go on vacation about where the UPS and postal carrier should leave the packages, so as to not attract the attention of and increase the temptation level of the local burglar.......
Sounds more like keeping it under a bushel so there's no danger someone will point out it doesn't look much like a light.
In this case, mine is the Anti Creepy Personality Cult faction, and I admit we take advantages where we find them.
I don't insist that the Armorbearers Ministry is a creepy personality cult -- all I know of them is what I read on their website -- but that's certainly the impression their self-description leaves me with.
Be that as it may, I hope your gout continues to subside and that your uric acid level behaves itself from now on.
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