Welcome to The "Mickey Mouse" Mass

My son Anthony attends Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Normally, he avoids the on-campus Neumann Center Mass and goes to St Stanislaus' down town for the Latin Mass. Well the weather was bad, and so he and his fiancee went to the Newman Center mass. Well, it was an "interesting" mass. Not in good way either. He sent me pictures.

Apparently the priest decided to "sprinkle" water on the congregation at the begining of Mass. Well the ritual deviated from the usual sprinkling rite. First there was the ritual blessing of the super-soaker (!)

Then we had the filling of the super soaker with holy water and then the "sprinkling" of the congregation with the super soaker.

Truely if that wasn't strange enough, apparently Father's liturgical color of the day was "tie-dyed." While colorful, it less than impressed the congregation of 20 or so college students who either were laughing through out or muttering under their breath. Of course all this was proceeded by even more loony-tunes stuff:

As Anthony puts it:

It was actually worse than the pictures make it out to be. He processed into mass behind the cross wearing the Mickey Mouse hat and a gold masquerade mask. Once the singing stopped, the first thing he did was blow a kazoo and say, "Happy Mardi Gras."

Things like this are not helping attract the youth to mass, nor to the Church. Bishop Clark....are you listening?

Closing Parishes...really, there's got to be a better way

Fr. John Zuhlsdorf of What Does the Prayer Really Say hits the nail on the head in his latest post: Closing parishes, preparing for the future… Fr. Z rants. Father Z main premise is summed up by this:

I have a sinking feeling that many places wouldn’t necessary have to be closed if some creativity was applied. I am thinking of the fantastic work done by Fr. Philips at St. John Cantius in Chicago. He turned a dying disaster into a world famous gem. How did he do it? He stuck to the Church’s doctrine in his preaching, the texts and rubrics in worship, and used both the older and the newer forms of Mass. He stressed the Polish heritage of the parish and made sure there was always something going on.

The formula for success that has been the hallmark of the Church for centuries...trusting in the Lord and the revealed Truth that is presented to us in his bride the Church and manifested in its scripture, doctrines, teachings, and traditions that are rolled up into the magisterium of the Church. Teaching on the same and then ACTING OUT those teachings in the form of physical and spiritual works of mercy. This is what makes the Church successful and relevant. This is what has built schools and hospitals. This is what gives and has given comfort for generations and centuries. There is no need to make all things new. In every diocese that has gone back to the basics, as well as solid, orthodox praxis of the faith, in communion with the magisterium and the Pope, rebirth has occurred. Rebirth of vocations, parishes, and schools. People want answers, they want rock to stand on.

Of course....you could have the wisdom of moral relativity (ignore the last 30 seconds, as the last 30 seconds tries to undo the real message):




Where there is no guidance that we just figure it out as we go along and at the time of death we end up with no comfort, no compassion, just "so how does that make you feel?" Where everything is alright.

The Lord our Father created the sacraments to strengthen us, heal us, and prepare us to be able to survive contact with the world and to engage the world as witnesses to his divine mercy and hopefully join him in heaven.

Gregorian Chant in the Great White North!

Now word from Alaska...Gregorian chant gains momentum in Anchorage

The dozen or so singers who attended the practice session last month come from all walks of life. They are part of a growing chorus of voices in Alaska and across the world who are drawn to the ancient Gregorian chant.

“This music makes me think of the angels and how they sing,”18-year old Patrick Klump mused during a recent choir practice. “I love to sing, and with this I get to give glory to God at the same time,” Klump told the Anchor.

What's terrific about this article is not only that the group is composed of a dozen locals who include a dozen people young to old and from different parishes, but also the reporter gets the history right"

Preserving the sacred

According to Dr. Stan Grove, a choir member and teacher at Holy Rosary Academy, the roots behind Gregorian chant reach far into history, even before Christ’s birth.

“It’s believed that its organic development came from synagogue chant,” he explained. “People of the Jewish faith would gather and sing the psalms in prayer.”

He added that many church historians believe the first Christian community most likely sang a form of this synagogue prayer.

Gregorian chant rose to prominence in the Catholic Church during the early Middle Ages, around the 6th and 7th centuries and has since reverberated from the inside of monastery and cathedral walls across the world.

Tradition holds that St. Gregory the Great compiled many of the chants that are a part of the Mass today.

Although chant has always had official support from the church, its usage waned in the years following Vatican II (1962-65), when the Roman rite Catholic Mass was opened up to non-Latin languages.

A Schola Blumes in Champaign, IL

A somewhat interesting if inaccurate (far as history of chant) article about a group that has reached the three and half year mark in Champaign, IL
Nicholas Haggin directs Gregorian chanters, from left, Blair Goodin of Urbana, Mark Gabby of Urbana, Jerome Colburn of Champaign and Isabel Cole of Champaign during rehearsal at Holy Cross Church in Champaign on Monday. In back row is Ron Hazen of Rantoul. By Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette

The Pope attempts to get Nancy Pelosi's Soul's Attention

The Pope has tried to get through to Ms Pelosi...according to Vatican Radio:

Pope says Catholic Legislators Must Protect Life in Meeting with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

(18 Feb 09 - RV) Following the General Audience the Holy Father briefly greeted Mrs Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, together with her entourage.

His Holiness took the opportunity to speak of the requirements of the natural moral law and the Church’s consistent teaching on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death which enjoin all Catholics, and especially legislators, jurists and those responsible for the common good of society, to work in cooperation with all men and women of good will in creating a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development.

Of Course, Ms Pelosi must have had a different visit. From her press release:

In our conversation, I had the opportunity to praise the Church's leadership in fighting poverty, hunger, and global warming, as well as the Holy Father's dedication to religious freedom and his upcoming trip and message to Israel.

"I was proud to show his Holiness a photograph of my family's Papal visit in the 1950s, as well as a recent picture of our children and grandchildren.

SOURCE Office of the Speaker of the House

This is an astonding statement from a supposedly "devout" Catholic to make after visiting the Pope. Especially after Pope Benedict effort to instruct her on the church's teachings on life issues. Surely she could have said something about being given things to think over.

Sinking lower. The DOR Adrift

From Rochester Catholic: Bishop Clark's latest "ecumenical adventure"

Bonding with Pro-Aborts

February 14, 2009 by Eugene Michael

On Monday, February 16, Bishop Matthew Clark will be participating in yet another interfaith prayer service. No, it’s not to pray for an end to abortion. This one is about immigration “reform” (i.e., open borders).

What is especially disturbing about this event, is that it will be held at the First Unitarian “Church” on Winton Rd. This church regularly hosts radical pro-abortion activities. As recently as January 22, they hosted a 36th anniversary celebration of the Roe v. Wade decision. The featured speaker was William Baird, birth control crusader and founder of the Pro Choice League. Last year the church infamously hosted Silda Spitzer, who was there to promote the baby killing NYS RHAPP legislation. Spitzer’s appearance coincided with the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. At least 100 pro-life activists marched in front of the church while she was speaking.

Apart from these hostile anti-life events, the First Unitarian Church is also a strong advocate for homosexual marriage. Beyond that, their belief system borders on the absurd.

According to the church’s website, 19% of Universalists are atheists. The rest are a mix of just about any religious background imaginable. In fact, this Sunday they will be featuring Tarot card reading after their services.

Perhaps there should be another protest in front of this church on Monday. This one would highlight the misguided appearance of the bishop of Rochester at a place that regularly hosts baby-killing proponents and anti-Christian religious activities.

Unless of course, the bishop is going there to preach conversion. I have my doubts.

If you ever wonder why Pro-Life efforts wither on the vine in this diocese. Look at the example our Shepherd is setting. I find this completely discouraging. Nothing can grow in such barren soil.

A Bishop's (Imaginary) Interview with The One

WITHOUT A DOUBT My Interview with President Obama Posted Feb 12, 2009 BY BISHOP THOMAS J. TOBIN (The following is an interview I didn’t have, but can imagine having, with President Obama.) BISHOP TOBIN: First of all, Mr. President, congratulations on your election and inauguration. They were certainly historic events that inspired a renewed sense of unity and hope for many Americans. PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you, Bishop Tobin. Yes, the goal of my campaign and election was to bring people together, to heal the divisions of the recent past and to inspire new hope for all the citizens of our great country. TOBIN: I think we’d all agree that your goals of unity and hope are very worthwhile. But for that very reason, many of us were surprised, and even disappointed, that you signed an executive order overturning the so-called “Mexico City Policy” within the first few days of your administration. As you know, your action directs that American tax dollars be used to fund abortions overseas. Why did you have to act so quickly on such a controversial policy? OBAMA: Well, I believe it was important for me to fulfill the campaign promises I made to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. After all, they’re among my biggest supporters and I don’t want to disappoint them. TOBIN: But the use of tax dollars to pay for abortions is very controversial. It’s a divisive policy. It violates the conscience of millions of Americans who respect life and oppose abortion. Isn’t that completely contrary to your goal of fostering unity in the nation? OBAMA: Bishop Tobin, let’s be clear. I said in my inauguration speech that with all the problems our nation is facing we have to overcome narrow ideological positions and move beyond childish behaviors. TOBIN: But, Mr. President, providing tax money to support abortion – isn’t that in itself an ideological position? OBAMA: No, not in my view. TOBIN: But do you consider the heartfelt convictions of pro-lifers to be “childish behaviors?” OBAMA: Well, not exactly, but let’s move on . . . TOBIN: Is it safe to assume that you consider the use of tax dollars to pay for abortions overseas to be good foreign policy? OBAMA: I believe that people overseas should have the same rights we Americans have – the right to kill their children and use abortion as a form of birth control. TOBIN: But shouldn’t we be using foreign aid for more positive reasons – for example, to provide food, clothing, shelter and medicine to impoverished children? OBAMA: Bishop, obviously you’re missing the point. If you control the population and eliminate the children, you don’t have to worry about giving them food, clothing, shelter and medicine now do you? TOBIN: Mr. President, during the campaign you said that you wanted to reduce the number of abortions. And yet now you’re providing American tax dollars to encourage abortions overseas. Isn’t that a contradiction? OBAMA Let me be clear. During the campaign, I was talking about American babies. People in other countries have to make their own decisions about killing their children, and if that’s what they want to do, I’m willing to help them. But let’s move on . . . TOBIN: Sir, you’ve taken a very strong stance against the use of torture, a decision that’s been widely applauded. But at the same time, some scientific studies have shown that the procedures used in abortion cause terrible pain and suffering for the unborn child. Isn’t that a form of torture too? OBAMA: Um . . . let me get back to you on that. TOBIN: Mr. President, there’s a very good chance that during your term in office you’ll have the opportunity to appoint new justices to the Supreme Court. When that opportunity comes, will you use the support of abortion as a litmus test for their appointment? OBAMA: I don’t believe in litmus tests for court appointments. But you can rest assured that no one who respects the right to life for unborn children will get anywhere near the Supreme Court. TOBIN: Mr. President, don’t you see the contradiction in what you just said? OBAMA: No I don’t, but please . . . can’t we just move on? TOBIN: Alright, then let’s get to the heart of the question. Mr. President, when does life begin? OBAMA: That question, Bishop, is way above my pay grade. TOBIN: Mr. President, you have a consistent record of supporting abortion, and you’ve been called the most pro-abortion president ever. In light of your radical pro-abortion stance, can you and your administration give any hope at all to pro-life Americans? OBAMA: To quote my favorite campaign slogan, “Yes we can.” TOBIN: Can you be more specific? OBAMA: No I can’t. But, Bishop Tobin I see that the clock is ticking away and our time is up. Unfortunately we’ll have to wrap-up our interview. TOBIN: Thank you for your time Mr. President, and happy Presidents Day. OBAMA: Thank-you, Bishop Tobin. And please extend my appreciation to all my friends in Rhode Island who voted for me.

Sometimes it Takes an Outsider to see things

Fr Z over at What does the Prayer Really Say comments on an article in LifeNews.com That has the leader of the US Orthodox Rabbi's (who were at the March for Life!) expounding on how the Left of the Catholic Church are destroying it.

Left Wing of the Catholic Church Destroying the Faith Says Orthodox Rabbi By Hilary White, Rome correspondent

ROME, February 11, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The dissident, leftist movement in the Catholic Church over the last forty years has severely undermined the teaching of the Catholic Church on the moral teachings on life and family, a prominent US Orthodox rabbi told LifeSiteNews.com. Rabbi Yehuda Levin, the head of a group of 800 Orthodox rabbis in the US and Canada, also dismissed the accusations that the Holy See had not sufficiently distanced itself from the comments made by Bishop Richard Williamson of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) on the Holocaust.

"I support this move" to reconcile the traditionalist faction in the Church, he said, "because I understand the big picture, which is that the Catholic Church has a problem. There is a strong left wing of the Church that is doing immeasurable harm to the faith."

Rabbi Levin said that he understands "perfectly" why the reconciliation is vital to the fight against abortion and the homosexualist movement.

"I understand that it is very important to fill the pews of the Catholic Church not with cultural Catholics and left-wingers who are helping to destroy the Catholic Church and corrupt the values of the Catholic Church." This corruption, he said, "has a trickle-down effect to every single religious community in the world."

"What's the Pope doing? He's trying to bring the traditionalists back in because they have a lot of very important things to contribute the commonweal of Catholicism.

"Now, if in the process, he inadvertently includes someone who is prominent in the traditionalist movement who happens to say very strange things about the Holocaust, is that a reason to throw out the baby with the bathwater and start to condemn Pope Benedict? Absolutely not."

During a visit to Rome at the end of January, Rabbi Levin told LifeSiteNews.com that he believes the media furore over the lifting of the excommunications of the four bishops of the Society of Saint Pius X is a red herring. He called "ridiculous" the accusations that in doing so Pope Benedict VXI or the Catholic Church are anti-Semitic and described as "very strong" the statements distancing the Holy See and the Pope from Williamson's comments.

Rabbi Levin was in Rome holding meetings with high level Vatican officials to propose what he called a "new stream of thinking" for the Church's inter-religious dialogue, one based on commonly held moral teachings, particularly on the right to life and the sanctity of natural marriage.

"The most important issue," he said, is the work the Church is doing "to save babies from abortion, and save children's minds, and young people's minds, helping them to know right and wrong on the life and family issues."

"That's where ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue has to go."

Although numbers are difficult to determine, it is estimated that the Society of St. Pius X has over a million followers worldwide. The traditionalist movement in the Catholic Church is noted for doctrinal orthodoxy and enthusiasm not only for old-fashioned devotional practices, but for the Church's moral teachings and opposition to post-modern secularist sexual mores. Liberals in the Church, particularly in Europe, have bitterly opposed all overtures to the SSPX and other traditionalists, particularly the Pope's recent permission to revive the traditional Latin Mass.

The Vatican announced in early January that, as part of ongoing efforts to reconcile the breakaway group, the 1988 decree of excommunication against the Society had been rescinded. Later that month, a Swedish television station aired an interview, recorded in November 2008, in which Bishop Richard Williamson, one of the four leaders of the Society, said that he did not believe that six million Jews were killed in the Nazi death camps during World War II.

At that time, the media erupted with protests and accusations that the Catholic Church, and especially Pope Benedict XVI, are anti-Semitic.

Rabbi Levin particularly defended Pope Benedict, saying he is the genius behind the moves of the late Pope John Paul II to reconcile the Church with the Jewish community.

"Anyone who understands and follows Vatican history knows that in the last three decades, one of the moral and intellectual underpinnings of the papacy of Pope John Paul II, was Cardinal Ratzinger.

"And therefore, a lot of the things that Pope John Paul did vis-à-vis the Holocaust, he [Benedict] might have done himself, whether it was visiting Auschwitz or visiting and speaking in the synagogues or asking forgiveness. A lot of this had direct input from Cardinal Ratzinger. Whoever doesn't understand this doesn't realise that this man, Pope Benedict XVI, has a decades-long track record of anti-Nazism and sympathy for the Jews."

They must be doing something right!

Mike over at DOR Catholic has a post about the bumper crop of seminarians coming out of the mid-west. To compare these dioceses, which are of varying sizes, to the Rochester diocese, he does a comparison of the number of priests per 100,000. Lets just say, Rochester falls way short. Here's the graphic he came up with (click on it to enlarge it):
Maybe it's time to stop concentrating on redefining Church teachings for today, closing parishes and building collaborative styles of church leadership, but actually show some leadership and start doing the things that encourage vocations. Eucharistic Adoration, male only altar servers, consistent orthodoxy in teaching and praxis. These things have worked for thousands of years, and seem to still work today.

It is also pretty obvious that young men are not willing to devote their lives to the Church with some watered down version of the priesthood. Priest as social worker and some sort of Sacramental specialist. Seems that the call to be Father, Shepherd, and fisher of men is what attracts young men. Christ knew this when he called James and Peter from their boats. "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." They dropped their nets and came with him as so many men have over the centuries.

It is time to abandon the wasted effort of trying to change the Church for the time, and the continued feminization of the Church to the point where the Church Militant is completely shrouded. If the trends continues in Rochester there won't be a Church in Rochester.

We must pray for the conversion of the hearts and mind of our Bishop and the Chancery to reach out for devout men to become true priests for our Our Lord God our Father, our Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Prayer to Saint John Vianny, Patron of Parish Priests

Dear Saint John Vianney, your childhood dream was to be a Priest, to win souls for God. You endured years of toil and humiliation to attain the Priesthood. You became a Priest truly after God's own heart, outstanding in humulity and poverty; prayer and mortification. Totally devoted to the service of God's people. The Church has exalted you as model and patron saint of all Parish Priest, trusting that your example and prayers will help them to live up to the high dignity of their vocation to be faithful servants of God's people, to be perfect imitators of Christ the Savior Who came not to be served but to serve, to give His Life in ransom for many.

Pray that God may give to His Church today many more Priests after His own Heart. Pray for all the Priests under your patronage, that they may be worthy representatives of Christ the Good Shepherd. May they wholeheartedly devote themselves to prayer and penance; be examples of humility and poverty; shining modelss of holiness; tireless and powerful preachers of the Word of God; zealous dispensers of God's Grace in the Sacraments. May their loving devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist and to Mary His Mother be the Twin Fountains of fruitfulness for their ministry. Amen.

Pius Media...A Catholic Movie alternative

Wish you had a better alternative to the muck and mire of TV for your family to watch, well now there is a service akin to Netflix, this one started by a Catholic family for a more family, and faith friendly rental service. It's called Pius Media

From their website:

My wife and I have 4 children ages 1 year to 6 years old. As parents we realize the responsibility placed upon us to form our children in the faith. We also realize how counter cultural that task is!

Like Netflix you create a list of movies and for a monthly fee you browse their library of movies and create a list (called your rental queue) of the ones you would like to watch. They mail the movies to you. You watch them and keep them as long as you want. Mail them back in the prepaid envelope and they will send you the next one on your list. They seem to have a fairly large library of films and they take suggestions for new ones.

Christian purity requires a purification of the social climate. It requires of the communications media that their presentations show concern for respect and restraint. Purity of heart brings freedom from widespread eroticism and avoids entertainment inclined to voyeurism and illusion.Catechism of the Catholic Church 2525

hat tip to Eugene Michael over at Rochester Catholic who covers things Catholic in Rochester

So we trade one Pro-Choice Catholic for a Pro-abortion Catholic.

According to Life News: It is likely that President Obama May Name Pro-Abortion Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, as Health Secretary. She will replace Tom Dashel, another pro-Choice Catholic.

With Sebelius on board, those same concerns would remain, given her very close ties with abortion advocates.

Sebelius is most notorious for her close relationship with late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller, who has escaped prosecution and accountability thus far for allegedly repeatedly violating state abortion laws.

He's done so in part because of the lax standards of Sebelius and her political cronies, to whom Tiller has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars. Governor Sebelius vetoed a bill last April that the legislature approved that would have strengthened the state's limits on late-term abortions.

That followed by a year her veto of a bill requiring explicit medical reasons for a late abortion, which was preceded by vetoing other pro-life legislation in 2006, 2005 and 2003.

Well, now, that's change we can believe in...not.

The Stealth Gay marriage Vote in Albany

Amazing how this got so little press....of course, they didn't have enough votes, that's why it wasn't covered. So many important issues that affect everyone in the state, like a $15 billion shortfall in the state budget, state economy going to heck and a hand basket, and this is what they choose to concentrate on...

Majority leader: NY Senate lacks gay marriage votes

by The Associated Press

Saturday February 07, 2009, 7:59 PM

Albany (AP) -- New York Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith said Saturday that his Democratic conference lacks enough votes to legalize gay marriage this year, but he's committed to passing a gay marriage bill soon.

Smith said in remarks prepared for a Human Rights Campaign event in Manhattan that he strongly supports equal marital rights for gay couples.

"Although we don't have the number of votes at this time needed to pass the marriage equality and gender bill this legislative session, we are committed to pursuing its passage when we have the votes," said Smith, of Queens.

But his confirmation that he lacks enough votes is likely a disappointment for gay rights advocates, who had hoped gay marriage would pass after Democrats took control of the Senate in the November elections.

"We have reason to be encouraged," Smith said. "We're winning in the court of public opinion. I believe that the opponents aren't gripped by the kind of all-consuming passion, if you will, to derail the rights of same-sex couples to unite under law ... we all want marriage and family, and a home to raise our families."

Democratic Gov. David Paterson and the Democrat-controlled Assembly have been supportive of a gay marriage bill that was blocked by the Senate's former Republican majority.

So, Abortion is the Woman's Choice?

Actor Gary Graham (Alien Nation, Enterprise), self proclaimed product of the "peace generation" writes an excellent piece (but strongly worded) on his journey from Pro-choice to Pro-Life. He ends with his final realization and conversion that any father or mother can relate to:

I saw my daughter’s ultrasound when she was at four weeks. All I saw was this little pulsating cylinder about the size of my little fingernail. Each little vibration was a heartbeat. Yes, a heart barely formed; cells still differentiating into form and function…but her little heart was just wailing away. I burst into tears. And I realized… I was beholding an utter miracle. The miracle of life. And I also realized that from the very first merger of cell into cell, and the first divisions…that the whole miracle of life was from that point on struggling against all odds to become a fully-realised human being.

I don’t mean to preach. I’m just telling you what I have come to know, and that I know that I know. The unborn fetus is a baby in development…and to end that life prematurely is to murder that life.

I truly wish that I had had this conviction way back when…when I was only concerned about my selfish convenience of the day. But I didn’t want to know, I didn’t want to think about it. It was inconvenient to think about it.

How ironic that the ‘Love’ Generation should spawn such a culturally accepted abomination as abortion.

May God have mercy on us all.

May all who have not seen believe, and those who have seen not forget. PAX

Pay to Pray...The Church's dirty Secret

Jeffery Tucker of The New Liturgical Music blog Fame has penned an excellent article for InsideCatholic.com called "Pay to Pray: The Church's Simony Problem "
In his usual insightful and precise way Jeffery details how between ICEL (International Commission on English in the Liturgy) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) there is a fee that has to be paid for the vernacular text for the mass and the bible verses that are use d in a typical mass. Go have an eyeopening read!

Support the Pope

Click on the picture and sign the petition in Support of our Holy Father. This petition started in France by many in support of the Holy Father's decision to lift the Excommunications of the SSPX Bishops. The media isn't thrilled, but then again, if they aren't, it must be a good thing! Go over and sign up!

Lay Preaching...yes, again once more into the breach!

Well...tap, tap, this thing on? Right. Well okay then. The Curmudgeon is back then.

Today we look at lay preaching...after a hearty exchange of notes that started with:

This post from DOR Catholic seemed to hit a nerve. I have to say that I agree with this position The main point is that Orthodoxy is what we need to save the Church as it is what has caused growth and rebirth in the dioceses that have become more orthodox. Oh and that many bishops are clueless to this. I have to say in general I agree with this position, especially after being here in the Diocese of Rochester for three years and seeing the devastation.

Now the thread morphed into a discussion of Lay preaching and church requests for money. So I've moved it here so people stop getting bombed by reply to all email

under Canon Law, Lay Preaching, particularly in place of the homily is forbidden. Lay preaching is okay OUTSIDE of the mass. There have been lay evangelists for the life of the church. But, in the context of the mass, it is reserved to the ordained (Priests and Deacons). Even seminarians who are not deacons are excluded.

Frankly considering the lack of orthodoxy of the lay people (and some priests for that matter) I have heard preach in the Diocese of Rochester, there needs to be a wholesale introduction to the Catholic Catechism to the laity and clergy in DOR. I urge you to push back on this abuse as it is damaging to the faith and can be an occasion of scandal

The relevant law is here:
Canons 762-772 Pay attention to what context that lay preaching is allowed...it is certainly NOT instead of the homily or in any means that would be confused with the homily

Church documents:

This is the document that opened up many a can of worms: On Certain Questions on Collaboration of the Non-ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of the Priest

The US Bishops in 2001 with their norms entitled: Canon 766 - Lay Preaching...
They are pretty specific...it echos the Canon law, and it adds: http://www.usccb.org/norms/766.htm

This is the money quote: (emphasis mine)

The lay faithful who are to be admitted to preach in a church or oratory must be orthodox in faith, and well-qualified, both by the witness of their lives as Christians and by a preparation for preaching appropriate to the circumstances.

The diocesan bishop will determine the appropriate situations in accord with canon 772§1. In providing for preaching by the lay faithful the diocesan bishop may never dispense from the norm which reserves the homily to the sacred ministers (c. 767§1; cfr. Pontifical Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law, 26 May 1987, in AAS 79 [1987], 1249). Preaching by the lay faithful may not take place within the Celebration of the Eucharist at the moment reserved for the homily.


This document is the Latest to cover this (and other abuses btw) topic it came out in 2004: Redemptionis Sacramentum

It's pretty clear too...(emphasis mine)
[74.] If the need arises for the gathered faithful to be given instruction or testimony by a layperson in a Church concerning the Christian life, it is altogether preferable that this be done outside Mass. Nevertheless, for serious reasons it is permissible that this type of instruction or testimony be given after the Priest has proclaimed the Prayer after Communion. This should not become a regular practice, however. Furthermore, these instructions and testimony should not be of such a nature that they could be confused with the homily,[156] nor is it permissible to dispense with the homily on their account.