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I have been Catholic for only a couple of years so I could be wrong about this but I was surprised today when I heard the priest announce before mass an advertisement for a Dave Ramsey seminar. It did not seem appropriate since it is a paid advertisement and has no relevance to Jesus. To add to the disappointment is that there is a big March coming up in a couple of weeks for life and members of our parish are working really hard to help in those efforts and there was no verbal announcement about that or how to help.

Am I wrong in thinking that is inappropriate? If I recall there is something in the scripture about Jesus getting upset when people were selling stuff in the temple and I know this is not exactly the same but I find it similar in some ways and it just doesn't feel right.

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Tiffany
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let us love one another.
For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments;
this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning,
in which you should walk.
2 Jn 4-9

Tiffany,

Such announcements should be made after the Postcommunion and before the final blessing.

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)

Not sure hat you mean by before mass. I think mass starts with the entrance procession. Was it before that? Otherwise, I think it was definitely out of order.

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- Joe Kelley

Death is only a shadow across the path to Heaven.

Not necessarily paid advertisement but definitely a product for sale. I am not sure exactly when...I just sat down just before mass and he made his announcement.

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Tiffany
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let us love one another.
For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments;
this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning,
in which you should walk.
2 Jn 4-9

Hi Tiffany,

As you noted, in some parishes announcements are made prior to the beginning of Mass (i.e. before the entrance procession).

Why was one thing announced and not the other? It's probably something as simple as those who are organizing one event asked for an announcement this past weekend while those organizing the other did not. Maybe they will later, maybe it was announced before, or maybe they don't need to.

Your main question seems to be whether it is permissible for parishes to publicize events that are not directly related to Jesus. The answer is yes. One goal of a parish should be to meet with needs of the parish community. Sometimes those needs have to do with secular realities such as economic issues. I can't speak to Dave Ramsey because I know nothing about him other than he is involved in finances. Nor do I know anything about this seminar, is it at your parish, an an outside venue, another parish etc.

As for a cost, anytime you bring in an outside speaker there will be a cost involved. Sometimes the parish covers it, sometimes they won't, or can't. The March for Life (I'm assuming that is the other event you were speaking about) also involves a cost. I don't know where you are, but where I am it will cost $1600 for the bus to DC. While the Knights of Columbus have raised most of it, those going are being asked to make a modest contribution if they are able to.

I hope this helps,

Effie

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“The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of Conservatives is to prevent mistakes from being corrected.” –G.K Chesterton

Tiffany,

I don't know what you mean by a paid advertisement. There's a big difference between a paid advertisement and announcing a parish related event.


Effie

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“The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of Conservatives is to prevent mistakes from being corrected.” –G.K Chesterton

We get hit with announcements before the entrance processional and again before the final blessing in addition to being handed the parish bulletin which is apparently too difficult for the congregation to read, thus all the announcements.

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BobA

Some years ago, we had a priest who would actually read the bulletin just before the final blessing!

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In Christ,

Jim B

I will consider your position if stated with firm, well-thought-out, quiet reasoning. Hateful diatribe, ad hominem attacks and shouted rhetoric don't impress.

I think that giving highlights from the bulletin is counter productive. It conveys the message, which is quickly acted on, that the rest of the bulletin is not worth reading.

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- Joe Kelley

Death is only a shadow across the path to Heaven.