[Magdalen] My Church

[Jim Guthrie]

I would suggest, if you feel this strongly about this subject that you
cease attending St. Luke's, Scranton, where they have a professional
choir and organist, and spend your church time at the Saint Vincent
de Paul Soup Kitchen.

I suspect St Luke’s will change with the calling of a new PIC.

After all, the “Professional Choir” (a quartet) etc. has helped get the parish down to a mere handful of people – first Sunday we started attending regularly there were 18 – including priest, organist, the 4-member “professional choir”  and acolytes,and Albert and I – so that counts 9 –plus nine others in the congregation. Biggest count has been 30. This is quite a fall from even 1992 when we first visited on a Sunday. 

ASA is augmented by a like number who avoid the “Professional Choir” for a no music in said service on Saturday afternoon. That started out as a contemporary service, but the Supply priests don’t get involved in such.

St Luke’s  can’t continue on that path, to be sure. 

It’s disappointing that they closed their second-hand shop which helped a lot of people in downtown Scranton, and also provided companionship for the volunteers (including non-members) who worked there.

Having worked on two search committees, I’m also surprised that the deployment office would accept the new parish profile (available on online at the parish website), but I wouldn’t be surprised if the diocese has some ulterior motive in suggesting names of clergy who will actually fix the place.

Cheers,
Jim