Which denomination?
Ann Dellarocco
Which denomination do you belong to? Since you have a family
and someone mentioned Catholic Church, I am perplexed. I will
try to gather addresses of all church headquarters, too, if that
will help.
Should the media send you email, or would you want your attorney's
address to be on the note we send them?
We will do the rest, as it is too taxing. Just hang in and relax.
We are all behind you, and you WILL make it.
Will make up the media list shortly and post it later.
--
Ann Dellarocco
Internet: ann...@rdz.stjohns.edu
Rev. Jim Sutter
>Rev. Jim:
>Which denomination do you belong to? Since you have a family
>and someone mentioned Catholic Church, I am perplexed. I will
>try to gather addresses of all church headquarters, too, if that
>will help.
>
>
Ann - I am a minister by a new program of the Catholic Church. The Jesuits
are running a relatively new program out of Modesto, CA, where they are
coordinating training of ministers who would otherwise not qualify for
service to their church. I would not normally qualify for further service to
the Catholic Church, as I had already been commissioned a Eucharistic
Minister, and the next step up would normally be to the Deaconnate. BUT, the
Catholic church will not accept anyone into the Deacconate program who is
disabled. (I know, we need to work on them, too). So the long and the short
of it is that applicants go through five years of lay ministry to learn
tenants and connonical law and biblical studies in whatever Christian
religion they profess as their faith. The program is currently graduating
Catholic Ministers, and Protestant and Episcopalian and Baptist Ministers.
As a Catholic minister, after I completed my five years of study, done
through a combination of correspondence, online and attendance at St.
Borromeo Seminary (here in Cleveland), while during the same five years
working as a lay minister for the Catholic Church. After all that, then I
was ordained, in Decembber, 1994. As a Catholic Minister, through a special
dispensation of the Pope, I can be married and have a family. I am in a
position higher than a Deacon, but slightly lower than a priest. I perform
baptisms, celebrate mass, preside at First Communions, hear confessions,
absolve sinners, bring communion, compassion and a sympathetic ear to the
sick (they can't tell me anything I don't personally know about), say funeral
masses, marriages, etc.
My very first, official act after being formally ordained last December was
the saddest act of my life, I had to preside at the funeral mass of my
closest friend, who had won his release from the pain of cancer.. I am on
the Chaplaincy staff at a large local hospital, and I am also just beginning
to work on a new assignment that I requested as Catholic minister to a local
prison.
I have been told over and over to slow down, and just last week, my primary
physician asked me how I can keep going, considering how serious my
disabilities are. My reply is that I was blessed by God when he gave me all
these disabilities so that I could understand what others are going through,
and I really can empathize with them. God also allows me the grace to wake
up each morning and to continue His work. When He finally calls me, I will,
I hope, have offered some hope to others in similar situations. I also hope
that I have been able to, in some small way, make a change for the better in
this world.
I am not afraid of dying - I know that it will be an end to the daily pain,
and that I will be welcomed into God's Heavenly Kingdom. However, despite
the pain, despite my disabilities, I am in no great hurry to check out just
yet. Rev Jim