Registering in your parish

There is a topic on Fr. Z's blog which has erupted into a lengthy argument over the matter of parish registration.

Interesting that so many (self-appointed) canonists have come out to play. All of them are quite sure they know what Canon Law says, and some are all but indignant that they should not have to register. And many are attacking Supertradmum (full disclosure: she's a friend of mine), who is actually one of the few with any significant education or training in the matter.

What puzzles me most, however, is why so many seem rigidly opposed to registering. And they don't enlighten us on that. I understand that many operational decisions are left to the bishop, and I know that in some dioceses, the bishop is dependent on the willingness of the faithful to support the diocese. In my own diocese, that is not the case. The diocese assesses the contribution required of each parish, and it is a debt owed, so if the bishop's appeal does not receive the level of support needed, the parish budget suffers, but the diocese gets its funding. I'm not a fan of that approach, but it is apparently canonically acceptable, so there you are.

Our Church, thanks be to God, is not a democracy.

However, our Church does need our support. Without it, the Church cannot provide the services we believe it should. And although I loathe the spirit of Vatican II folks their "we are church" expression, when it comes to funding, we are indeed the Body of Christ. We cannot indulge in fiduciary neglect, then deride the bishops for failing to keep parish churches open.

Register at your parish, if you have not already.