At D.C. Parish, Revolt Simmers - Race and Obedience?

Race and Catholic Hierarchy Inflame Dispute in D.C. Parish

By Robert E. Pierre
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 18, 2006; Page A01

The order from the archdiocese had been clear: Stop the accusations, the name-calling, the disobedience to the authority of the Catholic Church.
. . .
The story at Our Lady [of Perpetual Help in Anacostia] is one of clashing opinions and, for [parishioner Bill] Alston and his disgruntled brethren, an attempt to regain control of what they view as their church. Their ancestors built it, and generations since have maintained it, tithed to it, sent their children to its school.
. . .
The story at Our Lady is one of clashing opinions and, for Alston and his disgruntled brethren, an attempt to regain control of what they view as their church. Their ancestors built it, and generations since have maintained it, tithed to it, sent their children to its school.

What they have learned is that butting heads with a 2,000-year-old institution is no easy task. People at every level of church hierarchy have told them the same thing: The Catholic Church is no democracy.
. . .
...order has broken down so thoroughly in this case that the auxiliary bishop of Washington, the Rev. Martin Holley, has sent word that the upset group should obey the pastor or find another church.
. . .
Alston, a determined man, is just as adamant. "I'm supposed to sit down and shut up like a child?" he asked. "They think it's their way or the highway, but it's not going to happen like that. We're grown people."

This has a very familiar ring to it, does it not?

Full story here...

Maybe they could contact the versatile strategists at St. Stanislaus about getting help in overcoming the obstacles of obedience and other virtues...?