continue at KAAL(video)For years the Catholic Church has seen a drop in numbers. Now one area pastor has a new idea of how to solve that problem. Father Matt Fasnacht is hoping a coffee shop will help him brew up conversation of his faith. "This is unique, it's something that's fresh and innovative."
Father Fasnacht thought up the idea of a Catholic coffee shop years ago.
"We can't expect people to just come in to the church on their own. We have to get out into the public."
St. James Coffee shop will be like any other. Except that each worker will be Catholic and will be happy to sit down and talk about their faith.
"I think it's hard for people to go to church I think especially if they've fallen away from it. That's a big step so we want to present them with a middle step," said Father Fasnacht.
Another thing unique about St. James Coffee Shop is that it may be one of the first to come complete with its very own chapel.
"Here we will have a little alter where people can pray," said Fasnacht.
Opens tomorrow. They have a website. It looks a little out of date.
If any of you have been to Rochester, there is a reason for a drop in numbers, and it's not the lack of coffee. Here's some photos of Pax Christi church(apparently their website has been hacked) which is across the street.
I'm pretty sure every Catholic church in Rochester has either been wreckovated or completely demolished. I don't remember which one, but I was told a parish there had a woman reading parts of the Gospel for Palm Sunday.... just to give you an idea.
Ray had a sad story from a while back on Fr. Matt Fasnacht; his brother died honorably in Iraq.
But next time I am in town, I plan to stop by for a cup of Joe. Who knows, maybe the little coffee shop chapel will grow a steeple.
11 comments:
Any outreach to the community, if used as a tool for evangelizing the True Faith is a great thing. I cannot speak for the orthodoxy of this coffee shop's staff, but if it's there, by all means do I commend the parish for utilizing it. This is a true embrace of the purpose and teaching of V2 (again, assuming orthodoxy and orthopraxis), and not sometihng steeped in "the Spirit of V2"and should be encouraged and supported.
Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that I thought it was a bad idea. I do think it's a good idea, but I just wanted to put it in perspective.
A parish near Cleveland had a coffee house / bookstore. Not sure if the coffee part is still functioning, but the bookstore is very nice.
http://www.st-clarence.org/galilee.html
In Milwaukee it is interesting to see the influence of Gothic-revival architecture. The result being that the 19th century Episcopalian, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, and even to an extent Unitarian houses of worship look very Catholic, as if they'd be at home in the Canterbury Tales or something.
The Catholic churches in Rochester look heavily influenced by the ELCA (interior) and the exteriors look like a sort of new public school built in a wealthy suburb.
You mentioned the Passion on Palm Sunday. In a Circular Letter issued in 1988 the Vatican said that the part of Christ is reserved to a priest or deacon, but that the other parts may be read by lay readers.
Anon, I'm aware it is permitted.
http://badgercatholic.blogspot.com/2011/04/lectorwomen-reading-gospel-for-palm.html
But traditionally minded parishes still choose lay male readers so as not to cause gender confusion. Feminization of the liturgy is one of the things that traditionalists like myself think causes men to not engage in actual participation and eventually stop attending liturgy all together.
Fr. Fasnacht is not the pastor at Pax Christi. He is at St. Bernard's in Stewartville, and St. Bridget's in Simpson. He says the Traditional Mass twice a month at St. Bridget's. Wonderful, orthodox priest in the diocese.... His younger brother is a seminarian for the diocese too, I think.
I have attended St. Bridget's in Simpson before(I don't remember who the priest was though) - I thought he looked familiar. That is good to know.
Website has been updated, coffee is great, yes - it has very Catholic feel, Jesus will be present there in the Tabernacle soon, Pax Cristi is near by and does not necessarily reflect the views of the coffee house, the gentleman that is managing the coffee house is on fire and used to be with NET, they sell books, stop by and buy a cup o' coffee.
After I discerned out of the seminary, I traveled to St. Bridget's in Simpson with some current/former seminarians and friends and Fr. Fasnacht led Vesper's and gave a talk about the true meaning of All Hallows Eve. We then went out into the parish cemetary and prayed a Rosary for the repose of all of the souls of those buried there. Best Halloween ever! Fr. Fasnacht is solid.
I know this is an old post, but here is the new website for anyone interested: http://www.stjamescoffee.com/
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