Service

I am bemused when a pastor comes into a parish the first day as the new pastor.  He calls it “my parish.”  It is the clericalism and hierarchy of the Catholic organization of top down power. The pastor might use the word “service” as in he comes to serve the people, but in fact he comes to be boss. He moves furniture, redecorates, changes a lot of the outsides to suit his taste, and so on.  There is minimal consultation, since all the parish groups know he is the “boss.”  AA is so much different as an organization.  It is not top down, nor hierarchical and the leaders really do serve the group.  The person who runs the meeting, makes coffee, buys literature, and so on, each works for a short period of time, say six months at that service position.  Then the group elects new people to take all the “service” positions.  They serve the group.  If there is a master, it would be alcohol.  It has all the power to kill and destroy.  People can choose to join a parish, and may have some spiritual growth.  But an alcoholic comes into AA with one gift, desperation.  The miracle in their spiritual recovery is that they move from desperation to becoming a servant of the group, from self centered focus to selfless focus. Pastors, with all that power and control have a difficult time ever getting past me and mine.