The Parish Calendar

After much contemplation, I've decided that I find the Parish Calendar absolutely hideous.

I wanted to be optimistic about it... I really did! last year's calendar was this doubly atrocious concoction with wierd looking angels and "cute" quotes that reminded me of something my grandma might cross stitch onto a pillow. The art was bad, the choices were worse, and I couldn't get to December fast enough. But I plowed through it, determined to be faithful to my Parish Community through the use of this calendar they had selected-- my little act of love.
I was overjoyed when I saw that this year's calendar was made by a new company. Further, the front contained an image of the cup and the hosts, and the I thought-- aha! Finally a truly "Catholic" Calendar. At first glance, it appeared gloriously successful at portraying the faith: here a picture of a stained glass window, there a tabernacle, here an image of a woman's hands holding a rosary. Joy!
But the more I look at it, the less I like it. First of all, my initial joy at seeing the insides of churches in some of the pages has faded fast when I realized we are talking about tabernacles and set ups that look more like a space ship than a cathedral: "industrial" looking ceilings criss crosed with wood and metal, sharp angles and round curves-- it's the architecture of modernity, and I hate, hate, hate seeing it in churches. Suffice to say I find it less than inspiring.
Second, I realized that the cover says "Stewardship Calendar." Now I hear this a lot in our parish... that we are a "stewardship" parish-- but what does this mean? Does this mean that the sole focus of our lives is to steward our lives and finances in a godly manner?
Does this mean that because my husband and I choose to tithe WITHOUT the little envelopes that come in the mail each month with our names on them, and thereby anonymously, that we should be somehow judged for not participating in the "stewardship" parish theme? Are people over there in the Parish office worried that we aren't tithing? Is that why our voice is so often "hushed" when we speak out for orthodoxy-- because we don't "steward" the way we are supposed to? What exactly IS a stewardship parish? Does this mean that tithing is our highest aim?

The last time I checked, devotion to God and active participation in the liturgy was the highest aim. How about we call it a "liturgical Calendar" and leave it at that?

My third issue is: the quotes. They are pulled from scripture, but more than 2/3 of them relate to GIVING money! Am I recognizing a theme here or what? Now, don't get me wrong. I believe hard and fast that as Christians it is our responsibility to give to a fault, to tithe abundantly and to recognize that money belongs to the Lord. BUT, being at battle constantly against the principles of the "prosperity gospel" I often find that a disproportionate sense of emphasis on the giving aspect makes my joy curdle--- as Christians we give because we are changed, because we are in love with God, because we know that it is more blessed to give than to receive. But pushing people to give, give, give makes me nervous. Let's push people to be HOLY! Then giving will come naturally.

Let me say this: I miss the traditional calendar. I am sad that my feast day , St Barbara's, has been removed, and that there are changes in the number of Holy Days we actually celebrate on those days instead of just moving them up to Sundays. I'm one of those people who doesn't think a vigil mass is "the same" as the Sunday Mass. I'm one of those people who wants a calendar that reminds us of which days to fast and abstain. (I still haven't seen a modern calendar that does this!) I'm WILLING to use a modern calendar to unite with my parish community and to live by the "new" calendar. But come on. Must we lose EVERYTHING that we have founded our faith on? May we not at least have beautiful traditional images to contemplate that will uplift our souls? Or at the very least quotes that inspire a more well rounded understanding of the faith? I don't know. I was so excited about the parish calendar this year because at first glance it appeared just so--- Catholic! And now I'm sad, because now that I've had time to really examine it, I am having a hard time finding a difference between this calendar and one I could purchase at kenneth copeland ministries or from TBN.... other than the small print emphasizing the lirtugical year on each square and a rosary or tabernacle here or there. Must we change EVERYTHING , people? Everything?