Oh, I’m nasty.
Kasia July 12th, 2007
I am a bad, bad person.
Went to Mass this morning at a local parish (no, that’s not why I’m a bad person), and it was all I could do not to crack up when the new associate pastor began the Mass:
“In the name of the Father, the Thon, and the Holy Thpirit…”
Then when he gave the homily, he started off with a nun joke (which was not overly appropriate, but wasn’t shockingly inappropriate either – of course, neither did it particularly fit his homily), then came down off the sanctuary and about half a dozen pews up to give one of the parishioners something that he’d been looking for to give her that he’d found in his briefcase…something about dogs and Heaven…and when he did the Consecration, he said Jesus gave the bread and the cup “to His friends,” not “to His disciples” I lost track of all the feel-good language he used, though I do remember that the lead-up to the Kyrie did not include the word “sin”…
Ah, well. Bless his heart. For his sake, I hope the priests’ health insurance plan includes speech therapy – I managed to resist the temptation to laugh, but I have a feeling the parish kids will have less restraint.
And I never thought I’d say this, but the next time I go there for Mass, I hope it’s more like it usually is. (I don’t normally like that parish very much, but their morning Mass is the most convenient one I’ve found for my location and schedule.)
I’m turning into a liturgi-Nazi, aren’t I. Back to Confession…
These two phrases jumped off the page: Jesus gave the bread and the cup “to His friends,” not “to His disciples” and the lead-up to the Kyrie did not include the word “sin”
It seems as though this priest has bigger problems than his speech impediment. I will be asking the intercession of St. John Vianney, patron of parish priests (and my confirmation saint) on behalf of this unfortunate fellow.
Speaking of liturgical matters (and to take this completely off-topic), I can’t stand any of the alternative versions of the penitential rite. At SS C&M, only one of the priests ever uses anything but “I confess to Almighty God, and to you my brothers and sisters,” and I’ve never been able to get used to any version but that one. I love when “I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord, our God.” The other versions just seem, I don’t know, imcomplete, I guess.
When I went to St. A’s a few weeks ago (Fr. JJ’s first weekend), the version of the penitential rite read by the deacon sounded unlike anything I’ve ever read. It seemed like he just made up his own.
It seems as though this priest has bigger problems than his speech impediment.
Yeah…actually, the “we are Church” language bothered me a LOT more than the lisp, but the lisp did make for a funny opener. And referring back to that seemed to add some levity. Critiquing a priest’s liturgical efforts in a fair and serious manner required more than I had in me today (I don’t think I fell properly asleep all night), and I didn’t want to come across as heavy-handed, dull-witted and pharisaical (even if I felt that way by the time the Consecration was taking place).
I’m wit’ ya Kasia! I can’t sit anywhere within eye contact of my sponsor for fear of lightning striking me.
We have the same twisted sense of humor and will pick up on the same things at the same time.
The penitential rite during RCIA was particularly bad. I can’t remember what we were giggling about but we went into fits immediately before I had to go kneel for the rite.
I’m glad you didn’t laugh, Kasia. You don’t want another 29 years in Purgatory, do you?
I went to Mass last Friday at a nearby parish and the visiting priest had a lisp, but I believe it’s a speech impediment due to an injury he hides with a moustache. But he did a beautiful homily and he was very reverent.
On the other hand, I had trouble concentrating at Mass on Sunday. Too many people talking. My boyfriend invited me to Mass at his parish, St. Michael’s Catholic Community. Have you ever seen it? It’s in Sterling Heights. He said it was jokingly called “St. Galactica” when it was being built, because it is one of those round church/office/community centers built into the earth. He loves it, loves the people (they were friendly), and is happy there.
St. Michael’s Catholic Community. Have you ever seen it?
One of my friends at SS C&M jokingly calls it “the Mother Ship,” and sadly, I must agree.
There are only two reasons I’m ever tempted to laugh at Mass – if there’s something particularly funny in the homily, or if one of my children does something silly (never happens with my kids, right Kasia?
)
I’m with you, Kasia… is it so much to ask that he stick to the book? I mean many (close to two thousand) years of work have made the missal what it is today. Why do some priests think they can make it better, more “inclusive,” and easier to understand? Why are they talking down to us?!?
Hmmm, you know I ran across the “gave it to his friends,” thing, and found that it’s actually correct to say it, they just usually use it for children’s liturgy, but it’s in the Missal….. Whaddya know….
I questioned myself when I heard it from Fr. JJ, but no, it’s okay.