Fashionably late . . .

I never could understand the concept of being fashionably late. It always seemed rude to me. I suppose those who come in late either want to make an entrance or they are just inconsiderate towards their invitation.

Being late for Sunday Mass, however, floors me! As a Catholic, I would think that Sunday Mass being the focus of the day, there would not be any doubt or problem about arriving in time. Every Sunday, however, I witness the same scenario with little variation.

There is a darling couple who always arrive early and sit on the left-hand side of the very front pew. They kneel in prayer until Mass begins. About five minutes after Mass starts, a very hefty woman shows up, passes by several 'open' pews and insists on getting past this little couple in order to sit front and center. The gentleman kindly stands up while the woman and her bulk pushes through to her chosen seat. Things settle down and a prayerful stance returns. Halfway through the sermon, another regular shows up and she also HAS to sit in that front pew. The couple accomodate her as she wants to sit on the inside not the end of the pew. She crowds past, the bulky lady moves down just a bit and they are oblivious to their distraction.

If we had a crowded Mass, I could understand but there is always plenty of room to discreetly move into a pew. Arriving late constantly is inconsiderate to the other parishioners and doesn't show much of an awareness of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Fashionably late is still late. Arriving after the Readings at Mass means you really haven't attended Mass.

Just thinking . . .

I have to smile sadly when the liberal factions try to figure out why we have so many unwed mothers, porn, sexual abuse, STD's, etc. They do studies, they talk about it in committees and they just can't figure out that going back to basic morality would cure a lot of the world's woes.

I am so glad I am way past the dating scene. I overhear teen girls trying to decide if they should go beyond passionate kissing ont their first date with a guy or make him 'wait' until the second date. Oh, and they worry that if they do make the guy 'wait', he might lose interest and not want a second date. You have to wonder how a female's brain is wired these days. Where is a basic sense of modesty and dignity? Physical relationships without the blessing of marriage are not a committment on either side although most females seem to figure there is since they 'gave in' to the guy's lust. So sad when they tell their friends the live-in boyfriend was 'unfaithful'. Huh? Unfaithful to what?

Seems to me that there are a lot of 'unearned' white dress weddings these days and a lot of prematurely used up people. Purity has become a laughing stock yet those who adhere to being pure are the more happy and secure. Spiritual trumps physical any day of the week.

Am I hopelessly old fashioned? I sincerely hope so!

A quote to relate to . . .

I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
- Robert McCloskey

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Correction to previous post!

The page remarked upon in the Pieta prayer book is page 68 not 37!

Following Christ or following your whims . . .

In our parish, we are fortunate to have three, good priests. They, unfortunately, have to serve two parishes. I'm not sure how many Masses are celebrated on a Sunday at both, combined, but I do know it is more than can be comfortably handled by three priests . . . yet they do so and without complaint.

Instead of appreciately what they have, more than a few parishioners find fault and complain . . . a lot about the way the pastor is organizing things. If their concerns centered around serious matters of Faith or Rubrics, I could understand them stating their worries. To date, the major complaints have been:

1. Father moved Friday Benediction from eight in the evening until seven. (Uh, doesn't a priest need an evening, too? Seven seems to be more than appropriate for everyone involved.)

2. Father stopped using Extraordinary Ministers at morning Mass. (On a busy day, we have, perhaps, 30 people. I don't think the priest needs to ice his arm after giving Communion to 30 people all by himself!)

3. Father stopped the distribution of the Precious Blood at daily Mass. (Shouldn't this be reserved for Sundays and special occasions? You do receive the fullness of the Eucharist without it.)

4. Father has chastised Eucharist Ministers about going into the tabernacle on their own. (Is there nothing sacred left in the world? Shouldn't be treat the place where Jesus resides for us as if it were holy . . . and we purport to believe?)

5. Father stopped the extra novena prayers from the altar. (He didn't stop them. He didn't go illicit by continuing to make them part of the Mass.)

To me, there is nothing worse than having a 'good' Catholic exit Mass and then proclaim to the world that, "Father makes me SICK!" The Eucharist was just on their tongue. They made a grand display of devotion IN Mass yet exhibit disrespect to the priest who made it possible for them the receive our Lord in the Eucharist.

It is ironic but just about everyone of the 'priest police' has the small Pieta prayer book in their possession at daily Mass. Everyone's copy is wellworn with all the use they get out of it using their favorite prayers. They should check out page 36 or 37 of said prayer book (not sure which page!) where it states that we should never criticize a priest and if we have a 'problem' with them, PRAY for them! Seems many people leave their prayerful nature in the church.

Being careful . . .

I saw an interesting show, last year, about letting our children use Facebook. A man with some facet of the FBI or whatever said that even if the child does not put down obvious information, a pervert CAN eventually make person-to-person contact with them. He reminded parents that these pedifiles and sex predators have all the time in the world to do this. It's their 'hobby' and they are 'good' at it. He proved it most graphically by doing just that (without the evil intent!) and just by following the information on this young girl's Facebook was able to actually know when to show up at her door when she was alone. He did it all from what he could garner from her seemingly simple Facebook postings. We forget that there is a list of 'friends' that can be used to find out more information. Mention of a school team can narrow down the search. Just every day chatter about when parents will be home, what time is the bus coming, etc. add another building block to a predator's information list.

Also, proud parents like to post pictures of their children and what they are doing. No one is safe so it is us to each of us to BE safe. Sad that such a useful tool of communication can be used for evil intent but being forewarned and careful can protest us.

Just throwing that out to get people thinking! It always seems so safe to post our life to the world from the security of our home computer. It isn't always the case.