Awkward Occurrence at Mass

[DigitalAnarchy]

I normally go to Mass at my local parish but had gone to the Cathedral instead this time around. While the priest was giving the homily, a woman starts waving at him and trying to get his attention. She was making a scene so the priest stopped what he was saying and asked her if she had a question.

She said she had something to say, and the priest asked her if it had anything to do with what he was saying, and of course she said yes. The Priest told her she had one minute, so she comes on the platform to the microphone and started saying something about taking care of poor people.

Nothing whatsoever to do with what the priest was saying, so as she starts to get down the Priest stops her on the platform and asks her point blank what that had to do with what he was saying. The priest did say it was good but had nothing to do with what he was saying, told her that she was an interruption and finally let her go back to her seat. It was kind of funny but mostly awkward, at least for her.

 

[AshleyBelle]

I normally go to Mass at my local parish but had gone to the Cathedral instead this time around. While the priest was giving the homily, a woman starts waving at him and trying to get his attention. She was making a scene so the priest stopped what he was saying and asked her if she had a question.

She said she had something to say, and the priest asked her if it had anything to do with what he was saying, and of course she said yes. The Priest told her she had one minute, so she comes on the platform to the microphone and started saying something about taking care of poor people.

Nothing whatsoever to do with what the priest was saying, so as she starts to get down the Priest stops her on the platform and asks her point blank what that had to do with what he was saying. The priest did say it was good but had nothing to do with what he was saying, told her that she was an interruption and finally let her go back to her seat. It was kind of funny but mostly awkward, at least for her.

I’m not an expert on liturgy… But the mass is not the place for laity to interject during the homily ><

 

[IrishDude45]

I’m not sure I like that. A layperson should not be “preaching” like that. I hope the priest set her straight after Mass.

 

[FickleFreckled]

I can understand the priest stopping the homily to acknowledge her or find out what was going on - there could have been an emergency or something - but allowing her to take the pulpit (or platform) without even knowing what she wanted to say seems sort of irresponsible. What would he have done if she’d begun to rant about something?
He could also have been dealing with a mentally ill person. That is very strange.

 

[ac_claire]

Ok, my :twocents: — Nothing about this is right lol. I think the biggest mistake was the priest even giving her a minute for a platform. The homily isn’t the time or place for people to be able to speak their piece or even for Q & A with Father.

IMO he should have either a.) ignored her or b.) stopped for a moment (or better yet, got an usher to do it) and asked her if there was an emergency. If not, she could come speak to him privately after Mass about whatever was on her mind.

 

[DigitalAnarchy]

I’m not sure I like that. A layperson should not be “preaching” like that. I hope the priest set her straight after Mass.

He seemed to set her pretty straight at the pulpit, but still a bit odd that he let her up there. Although I really like the priest and I’m sure it kinda caught him off guard like it did everyone else.

 

[VociMike]

He seemed to set her pretty straight at the pulpit, but still a bit odd that he let her up there. Although I really like the priest and I’m sure it kinda caught him off guard like it did everyone else.

And I bet he never does it again.

 

[JerrySeibert]

That is weird. It astonishes me that someone would have the audacity to interupt the Mass. We all have causes we are passionate about, but we must use judgement to determine the proper time to discuss such issues. But, never during a Holily.

 

[thomas_jd]

I once saw a women attempt to speak after the Gospel. The priest told her no. He repeated no until she left.

 

[puzzleannie]

most cathedrals are located in central city areas, where coincidentally there are a lot of street people, who frequently have at least personality if not mental health issues, and I am assuming this priest is familiar with such interruptions, may even have known the lady, and is used to dealing with them, and did as he judged best in that instance.

 

[OraLabora]

A similar interruption happened at Mass last winter, on a Tuesday weekday Mass at St-Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal. A young man started wailing at the homily that his best friend “the only friend he had”, had just been killed in a car accident.

The priest deftly managed to insert in the homily that we should pray for the young man and his deceased friend.

One has to understand I guess, in this case the fellow was in extreme grief. A kind woman went to him sat beside him and comforted him, and after Mass, took him and kneeled with him in front of the tabernacle, and prayed with him.

Sure enough I read in the on-line news later at work that a young man driving a delivery van had lost control, crashed into a building and died, and he appeared to be of the same ethnic origin as the man in the church.