Bad humour for Catholics?

  • Thread starter Thread starter JoyToTheWhirled
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

JoyToTheWhirled

Guest
I really love the assistant priest at my parish. He is tremendously reverent in Mass, a really good teacher, kind, funny and self-deprecating. I honestly have no complaints about him at all. He made a very cheeky joke while telling a story this evening, and I understood it in context as being a critique of a bad attitude he had displayed in seminary. I admit that I laughed, partly out of shock, but partly because I did find it amusing because of the way he shared it.
A friend has made it clear the joke was really, wildly inappropriate, and now I feel really bad for laughing at all and a bit unsure of what is actually appropriate in terms of humour. I’m fond of mildly irreverent silliness. I’m not really sure where the line is now.
 
Was your friend present when your priest said it, or just going by your retelling of it?
 
It came up in explanation of what was discussed during the evening, so, yes, second hand. But thinking back, there had been a slight sharp intake of breath in the room when he relayed the incident himself, so I do think it was very near the knuckle.
 
Since I don’t know the joke I really can’t say if it is out of line or not. The way you describe him he sounds like a really great Preist though and we defentley need more like him. You did not seem to bothered by it So I would probably not put to much thought/anxiety into it. He is human and Maybe it was innocent or maybe he just made a bad choice. Either way it does not define him and could be just a simple mistake/poor choice.
 
Last edited:
Well, people might have been surprised, but that doesn’t necessarily make it wrong. I would try to think the best of the priest, and assume he knows where the line us that he can cross.
 
If the humor was in effect offensive to the reverential nature of the mass, be assured that the pastor will be notified and the bishop put on notice of this priest’s “heretical” nature. In every congregation there are any number of self appointed guardians of the realm and they will go running to the authorities. If it was out of place he will be informed by his superiors. As to you, enjoy the joke and don’t get involved yourself in the aftermath. There are enough curmudgeons to go around.
 
Oh gosh yes! Genuinely, this isn’t a priest bash, it was more about whether I did the right thing by laughing, which I appreciate is hard to say without knowing what was said. But I’m slightly uncomfortable repeating it now, because I feel somewhat chastened by my friends reaction.
 
I didn’t take it as a bash, rest assured. I would forget it. It wasn’t a big deal, I don’t think.
 
Nope, definitely not irreverent towards the Mass. It was an oblique reference to a certain female saint not being very much fun.
 
I wouldn’t worry about it. We priests are people too and we say off color things. I do all the time. 😉

-Fr ACEGC
 
JoyToTheWhirled said:
Oh gosh yes! Genuinely, this isn’t a priest bash, it was more about whether I did the right thing by laughing, which I appreciate is hard to say without knowing what was said. But I’m slightly uncomfortable repeating it now, because I feel somewhat chastened by my friends reaction
Click to expand...
Blockquote
Click to expand...
I don’t think anyone here thought you were bashing your preist. It sounds like you have a lot of respect for him. He sounds like a good preist and life is to short so don’t stress about It ☺️ It was either a mistake on his part or your friends are putting to much stock into a joke.
 
The way anyone reacts to a joke is it’s either funny or it’s not. You thought it was funny, and laughed without a second thought it sounds like. Doesn’t sound like an issue.
I on the other hand have heard jokes at mass that weren’t funny to me. And that’s embarrassing. Because i don’t often pick up the humor.
 
JoyToTheWhirled said:
A friend has made it clear the joke was really, wildly inappropriate, and now I feel really bad for laughing at all and a bit unsure of what is actually appropriate in terms of humour. I’m fond of mildly irreverent silliness. I’m not really sure where the line is now.
Click to expand...
Ignore you friend and enjoy the joke in the spirit it’s given. Religion. particularly of the “conservative” variety, attracts more than it’s fair share of joyless, dour sourpusses. Don’t let them spoil the experience for you.
 
Catholics have different ideas of what “crosses the line”. We are a big church and not everybody thinks in lockstep. I presume the joke was not blasphemous, so don’t worry about it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top