A
annoellyn
Guest
I had a good laugh at the post where the superior took his cat to Mass. What a lucky cat. Lol.
- Status
O
odile53
Guest
When I was dancing with a big ballet company, I frequently attended weekday Mass during the lunch break. I was in practice clothes, with sweatpants and a poncho draped over me, and would regularly bring my very smelly ballet shoes with me (so they wouldn’t get inadvertently taken by someone else in the studio dressing room.) I kept them in a bag under the pew where they wouldn’t stink up the place, and sat away from others so I wouldn’t be malodorously offensive myself!
I just want to comment about purses, or items of value. If you’re in a crowded big city church, take these items up to communion with you. The ushers really can’t be expected to provide security services, and unfortunately, there have been thieves in church.
I just want to comment about purses, or items of value. If you’re in a crowded big city church, take these items up to communion with you. The ushers really can’t be expected to provide security services, and unfortunately, there have been thieves in church.
D
DebChris
Guest
Off the thread, but related to the security issue. Thieves find easy pickings in church parking lots when people forget to lock their vehicles.
If we have a vehicle, we can leave our belongings there, Without a vehicle, we carry our belongings with us wherever we go. This can include school books, work clothes and/or gym clothes, and of course prayer books including missals. Naturally, they come into Church with us. Travel light.
I may dress up for Sunday Mass, but weekdays it’s more a matter of “come as you are.” That could easily mean wearing jeans and a T-shirt, the uniform of a factory worker. Back in the days when I jogged, it was not unusual for me to pop into Church for morning Mass before running.
S
stanczyk
Guest
I usually ride my bike to Mass, and I bring my backpack along. It has never presented a problem. I typically stow it under the pew out of everybody’s way.
The thought of this made me smile. Reminds me of St. Francis!
J
JReducation
Guest
That cat was a better Catholic and a better Franciscan than I was. She never yawned during his sermons. I wish that I could say the same.
We were Franciscans. Yes, St. Francis did bring all kinds of animals to church with him. That’s why I always chuckle when people get too prim and proper about the mass. Francis had the greatest sense of reverence and solemnity. Yet, he was very relaxed about it. Reverence and solemnity never made him a stick in the mud.
If you ever get a chance, watch the movie Clare and Francis. It’s very well done. The acting is superb, because it captures the personality of these two people very well and it’s very close to the facts as we know them.
There is one scene where Francis and Br Illuminato are preparing for the Christmas Midnight Mass. Francis wants to have a living nativity. The whole creche thing is his idea. What they do in the movie is something that I can actually imagine Francis doing, because of his personality and his love for the mass.
Francis can barely see. So he is trying to setup this scene with Brother’s help. But he can’t see too well. So Br. Illuminato says to the ox, “Excuse me Brother Ox, would you be so kind and move over just a little so that Brother Francis can see better?”
The friars roared laughing when we saw that. Because Francis’ sense of reverence was so intense, that he treated all things with great reverence, including the lower animals. In his mind there was no reason why they should not be brought to mass. They too were holy, since they came from the hand of the Father. When you look at it from his perspective, that which comes from the hand of the Father cannot be offensive to the Father.
Therefore, a friar with a cat at mass just makes perfect sense to Franciscans.
If you ever meet a Franciscan who can’t appreciate this, tell him to become a Jesuit.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF :christmastree1:
T
Tigg
Guest
i love it !!!when i was a student-friar i had a superior who is now deceased, a very holy friar. He always took his cat to mass. I think it’s ok to bring a backpack.
Fraternally,
br. Jr, osf
- Status