Funny thing my 14 year old thought

[MariaG]

I think the 14 year old’s comments are interesting and illustrate why modern Catholic churches should follow the longstanding tradition of being artistically rich spaces no matter what overall style is employed (be it modern or Gothic or whatever). An artistically rich church should have depictions of saints, of Mary, or the life of Christ and the trinity to serve as constant reminders of Catholic doctrine and practice. In our societry, children are constantly bombarded with distractions, so the need to put our beliefs out for all to see is probably more important than ever.

I recently visted an old Gothic church who’s congregation will soon move to a new building. The old church was fantastic - it had shrines to Mary and Joseph and an altar which depicted the last supper and at least eleven saints - the side walls had glorious stations of the cross and the choir loft had carved wooden angels. By the altar there sat a setup with renderings of the new church. Of all the treasures this parish posses, only the large crucifix was shown as being retained in the new building. The old church was by no means gaudy or overdone, BTW.

I think austere spaces send a message that Marian and saint devotions, as well as the passion of Christ, are somewhat unimportant.

I’m not sure I would say that they teach the passion of Christ is unimportant since there still will be a Crucifix, but I definitely see how the lack of Mary and the Saints would teach by their omission.

As well as, my 5 year old learns so much by looking at the stained glass during Mass. He is always asking questions after and before (and during ), about what Jesus is doing and what are people doing to Jesus.

Images help us focus on what Mass is all about.

God Bless,
Maria

 

[MariaG]

I haven’t seen too many people who are turning toward The Church just to get rid of bagage. I’m sure there are some.

You and Djrakowski are the ones who can say for sure. My hubby wasn’t turning away, he was turning toward!

I know I turned towards! God Bless,
Maria

 

[MariaG]

Even Catholics are allowed to laugh.
This is my favorite.

Jesus is standing before the adulterer. He says, “He who is perfect, cast the first stone.”

Suddenly a good size rock flies over the crowd and lands at His feet.

“MOM”, he cries, “I asked you to please tell me when you are going to visit me at work!”

(well, I liked it)

That is a great one! I’ve heard it before, but always forget it. It just doesn’t get the same laughter from my fundamentalist friends.

 

[Cincy]

Marie G
When I read your story I thought it happened at communion. If he ask his question at the beginning of Mass, it puts the incident in a totally different light. By the way the stories of the 4 year old and casting stones were funny.

 

[jmcrae]

Here’s another good joke:

St. Peter gets called aside by Jesus, and He asks him, “Why are you letting all these terrible sinners into Heaven? I thought I gave you strict instructions!”

St. Peter is baffled by this, but he thinks to himself, “Okay - I thought I was pretty tough, but I guess I need to get even tougher, here,” and just then a bad guy shows up at the pearly gates - St. Peter doesn’t even think twice; he just takes one look at all the sins on the guy’s soul and says, “No way, you can’t come in here - you go downstairs.”

Dejectedly the guy goes away, and St. Peter starts reading a book, when all of a sudden Jesus comes up to him and says, “What did I just finish saying to you? Look who you have let into Heaven, just then!!”

St. Peter is now totally baffled; he says, “I have not let anyone into Heaven since you spoke to me - only one guy came since then, and I sent him downstairs; what are you accusing me of?”

So now Jesus is totally baffled, too; He points to the guy that St. Peter just sent downstairs, and sure enough, there he is, sitting on a cloud with a halo on his head, and playing a harp.

“I’ll get to the bottom of this,” says St. Peter, “because I know for sure that I sent that guy downstairs - there is no way he could have gotten past me without me seeing it.”

So he marches up to the guy and he says, “HEY, YOU, how did you get in here? I sent you downstairs, didn’t I?” And Jesus is also standing there with a frown on his face waiting to see the outcome of this, but the man says, “Yes, you sent me downstairs, but while I was on the way there, a Lady came up to me and she said, “Quick, hurry, come here under the fence; I have made a hole for you to get in!!” So I followed her, and she put me in through the hole that she had made in the fence.”

Jesus put his hands on His face, and He said to Peter, “Oh, I see now what is going on. I am sorry for falsely accusing you Peter - it is my mother. She is the one who has made the hole, and she is the one who is sneaking all these sinners into Heaven.”

St. Peter said, “And what will you do to her?” Jesus said, “What can I do? Shall I tell my own mother how to behave herself? She is my mother. I guess we will just have to get used to this.”

 

[MariaG]

Here’s another good joke:

St. Peter gets called aside by Jesus, and He asks him, “Why are you letting all these terrible sinners into Heaven? I thought I gave you strict instructions!”

St. Peter is baffled by this, but he thinks to himself, “Okay - I thought I was pretty tough, but I guess I need to get even tougher, here,” and just then a bad guy shows up at the pearly gates - St. Peter doesn’t even think twice; he just takes one look at all the sins on the guy’s soul and says, “No way, you can’t come in here - you go downstairs.”

Dejectedly the guy goes away, and St. Peter starts reading a book, when all of a sudden Jesus comes up to him and says, “What did I just finish saying to you? Look who you have let into Heaven, just then!!”

St. Peter is now totally baffled; he says, “I have not let anyone into Heaven since you spoke to me - only one guy came since then, and I sent him downstairs; what are you accusing me of?”

So now Jesus is totally baffled, too; He points to the guy that St. Peter just sent downstairs, and sure enough, there he is, sitting on a cloud with a halo on his head, and playing a harp.

“I’ll get to the bottom of this,” says St. Peter, “because I know for sure that I sent that guy downstairs - there is no way he could have gotten past me without me seeing it.”

So he marches up to the guy and he says, “HEY, YOU, how did you get in here? I sent you downstairs, didn’t I?” And Jesus is also standing there with a frown on his face waiting to see the outcome of this, but the man says, “Yes, you sent me downstairs, but while I was on the way there, a Lady came up to me and she said, “Quick, hurry, come here under the fence; I have made a hole for you to get in!!” So I followed her, and she put me in through the hole that she had made in the fence.”

Jesus put his hands on His face, and He said to Peter, “Oh, I see now what is going on. I am sorry for falsely accusing you Peter - it is my mother. She is the one who has made the hole, and she is the one who is sneaking all these sinners into Heaven.”

St. Peter said, “And what will you do to her?” Jesus said, “What can I do? Shall I tell my own mother how to behave herself? She is my mother. I guess we will just have to get used to this.”

Definitely another “Catholic” joke.

 

[MariaG]

Marie G
When I read your story I thought it happened at communion. If he ask his question at the beginning of Mass, it puts the incident in a totally different light. By the way the stories of the 4 year old and casting stones were funny.

Hi Cincy,

Thank you for your reconsideration. But I would also have you consider the following.

Even IF my son had asked this right before communion, he could still have been paying attention. But his question would have been more like, “Wow, I didn’t know Protestant service was so much like Mass. I still don’t take communion right?”

How is a child supposed to know what is IN a Protestant service as opposed to what isn’t? While my son may have had a better idea than some, it has been years since he went. And even then, he did not actually spend alot of time at the service since there usually was a “children’s Church” consisting of crafts or activities about Jesus, and not necessarily about the sermon. His recollections are based less on the content of a Protestant service and more on the outward appearances and the kind of music sung.

How can a child “know” it is or is not a Protestant service if they don’t really know or remember what a Protestant service is like?

God Bless,
Maria

 

[jmcrae]

Maria;

There are also lots of Protestant services that have the “look and feel” of a Catholic Mass; lots of people have been confused by this, too.

I had a friend (she was not able to read English, since she was from a different country) who mistakenly attended a Lutheran church for six months, until she asked about the Lenten Confession schedule; that’s when she found out that it was a Lutheran church.

One of the ladies that I teach with was taken as a child to an Anglican church right up until it was time for her to receive her First Confession and First Holy Communion, which was the first time her parents realized that it was an Anglican church and not a Catholic church - the person they spoke to about getting instruction for First Confession and First Holy Communion said something odd, and the mother said, “That doesn’t sound like orthodox Roman Catholic teaching to me; are you quite sure?” and that’s when they were told that it was an Anglican church.

 

[MariaG]

Maria;

There are also lots of Protestant services that have the “look and feel” of a Catholic Mass; lots of people have been confused by this, too.

I had a friend (she was not able to read English, since she was from a different country) who mistakenly attended a Lutheran church for six months, until she asked about the Lenten Confession schedule; that’s when she found out that it was a Lutheran church.

One of the ladies that I teach with was taken as a child to an Anglican church right up until it was time for her to receive her First Confession and First Holy Communion, which was the first time her parents realized that it was an Anglican church and not a Catholic church - the person they spoke to about getting instruction for First Confession and First Holy Communion said something odd, and the mother said, “That doesn’t sound like orthodox Roman Catholic teaching to me; are you quite sure?” and that’s when they were told that it was an Anglican church.

Very true.

I can’t help think of what the expression was on the face of the women when the mother said, “That doesn’t sound like orhtodox Roman Catholic teaching to me…”:ehh: or the person who was asked about the Lenten schedule

I think (pray) I would figure it out sooner than these people did, but I learned long ago not to say “How on earth could a person do that?” because God has always shown me quite personally how “people could think/do that” when I say that.

God Bless,
Maria

 

[maurin]

To begin with, I am not your mommy and never have been. The name is Netmil(name removed by moderator). As I stated before, either use the “quote” feature or cut and paste my full name. Thanks in advance.

I think you should expound on this broad brush generalization.

So why come here?

Netmil(name removed by moderator),

I apologize for the first–bad judgment on my part.

As for the second, no need to expound. You do it for me.

as for the third, to learn. Not from those that have a “wagon train in a circle” mentality, but from the fewTraditionalists who care to teach instead of bash.

Thanks for the correction, though, in your first statement. I was out of line.

maurin

 

[maurin]

To begin with, I am not your mommy and never have been. The name is Netmil(name removed by moderator). As I stated before, either use the “quote” feature or cut and paste my full name. Thanks in advance.

I think you should expound on this broad brush generalization.

So why come here?

Netmil(name removed by moderator),

I apologize for the first–bad judgment on my part.

As for the second, no need to expound. You do it for me.

as for the third, to learn. Not from those that have a “wagon train in a circle” mentality, but from Traditionalists.

Thanks for the correction, though, in your first statement. I was out of line.

maurin

 

[jmcrae]

Very true.

I can’t help think of what the expression was on the face of the women when the mother said, “That doesn’t sound like orhtodox Roman Catholic teaching to me…”:ehh: or the person who was asked about the Lenten schedule

I think (pray) I would figure it out sooner than these people did, but I learned long ago not to say “How on earth could a person do that?” because God has always shown me quite personally how “people could think/do that” when I say that.

God Bless,
Maria

Yes - and in both cases, the people were from a different country, and Protestantism wasn’t even really on their radar at all - their experience of Protestantism from back home was a very few really tiny churches in the style of Evangelicalism, Pentecostalism, or the Seventh Day Adventists/Jehovah’s Witnesses, etc.; it certainly never occurred to them that Protestants might have services that look just like Mass, or that they might name their churches after Saints.

 

[Joysong]

Maurin:

They have made themselves victims, who then grow up to become perpetrators. And Bishops and Cardinals and Popes.

And strain the gnat, yet swallow the camel. I agree with your perception, Maurin.
Netmil(name removed by moderator):

The Catholic symbolism has been taken out of many parishes in my area and apparently this one too. Many Holy Masses in my area are very close to the Lutheran church up the street. And no I am not exagerating.

I have been silent for months observing comments like these, but I believe it may be time to speak out. Yes you are exaggerating and depicting the sacred liturgies in this area as being deficient and Protestant.

I personally lived in St. Clair Shores since 1965, and know well many of the churches in the east side. Though my parish was there, I taught CCD in Roseville. Many of my friends whom I met in bible study belonged to other parishes, so we naturally attended their church on occasion as we gathered together.

This is only your perception, Netm, and you promote it as dogma, giving misconceptions to others continuously. This has to stop! PLEASE! For the love of the Lord and His Church! You need to get a grip on the terrible harm you are doing.

 

[netmilsmom]

I personally lived in St. Clair Shores since 1965, and know well many of the churches in the east side. Though my parish was there, I taught CCD in Roseville. Many of my friends whom I met in bible study belonged to other parishes, so we naturally attended their church on occasion as we gathered together.

This is only your perception, Netm, and you promote it as dogma, giving misconceptions to others continuously. This has to stop! PLEASE! For the love of the Lord and His Church! You need to get a grip on the terrible harm you are doing.

Joysong, your sunshine here positively glows!!!

Lets start first, my screenname is Netmil(name removed by moderator). It’s an easy cut and paste or just quote and people will see who you are talking to. Only my friends call me by a shortened name.

Second, I don’t live in St Clair Shores, that is a bit of a drive for me.

Third, I get the perception from not only myself, but also my fellow parishioners at the old “Catholic Community” along with my hubby. He was a Protestant and has a tad more experience with what went on in a Protestant service. He was Presbyterian, has a brother that is Evangelical and a sister that is Pentecostal.

So you can wish or chastise as much as you like but until you have sat in my shoes, you are making assumptions. And you know what assuming does…

It’s really not your place, thank you.

 

[netmilsmom]

Thanks for the correction, though, in your first statement. I was out of line.

maurin

No problem! It seems that people shorten my name mostly to smack.
May God Bless you and give you peace in this crazy world!

 

[netmilsmom]

That is a great one! I’ve heard it before, but always forget it. It just doesn’t get the same laughter from my fundamentalist friends.

 

[Joysong]

No problem! It seems that people shorten my name mostly to smack.

Speaking of assumptions…

Will you deny your words in a former post where you commented that many call you nmm, some call you mom, net, etc., and you found no porblem with it? As I pointed out, some strain the gnat and swallow the camel. You jumped right over the meat and potatoes in my post only to fixate on the spelling of your name? Likewise for Maurin’s post … completely overlooking the essence of his message.

Let me rephrase. I said that I had attended many parishes in the east side, due having a lot of friends there who traveled to one another’s parishes. I did not confine my assessment of parish life solely to St. Clair Shores.

Third, I get the perception from not only myself, but also my fellow parishioners at the old “Catholic Community” along with my hubby

Singular, THE old … how can you state, therefore, with certainty that "Many Holy Masses in my area are very close to the Lutheran church up the street. And no I am not exagerating. "

I rest my point.

Sugar

 

[netmilsmom]

Speaking of assumptions…

Not an assumption, past practice.

Will you deny your words in a former post where you commented that many call you nmm, some call you mom, net, etc., and you found no porblem with it? As I pointed out, some strain the gnat and swallow the camel. You jumped right over the meat and potatoes in my post only to fixate on the spelling of your name? Likewise for Maurin’s post … completely overlooking the essence of his message.

You missed that my “friends” call me by a shortened name.

Let me rephrase. I said that I had attended many parishes in the east side, due having a lot of friends there who traveled to one another’s parishes. I did not confine my assessment of parish life solely to St. Clair Shores.

Well either you have no clue what what a Protestant service looks like or you haven’t been in the churches that I have. Either way, you opinion has no bearing on the experience of the parishioners at my parish now, my parish before or myself. No matter how much you want it to be.

Singular, THE old … how can you state, therefore, with certainty that "Many Holy Masses in my area are very close to the Lutheran church up the street. And no I am not exagerating. "

I rest my point.

Sugar

You made a POINT?

So you lived in MI. I lived in Ohio. I’m not attending Holy Mass there now and so I am no expert.

 

[Joysong]

As I pointed out, some strain the gnat and swallow the camel. You jumped right over the meat and potatoes in my post only to fixate on the spelling of your name? Likewise for Maurin’s post … completely overlooking the essence of his message.

You missed that my “friends” call me by a shortened name.

And you still omit focusing on the message, to strain the gnat, proving my point beyond a doubt.

Well either you have no clue what what a Protestant service looks like or you haven’t been in the churches that I have. Either way, you opinion has no bearing on the experience of the parishioners at my parish now, my parish before or myself. No matter how much you want it to be.

Exactly! One or two parishes does not constitute “many” for which you lump all other neighboring parishes into a protestant mode. That is the intrinsic meat of my message, and the urgency still remains. You need to confine your assumptions to stating these are your perceptions based on the two parishes you attended, and refrain from denigrating the liturgy as a whole everywhere else. It is a gross exaggeration that is highly offensive to other Catholics who happen to love their parishes and liturgies.

That is the camel you failed to internalize, and I suspect we will see more of the same.

 

[Karin]

I would think that the “bigger” picture here is that some posters prefer that some folks not use “cute” nicknames when speaking to them…why some have an issue grasping that fact I will never understand…I will also never understand why some folks feel that they need to keep going round and round on this…she wants to be called NETMIL(name removed by moderator)…not MOM not NET not NM or whatever else you can think of…
Did I get that right Netmil(name removed by moderator)??

Now in regards to our Churchs/masses looking like a Protestant Mass/Church…I have to agree that some of the newer churchs do reflect this.
I have attended over 10 parishes in 5 different states…many times I have walked into the CHurch and really had to ponder if this was a Catholic CHurch or some other faiths church…
I as a Catholic should not have to wonder if the church I am in is a Catholic one!
(this is just my humble opinion!)