No Holy Thursday Foot Washing

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Did your parish participate in this ritual last night?

In the 30 years since I have been attending Holy Thursday Mass (at multiple parishes with mulitiple preists), this was the first time I have experienced it not be done. I know it is optional, but I really missed it.

Is it skipped in anyone else’s parish?
If so, what are your thoughts about it?

If your parish does do it, how would you feel if they stopped?
 
It is an optional ritual which has been tinkered with so much, I can very much understand and applaud a priest for ending the practice.

The symbology has been lost to some sort of touchy feeley (no pun intended) gobbeledy gook.
 
We do it. I wouldn’t care if we didn’t.

I got approached a few years ago and asked if I would participate. I have personal reasons for declining (I generally dislike being touch and have a particular thing about my feet) and so I politely declined and was basically berated and belittled by the person organizing for not being willing to take part. I went to the pastor, explained the personal circumstances, he shrugged and said if I wasn’t comfortable I shouldn’t feel pressured to participate. Clearly not everyone felt the same.

I’ve also heard whispers in the pew how the same people get asked year after year, or how if one certain person dislikes you, you won’t get asked. I worry it has lost it’s meaning and has just become a habit.
 
Once I saw the teenage girl in her short shorts go up for the foot-washing, I was even less of a fan than before. Wasn’t this originally for the bishop to wash the feet of the priests? I would be happy not to see it again, personally.
 
CilladeRoma said:
Did your parish participate in this ritual last night?

In the 30 years since I have been attending Holy Thursday Mass (at multiple parishes with mulitiple preists), this was the first time I have experienced it not be done. I know it is optional, but I really missed it.

Is it skipped in anyone else’s parish?
If so, what are your thoughts about it?

If your parish does do it, how would you feel if they stopped?
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Father did the washing of the feet. We’ve had it every year for about 18 years, before that they dried each other’s hands (???)

Would I care if it stopped? Not really. It’s not well explained and it’s sometimes haphazardly done, like last night when not enough people had signed up and there was last minute call as they were gathering for more people to come forward.

But at least Father takes it seriously and there was no joking about having ice cubes in the pitcher of water while he was pouring it - yes, I’ve heard that spoken out loud by a priest during the washing of the feet several years ago. It was directed as a specific person.
 
I am sorry that so many have such bad experiences with this ritual.

There was a time, in the 1980’s for a few years, when things got a little wonky, but for the most part it has always been done with reverence around here.

My parish was very sad that it was not going to be a part of the Mass as Father warned us in last weeks bulletin.
Our attendance was much lighter than usual. We are a small church, and it’s usually standing room only. Last night, barley half the Chruch was full. I heard from friends at other nearby parishes, that they had many more than expected, so I wonder if some of our parishioners went elsewhere.
 
My pastor hasn’t done it for the past two years (yesterday included), because—in his words—there is too much politics.
(For any grammar nazis out there, politics is singular in this scenario)
 
This makes me so sad. I think, if it were me, I would rather squash the politics than the ritual.
 
I agree My pRish has included the wash g of the feet for many years.Over time it had evolved into a " come ,one come all " re who could choose to have their feet washed.It went on for close to thirty mines at one point.Now,over the past few years out pastor has brought this symbolic gesture back to its original intent.Last night our three priests washed the feet of twelve laity representing some of the parish ministries.Far more meaningful to say the least.
 
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That is how it has always been done in my parishes also.
It was a beautiful and meaningful moment. I really missed it last night.
 
CilladeRoma said:
If your parish does do it, how would you feel if they stopped?
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I would be quite happy if it was stopped. There is confusion over what it symbolises and this can result is disharmony. Does it symbolise Christ instituting the sacrificial priesthood, or does it symbolise general service to others? Is it appropriate to include women or is it not?

I would be happy to see this ritual dropped from Maundy Thursday. If it is simply about service, then perhaps it is better done at another time rather than in the context of Christ and the Apostles at the Last Supper.
 
Our parish didn’t, but our Priest gave everyone a pencil and piece of paper and following his homily focused on Christ’s perfect love, he challenged us to commit to paper an act of love we will carry out in honour of the perfect love we recieve from Christ. All the pledges are being added to our Easter fire at tomorrow’s vigil. Wasn’t expecting this change to what I am used too but I like it.
 
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Ours did, and as music/liturgy director, I had no problems getting volunteers - we seem to get different people each year - both men and women. We had such large attendance (> 150) that we ran out of Triduum worship aid booklets. We moved Good Friday to 3pm from 7pm today - we’ll see how people like that 🙂
 
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We had it and the priest picked people sitting at the end of the pews by the center aisle and I was one of the persons picked.He was very reverent about it
 
casslean said:
I got approached a few years ago and asked if I would participate. I have personal reasons for declining (I generally dislike being touch and have a particular thing about my feet) and so I politely declined and was basically berated and belittled by the person organizing for not being willing to take part. I went to the pastor, explained the personal circumstances, he shrugged and said if I wasn’t comfortable I shouldn’t feel pressured to participate. Clearly not everyone felt the same.
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Next time just tell them you have a fungus. They won’t bother you again.
 
We had this during services yesterday evening. We are members of a small rural parish (for the last10 years). Father does a very good job explaining this in the setting of the Last Supper. I was asked to participate when we attended another parish is a larger city. Thought about declining, but the conversation between Jesus and Peter came to mind.

If it was discontinued, I don’t think I would have any positive or negative feelings. I might miss it as part of the symbology. To me, it represents our duty of service to others asChristians.

Thanks to the other posters for their views and good/poor experiences.
 
casslean said:
I’ve also heard whispers in the pew how the same people get asked year after year, or how if one certain person dislikes you, you won’t get asked. I worry it has lost it’s meaning and has just become a habit.
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If you were berated for not participating and yet heard someone else complaining that they never get asked, I’d tell them to ask if they can volunteer. The person who has to round up the people willing to do it might be happy to have someone who won’t turn it down.

Direct communication…so hard in some parishes.
 
thequeen said:
We had it and the priest picked people sitting at the end of the pews by the center aisle and I was one of the persons picked
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The priest didn’t ask you in advance?

I guess the priest must know you pretty well, knowing that you’d do it.
 
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