Priests Before Mass in Sacristy

[robwar]

Y’know… If we all prayed for our priests half as much as we complained about them… we’d have nothing to complain about.

:extrahappy::new idea: exactly what a concept.

 

[esieffe]

This is something that could go any way. If I were a Bishop, I would not be alarmed, however, I would increase my scrutiny of the priest, just to make sure. It could be an effort at evangelization, it could be ego. [ego=easing God out] I would not rush to judgment, but keep a wary eye out.

I am very forgiving, but I know exactly where you are coming from. Too often, we are incorrect about another person’s motives or intentions. I would have love to have become a priest, I personally think that messing around moments before a mass would not be the time to be taking “selfies,” but I know nothing about this man. Assume innocence until proven otherwise is my best advice.

Priests are humans, it is possible to have an ego problem and be a decent shepard at the same time. These guys have to address massive amounts of people every week. They have to have strong fiber in order to do that.

In Christ,
-E

 

[PazzoGrande]

Sounds to me as if the priest is evangelising to his friends via social media.

For Corpus Christi, I got to walk right next to the Blessed Sacrament for the whole procession. I took pictures with my iPhone.

When a nun from our Diocese was canonised, I took videos of the procession of her relic with my iPhone too.

In both cases, I posted them on my Facebook. It’s a way to evangelise. In neither case can anyone say that I was not properly focused mentally on the sacred events. People may point fingers and in their minds think that I was doing something wrong, but frankly they’re busybodies.

Anyway, what I do shouldn’t really affect the naysayers badly, and they’re cocky, judgmental busybodies of they accuse me of bad. That’s something there’s we too much of in this country and in the church, everyone gripes about each other way too much. I’m sure there are people connected to me on my Facebook who think I’m just a Jesus Freak too, but I don’t believe I’m doing anything bad by sharing my faith and trying to show others that living out their Catholicism bravely is admirable.

Sounds like that priest is doing the same.

Priests are in a terrible position where there’s always going to be a faction who’ll think he’s wrong. If he’s not updated with technology, some will say he’s a dinosaur and the Church needs to update. If he is updated with technology, some will say a priest doesn’t need those things and it’s unbecoming of his clerical state. If he gives a long homily, some will complain it’s boring, if he gives a short one, some will say he doesn’t take his job seriously and just wants Mass to be over with. If he had a lot of friends, some will say it’s unbecoming because a priest should be above socialising too much and should be focused on God’s work. If he has few friends, people will complain he’s a loner and doesn’t teach out as a priest should. Priests really can’t please everyone, nor should we expect them to, because Christ certainly had his detractors too.

If that priest posts up on his Facebook, some will say he isn’t concentrating on his job. If he doesn’t, the priest will think he’s failing by not using social media to evangelise. What he did wasn’t wrong, and we should have trust for other people’s judgement more than we do.

 

[acadiANNA]

I think it’s poor taste. Evangelize another way.

 

[quiet52]

When I served as a sacristan, and thus had reasons to be in the sacristy before Mass, I noticed each priest prepares for Mass differently. One priest didn’t want any talking going on while he vested – it was obvious he was praying. But then he would crack jokes or chat if there was extra time before lining up at the church door.

We shouldn’t judge the priest who posted on Facebook. Maybe it was for a very special reason, maybe not, but God is the judge of his heart, not us.

 

[felsguy]

Ok, I have a question. My parish priest posted a picture of himself in the sacristy tonight about 5 minutes before Mass. He put this on Facebook. My dad thinks this is highly inappropriate, because he should be “thinking and concentrating.” My priest before this was completely against Facebook (he viewed it as a source of gossip and drama, which is, to a degree, true) and he meditated before Mass. Thoughts on this?

Just wondering, did you get the replies you wanted?

.

 

[Jennifoo]

I think it’s poor taste. Evangelize another way.

Who’s to say it’s in poor taste? Pope Francis encourages the use of social media for evangelization. Pope Emeritus Benedict had email and was on Twitter. There are lots of priests that have wonderful blogs and Youtube channels and do Podcasts. I think the Lord will bless their ingenuity in preaching the Gospel. Who are you to cast a stone?

 

[quies]

…That’s something there’s we too much of in this country and in the church, everyone gripes about each other way too much. I’m sure there are people connected to me on my Facebook who think I’m just a Jesus Freak too, but I don’t believe I’m doing anything bad by sharing my faith and trying to show others that living out their Catholicism bravely is admirable.

Sounds like that priest is doing the same.

Priests are in a terrible position where there’s always going to be a faction who’ll think he’s wrong. If he’s not updated with technology, some will say he’s a dinosaur and the Church needs to update. If he is updated with technology, some will say a priest doesn’t need those things and it’s unbecoming of his clerical state. If he gives a long homily, some will complain it’s boring, if he gives a short one, some will say he doesn’t take his job seriously and just wants Mass to be over with. If he had a lot of friends, some will say it’s unbecoming because a priest should be above socialising too much and should be focused on God’s work. If he has few friends, people will complain he’s a loner and doesn’t teach out as a priest should. Priests really can’t please everyone, nor should we expect them to, because Christ certainly had his detractors too.

If that priest posts up on his Facebook, some will say he isn’t concentrating on his job. If he doesn’t, the priest will think he’s failing by not using social media to evangelise. What he did wasn’t wrong, and we should have trust for other people’s judgement more than we do.

Good observation! Regards.

 

[UpUpAndAway]

Y’know… If we all prayed for our priests half as much as we complained about them… we’d have nothing to complain about.

This.

As a sacristan, I regularly serve with four priests. If Father wants to pray quietly before Mass, I let him. If he wants to talk about what he had for dinner the evening before, I converse with him. I leave it up to the priest to decide how he wants to prepare for Mass.

I have had to put my foot down a couple of times, most recently when the parochial vicar arrived two minutes before a Sunday Mass in a fog of red mist about something that had happened to him on the way in :tsktsk: I firmly reminded him Mass was about to start and implored with him to calm down. He vested in silence then departed for the narthex. After Mass, he thanked me for the reprimand.

These situations are few and far between, however.

I don’t have a high opinion of Facebook, but if Father wants to post something to his account just before Mass I’d assume he has his reasons for doing so and would not question it. In the end he’ll have to explain his behavior to God, not to me.

 

[acadiANNA]

I’ve been wrong before…but I feel there is a sacredness to preparing for Mass, clergy or lay person. Judging the action, not the person.

 

[Phemie]

IMO…the priest, who is about to make present Christ in the Holy Eucharist, of all people, should be preparing himself to celebrate Mass, not accessing a social networking site.

I take it you don’t agree with priests who spend the last 15 minutes before Mass greeting the parishioners as they arrive?

 

[ProVobis]

I take it you don’t agree with priests who spend the last 15 minutes before Mass greeting the parishioners as they arrive?

Interesting. The FSSP priest last Sunday told the congregation there he was not to greet people in the vestibule after Mass anymore. I’ve never seen him greet people before Mass but I’ll bet he isn’t supposed to do that either. Hearing confessions okay.