Pumpkin Carving at Church During Mass

[slewi]

Oh. My. God.

Today I was going from church to church trying to find who was currently giving confession.

I stopped at the church where my mother received her first Holy Communion back in the early fifties, when they still had reverence for what went on inside the church.

Imagine my surprise to peek inside hoping to find a short line for the sacrament, only to see the mass in full swing, presumably at the homily. The priest, wearing his alb and stole, was standing in the nave of the church with a table in front of him, and several children in halloween costumes sitting at the foot of the table. To his right was someone, a member of the clergy I hope not, in a full PUMPKIN costume, while the priest was gleefully carving into the pumpkin sitting atop his little table, talking about how much God loves us.

I stood there with my mouth open, unable to comprehend what I was seeing. I learned of liturgical abuse here on this forum, but never thought I would see it first hand, so blatant. I instantly felt dirty and was compelled to leave. I still can’t believe it…

I will be writing a letter to my Bishop, but I doubt anything will come of it. If only I had my camera…

Steve

 

[jdavidparrott]

OK Steverino …Please tell me this is a sick joke… I know it is not /… Was this the sermon? at what point was this garbage taking place?

 

[slewi]

Jdavidparrottson,

I cannot be sure about this, because I came in, saw what was going on, looked on in horror, and left. I was there about two minutes. It was 4:20, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass started at 4:00…the times coincide…

I feel woozy again…

Steve

 

[jdavidparrott]

there is a lot of liturgical abuse going on in our country. You are getting it too. This is scary … and I do not mean in a halloween sort of way.

 

[Elzee]

Okay, I’m in no way condoning the guy in the pumpkin costume or the kids in costume or even the pumpkin carving, but I’m trying to possibly make some sense out of this… if this is typically a “children’s Mass” was the priest by chance trying to reach the kids…there’s a short story that compares pumpkin carving to our relationship with Jesus … when we are baptized and live with his grace, he cleans out all our ugliness (the guts of the pumpkin) and his light can shine through us (the candle inside the pumpkin)…or something like that. Perhaps he was telling this story as he cleaned out the pumpkin thinking the visual would help make the point better…

 

[gusano]

jdavidparrott:

there is a lot of liturgical abuse going on in our country. You are getting it too. This is scary … and I do not mean in a halloween sort of way.

Read Matt. 18: 15…"If your brother should commit some wrong against you, go and point his fault, but keep it between the two of you.
If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
16. If he does not listen, summon another, so that every case may stand on the word of two or three witnesses.
17. If he ignores them, …"

We are the church

gusano

 

[netmilsmom]

gusano:

We are the church

gusano

We are the church and it is properly time that we the church started stating when something is inappropriate. Carving pumpkins and people in pumpkin suits on the altar are not appropriate in Holy Mass.

This very Christian approach of not speaking against your brother only goes so far. Even Jesus went off on the moneychangers in the temple.

 

[yinekka]

Children’s Liturgy or not the Mass is not the priest’s personal plaything , the Mass belongs to the Mystical Body - Church Militant - us, Church Truimphant - those in Heaven and Church Suffering - the Holy Souls. The Mass is the offering of Christ and a sacrifice to His Heavenly Father and we consume the Sacrifice when we eat His Body and Blood.

The pumpkin analogy sounded good. Father could have done it at any other time, but not at Mass and not with people in costumes. I thought thinks were bad in Australia but I have never heard of anything like this.

 

[Guy]

On the same Halloween theme: I went to Mass this AM in a nearby parish (not my own, but has same pastor) and I was taken aback when I saw the outside of the Church decorated with secular Halloween symbols (ghosts, goblins, witches, etc). I went inside and the gathering room was simularly decorated for a Halloween potluck.
I know the intentions are good to have a party for the kids, and I have no problem decorating my house that way, but I felt it was not the best of moves to decorate a CHURCH like that, because not far down the road is a Baptist church, that has a reputation for being a little bit anti-Catholic. If these Baptists think we Catholics are a little superstitious, they must really think that now!!!

 

[paramedicgirl]

Elzee:

Okay, I’m in no way condoning the guy in the pumpkin costume or the kids in costume or even the pumpkin carving, but I’m trying to possibly make some sense out of this… if this is typically a “children’s Mass” was the priest by chance trying to reach the kids…there’s a short story that compares pumpkin carving to our relationship with Jesus … when we are baptized and live with his grace, he cleans out all our ugliness (the guts of the pumpkin) and his light can shine through us (the candle inside the pumpkin)…or something like that. Perhaps he was telling this story as he cleaned out the pumpkin thinking the visual would help make the point better…

Nice, but I think that belongs in a Catechism lesson, not the Holy Mass.

 

[harinkj]

Guy:

I went inside and the gathering room was simularly decorated for a Halloween potluck.

What is the “gathering room?” Is it the main room of the church where the mass is held, or a meeting room? Thanks.

• Kathie :bowdown:

 

[davy39]

harinkj:

What is the “gathering room?” Is it the main room of the church where the mass is held, or a meeting room? Thanks.

• Kathie :bowdown:

The gathering room is an area just inside the church where people can talk loud and laugh and distract everybody that comes early to pray or recite the rosary before Mass. I was always taught (way back in the old days) that once you enter the building, you keep your mouth shut.