saw something new in the Mass today

[hotdiggity]

My family went to visit a nearby parish for Mass today because we had no RCIA or psr scheduled given the holiday. We sometimes do that, visit other churches when we don’t have classes scheduled at ours.

I’m hoping for some feedback regarding something that happened this morning because we don’t exactly know what to make of it.

As Father was taking a consecrated host to each altar server and eucharistic minister standing at the altar he stopped at one teenaged altar server and before handing him the very body of Jesus Christ, said something to the server which made them both laugh. Father then twisted around to indicate something regarding his hip, which the server looked down at, and laughed again, before Father presented him a Host and placed it in his hand.

For all the world it looked like Father and altar server shared in a private joke which caused them both to laugh while Father was passing out the Sacred Hosts to the altar servers and eucharistic ministers lined around the altar.

I have never seen this before and was shocked and dismayed at what i perceived to be a lack of reverence.

What should i think about what i saw? Do these things happen? Should i have been bothered?

thanks

 

[1ke]

]
What should i think about what i saw?

I think we should all focus on the plank in our own eye rather than the speck in someone elses.

Really? No wonder we have a priest shortage, if every little thing a priest does is disected and talked about and posted about and made a big deal of… who would want to be a priest?

The fact is, as you said, you don’t know what it was about. So you should simply, and with charity, assume it is none of your business and not relevant to you.

 

[Jeanne_S]

My family went to visit a nearby parish for Mass today because we had no RCIA or psr scheduled given the holiday. We sometimes do that, visit other churches when we don’t have classes scheduled at ours.

I’m hoping for some feedback regarding something that happened this morning because we don’t exactly know what to make of it.

As Father was taking a consecrated host to each altar server and eucharistic minister standing at the altar he stopped at one teenaged altar server and before handing him the very body of Jesus Christ, said something to the server which made them both laugh. Father then twisted around to indicate something regarding his hip, which the server looked down at, and laughed again, before Father presented him a Host and placed it in his hand.

For all the world it looked like Father and altar server shared in a private joke which caused them both to laugh while Father was passing out the Sacred Hosts to the altar servers and eucharistic ministers lined around the altar.

I have never seen this before and was shocked and dismayed at what i perceived to be a lack of reverence.

What should i think about what i saw? Do these things happen? Should i have been bothered?

thanks

Inappropriate for sure!

 

[Jeanne_S]

I think we should all focus on the plank in our own eye rather than the speck in someone elses.

Really? No wonder we have a priest shortage, if every little thing a priest does is disected and talked about and posted about and made a big deal of… who would want to be a priest?

The fact is, as you said, you don’t know what it was about. So you should simply, and with charity, assume it is none of your business and not relevant to you.

Nope!Utmost reverence is required when dispensing and receiving the body of Christ.Especially by our priests!

 

[hotdiggity]

I think we should all focus on the plank in our own eye rather than the speck in someone elses.

Really? No wonder we have a priest shortage, if every little thing a priest does is disected and talked about and posted about and made a big deal of… who would want to be a priest?

The fact is, as you said, you don’t know what it was about. So you should simply, and with charity, assume it is none of your business and not relevant to you.

thanks for your response.

i was unaware of acting without charity. i was looking for a context within which to understand something i saw which i have never seen before.

based on your response i guess i should simply delete my account here since i’m not allowed to ask questions regarding something i see which i don’t know anything about.



so i’m left to understand that Catholics don’t take the Real Presence of the Lord in the Eucharist seriously based on my own observations today.

and i’m left to understand that i have no business asking for clarification from “Catholics” on this forum.

so be it.

 

[airforcemom]

I would not be returning to that church again. Nothing like that has ever happened at my church and we have had quite a few priests - some seem to be a little ADD but never laughing with an altar server.

 

[Jeanne_S]

thanks for your response.

i was unaware of acting without charity. i was looking for a context within which to understand something i saw which i have never seen before.

based on your response i guess i should simply delete my account here since i’m not allowed to ask questions regarding something i see which i don’t know anything about.



so i’m left to understand that Catholics don’t take the Real Presence of the Lord in the Eucharist seriously based on my own observations today.

and i’m left to understand that i have no business asking for clarification from “Catholics” on this forum.

so be it.

Guess you didn’t read my response!

 

[twopekinguys]

I have to agree with Ike here.

Nothing you noted was irreverent. So they giggled. It is not the end of the world.

Sometimes things happen spontaneously, and that very well might be what happened here.

I would like to think Jesus had a sense of humor. I would also like to think that Jesus would be happy that I am there to share in the Mass.

We have to stop looking for, and expecting priests to do something wrong.

BTW: Did you happen to ask the priest what was going on after Mass, or did you just leave with a preconceived notion?

 

[nguemo]

I think we should all focus on the plank in our own eye rather than the speck in someone elses.

Really? No wonder we have a priest shortage, if every little thing a priest does is disected and talked about and posted about and made a big deal of… who would want to be a priest?

The fact is, as you said, you don’t know what it was about. So you should simply, and wit charity, assume it is none of your business and not relevant to you.

i am actually amazed that someone would think the actions of this priest are trivial. The plank in my eye however does not prevent me from knowing right from wrong. The consecrated host should be reverred in every ramification. That joke could have been shared any where else but at the alter and certainly not at communion.

 

[Jeanne_S]

i am actually amazed that someone would think the actions of this priest are trivial. The plank in my eye however does not prevent me from knowing right from wrong. The consecrated host should be reverred in every ramification. That joke could have been shared any where else but at the alter and certainly not at communion.

Exactly!!

 

[agnes_therese]

so i’m left to understand that Catholics don’t take the Real Presence of the Lord in the Eucharist seriously based on my own observations today.

and i’m left to understand that i have no business asking for clarification from “Catholics” on this forum.

so be it.

You “understand” wrongly. And to put the word Catholics in quotes, as you did, is highly insulting to everyone who responded to you.

I guess I’m left to understand that you don’t think anyone should be allowed to think differently than you?

 

[hotdiggity]

Guess you didn’t read my response!

i did, thank you, i mean no disrespect to anyone who took the time to reply.

i put the word Catholic in quotes simply because i am not yet Catholic, still trying to learn in RCIA, and i was trying to ask Catholics for their opinions. i certainly meant no disrespect to anyone identifying as Catholic…it is my understanding that people of other faiths post here, i was simply trying to label my audience.

i would humbly ask that those of you who are not new to the faith don’t be so quick to assume any ill intent on the part of newbies like myself who are trying to frame an understanding of this huge experience of becoming Catholic.

i have no problems with humor and i’m certainly not saying Jesus didn’t have a sense of humor…

i’m simply trying to understand, coming from a protestant background where communion means juice and crackers, how the behavior i witnesses today expresses the Catholic teaching of the Real Presence of Jesus… that is all…

i think it probably best for me to spend more time in my own parish and away from these forums.

thanks

 

[triumphguy]

i am actually amazed that someone would think the actions of this priest are trivial. The plank in my eye however does not prevent me from knowing right from wrong. The consecrated host should be reverred in every ramification. That joke could have been shared any where else but at the alter and certainly not at communion.

It’s altar, with an ‘A’

 

[triumphguy]

i did, thank you, i mean no disrespect to anyone who took the time to reply.

i put the word Catholic in quotes simply because i am not yet Catholic, still trying to learn in RCIA, and i was trying to ask Catholics for their opinions. i certainly meant no disrespect to anyone identifying as Catholic…it is my understanding that people of other faiths post here, i was simply trying to label my audience.

i would humbly ask that those of you who are not new to the faith don’t be so quick to assume any ill intent on the part of newbies like myself who are trying to frame an understanding of this huge experience of becoming Catholic.

i have no problems with humor and i’m certainly not saying Jesus didn’t have a sense of humor…

i’m simply trying to understand, coming from a protestant background where communion means juice and crackers, how the behavior i witnesses today expresses the Catholic teaching of the Real Presence of Jesus… that is all…

i think it probably best for me to spend more time in my own parish and away from these forums.

thanks

I think it means the priest is a good guy (obviously trying to reassure an altar boy about something he might have done wrong). And it doesn’t take away from the real presence at all.

Lighten up people.

We have the last laugh, death is already defeated!

 

[Bballer32]

And the problem with laughter is…?

I COMPLETELY AGREE with the utmost reverence to our Lord, but honestly a little laughter never hurt anyone. Even Christ had to laugh since he was both man and God. \

God has a sense of humor… i know from experience

 

[LightBound]

I think it means the priest is a good guy (obviously trying to reassure an altar boy about something he might have done wrong). And it doesn’t take away from the real presence at all.

Lighten up people.

We have the last laugh, death is already defeated!

While I hope this isn’t the case with the OP, I think some people just go around looking for something to be offended by and come onto CAF to complain about it. It’s not like it’s a weekly occurrence or happens with every Mass. It appears to have been an isolated event.

 

[thistle]

My family went to visit a nearby parish for Mass today because we had no RCIA or psr scheduled given the holiday. We sometimes do that, visit other churches when we don’t have classes scheduled at ours.

I’m hoping for some feedback regarding something that happened this morning because we don’t exactly know what to make of it.

As Father was taking a consecrated host to each altar server and eucharistic minister standing at the altar he stopped at one teenaged altar server and before handing him the very body of Jesus Christ, said something to the server which made them both laugh. Father then twisted around to indicate something regarding his hip, which the server looked down at, and laughed again, before Father presented him a Host and placed it in his hand.

For all the world it looked like Father and altar server shared in a private joke which caused them both to laugh while Father was passing out the Sacred Hosts to the altar servers and eucharistic ministers lined around the altar.

I have never seen this before and was shocked and dismayed at what i perceived to be a lack of reverence.

What should i think about what i saw? Do these things happen? Should i have been bothered?

thanks

Just a correction. The priest is the Eucharistic Minister. Lay people are not.

 

[Linusthe2nd]

My family went to visit a nearby parish for Mass today because we had no RCIA or psr scheduled given the holiday. We sometimes do that, visit other churches when we don’t have classes scheduled at ours.

I’m hoping for some feedback regarding something that happened this morning because we don’t exactly know what to make of it.

As Father was taking a consecrated host to each altar server and eucharistic minister standing at the altar he stopped at one teenaged altar server and before handing him the very body of Jesus Christ, said something to the server which made them both laugh. Father then twisted around to indicate something regarding his hip, which the server looked down at, and laughed again, before Father presented him a Host and placed it in his hand.

For all the world it looked like Father and altar server shared in a private joke which caused them both to laugh while Father was passing out the Sacred Hosts to the altar servers and eucharistic ministers lined around the altar.

I have never seen this before and was shocked and dismayed at what i perceived to be a lack of reverence.

What should i think about what i saw? Do these things happen? Should i have been bothered?

thanks

Your response was correct. This should never happen, inappropriate for sure. Don’t be upset by the responses of some here. This is an open forum and there is no screening. We don’t even know if these people are who they say they are. For all we know they are " sleepers " planted by the enemy. Always beware. This happens in ordinary conversations, face to face, too. You can never be absolutely sure you are not being confronted by the " enemy " or even an angel.

 

[maltmom]

Please don’t stay away from the forums. You can learn a lot here…some responses will be helpful and some will not. Keep asking questions. That is how we learn. Take the good and move on. There are a lot of wonderful people on this forum who are willing to answer questions, correct us when we are wrong and will pray for us. A number of them have responded to your message. Please remember, we are all human. When reading a post we have no idea what is in the person’s heart. I can read some responses in a number of different ways. I always try to give the poster the benefit of the doubt if it’s iffy as to whether they are being sarcastic or not.

God Bless you on your journey.

 

[MHT32]

I’d like to share my opinion on this without instigating anything. I’m no longer practicing, I may come back soon, but I still have a view on this. People need to stop over-reacting. Think of it as the Last Supper. I doubt Jesus was really uptight and was anti-humor that night nor were his apostles, they of course were reverent but still had a sense of humor. If a priest giggles, I dont see how its rude at all. God gave us a sense of humor for a reason, he has one, so I dont think its wrong to merely giggle. Communion is a happy ritual, of course reverence is needed but joy is needed as well. And what is joy without humor?