Stations of the Cross... 20 years later

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I’m right there with you Mike - and I’ll pray for you if you’ll pray for me. I went to Mass last Sunday for the first time in 20 years too. And I spent some time afterwards telling my husband (who is also an inactive Catholic) about all the things that were different and how come they didn’t do this and that. I was so confused and lost, it was sad.

The Apostle’s Creed was not said. The responsorial psalm didn’t wasn’t the one in the missal, and I was totally weirded out by the raising/holding hands during the Our Father.

Granted - things change in 20 years and I understand that. But the little “local quirks” of congregations are not making it easy for me.

I found a list on our Archdiocese website of resource people and I’m thinking about contacting one to talk about these things. There are a few that gear their services towards alienated Catholics.

I didn’t want to think when I first started feeling drawn back that I would be a church shopper - I mean, at least I’m not looking into the millions of Protestant divisions anymore - I am seeking the Church started by Jesus through Peter. And granted, I have a lot of issues to work through - but how does one get to the deep stuff when little things get in the way?

Sometimes I think I’m more caught up in the vision in my imagination/memory of what it SHOULD be than seeing what it IS. And I can see how someone would tell me - it’s just little local things you’re hung up on - the essence of the mass is the same - but if the local things distract me from experiencing the essence of the mass, isn’t that worth addressing?
 
I recently returned to the Church after an absence of over twenty years. I guess I was just lucky. I love my church. It’s the first one we visited, the one in our parish. We have a crucifix, kneelers, stations and the tabernacle is directly behind the altar. We even have adult education. Yes, things have changed, altar girls, Eucharistic Ministers and Lectors. But I like many of the changes. We get more Bible readings with three instead of two each Sunday and the three year cycle. We have a good pastor who follows GIRM and who gives great homilys. We have made some good friends. I would suggest that anyone returning to the Church get some education. If your church doesn’t have classes specifically for returnees try the RCIA program. My husband was not Catholic, so I attended with him and it really helped.
 
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katolik:
What difference is there between South Boston and the South end of Boston?:confused:
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Hi katolik,

Wow, you really don’t know Boston? South Boston (Southie) is diametrically opposed to the South end in almost every conceivable way: politically, socially, ethnically, and location.

The South end is almost totally homosexual, liberal, leftist & communist, progressive, and yuppie.

Southie is almost totally heterosexual, conservative, right-winged & capitalist, reactionary, and working class.

Southie is the home of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Boston, and the protest against those homosexual marchers.

Southie is multicultural & diverse with a broad range of ethnic caucasians who fled the communist persecutions of the former soviet union in 1950: Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, Albanians, Greeks, Germans, Czeks, Polish, Italians and there are a vocal minority of Irish (plus dozens of Mic Mac Indian families from the Canadian Maritimes). There used to be a synogogue down on ‘D’ Street, but the Jews moved out in the 1970s.

I tend to avoid the South End at all costs.
 
Good morning , I just need to tell you that because of this thread I went to the stations of the Cross last night for the first time in around 25 years. I went to catholic school and every friday during lent we went to the stations. I can tell you this, it moved me to tears! tears of joy. Nothing has changed, it was exactly as I remembered, I even remembered the music and songs. what a great experience, one I will not miss again for 25 years. I encourage you all to give it a whirl, it was incredible. Praise God

I will be a defender of Mary
 
Mary that is so wonderful!!

I hope you find you can go to Mass too - because when I went to Cathedral last week (different church than the one I went to Stations) I was moved to joy beyond words - so much so that on Monday I called the parish priest to schedule a time for counsel and confession. Confession 20 years later - now that moved me to tears! I began praying the rosary every day too.

I hope you continue to hear the call of the Lord back to His church.

I’ll pray for you too.

=)
Fiz
 
dear fiz, I have no need to find my way back I’ve never left. I go to mass every Sunday!!Daily mass if my job allows. I just had not been to stations in years, what a great joy we are missing if we don’t find the time to attend. But please still remember me in your prayers, I shall do the same for you. God Bless! Oh and by the way, my daughter will be in the metro area with some friends on Easter Sunday and they are going to go to the cathedral for Mass on Easter Sunday, she is soooo excited, since she has never been to the Cathedral. Maybe she’ll be near you, you never know, it is a small world.

I shall be a defender of Mary.
 
Kevin while the South End May now be liberal Holy Trinity is not. It is my Church by the way and if you park in the lot you are perfectly safe. I have parked at night for Stations and when we decorate for the Holidays and no one has vandelized my car. I think only Fr O has had a problem but that may be because of his uncharitable nature and the homeless got even (good for them).
We are marching with the Mad Barvarians to save HT in the St. Patty’s parade next Sunday. I’ll be hopping in after Mass.
Don’t trash my Church of you haven’t been.
Kathy
 
We have the Stations of the Cross every Friday night in Lent. The priest wears soutane, surplice and stole and we all sing a verse of the Stabat Mater between stations. Fr has about 3 sets of meditations he uses; one just about social justice issues.

We had a youth Mass at our church on Sunday night. Youth took around the collection plates, welcomed people, read the readings and, of course served. The Mass was beautifully reverent with incense and bells. Statues and crucifix were veiled. The songs were theologically sound and the singers and musicians were up in the choir loft. The barbeque afterwards was enjoyed by all those who attended.

Our tabernacle is behind the altar and prominent enough not to be mistaken for a large shoe box.
 
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Pandora:
Kevin while the South End May now be liberal Holy Trinity is not. It is my Church by the way and if you park in the lot you are perfectly safe. I have parked at night for Stations and when we decorate for the Holidays and no one has vandelized my car. I think only Fr O has had a problem but that may be because of his uncharitable nature and the homeless got even (good for them).
We are marching with the Mad Barvarians to save HT in the St. Patty’s parade next Sunday. I’ll be hopping in after Mass.
Don’t trash my Church of you haven’t been.
Kathy
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Hi Kathy,

Thanks. I attended Mass this morning again at the St. Anthony Shrine in downtown because I wasn’t sure how to find Shawmut Ave in the South End, and I didn’t want to wander around (I don’t own a car so I walk everywhere I go in Boston).

Are you saying that Holy Trinity is slated for closure? What a bummer. I need a Latin Mass fix or else I might have protestant withdrawals.

The Gate of Heaven Church, my life long parish, is also slated for closure, so the Mad Bavarians might have competition for favoritism. The ‘Gatey’ is underutilized, so ‘use it or lose it’. Actually, thanks to Vatican II, forced busing, white flight, the ‘Gatey’ has been underutilized for decades. Now with the sex abuse scandal, I’m surprised anyone attends Mass anymore in Southie.
 
Kevin Mass is at noon. This Sunday we are all walking over to Southie to march in the Parade to save Holy Trinity.( it’s about a 5 minute walk) It is a High Sung Mass with all 3 choirs singing.
If you want to go just take the Silver Line it will drop you off right behind the Church. Get of at the Super 88 Chinese super market and walk through the Verizon parking lot. Everyone is very friendly.
Otherwise I’ll see you at the parade. :irish2: We’ll be marching with the Mad Barvarians at the end.
Kathy
 
Thanks for the explanation!
To tell you the truth, I haven’t been much out of Detroit[Michigun!].
The Southie must be good for it has Polish people! CO POLSKI JEST DOBRE! What is Polish is good!

Also, it is funny that in the past my ancestors fought Russians and Germans[who had guns] from closing their churches while today our own bishops take our churches!
Kevin Walker:
Hi katolik,

Wow, you really don’t know Boston? South Boston (Southie) is diametrically opposed to the South end in almost every conceivable way: politically, socially, ethnically, and location.

The South end is almost totally homosexual, liberal, leftist & communist, progressive, and yuppie.

Southie is almost totally heterosexual, conservative, right-winged & capitalist, reactionary, and working class.

Southie is the home of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Boston, and the protest against those homosexual marchers.

Southie is multicultural & diverse with a broad range of ethnic caucasians who fled the communist persecutions of the former soviet union in 1950: Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, Albanians, Greeks, Germans, Czeks, Polish, Italians and there are a vocal minority of Irish (plus dozens of Mic Mac Indian families from the Canadian Maritimes). There used to be a synogogue down on ‘D’ Street, but the Jews moved out in the 1970s.

I tend to avoid the South End at all costs.
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