I made this picture extra large so that you can see it is on a Knights of Columbus placemat! You know that HAD to be at church. It was. A lovely $9. fish fry with a friend.
At my old church. The one I left 4 years ago. After having been a member for 10 years.
After 4 years at my new church, I haven't a soul to even say "hello" to. And I don't mean the Chatty Cathy stuff at Mass that drives more than one of us nuts. I mean there is a pancake breakfast there this weekend and there is a perverse part of me who wants to go just so I can see that once again, no one will speak to me.
I know where I belong if I am going there for the Sacrament of the Mass. If I care that it be something that is about Jesus and not about the priest who has a lovely singing voice and loves to sing - sometimes even the whole homily.
If I want to have fun at the fish fry, I can go to one church. If I want to go to Mass and have that be something other than a social event, I can go to my current church.
I know where I belong.
How nice! We haven't been to a fish fry yet this year. With finances what they are for us the $10 per plate it a bit high but oh how we love to go back to our old church for the frys. They get "special" fish and the fryers are the same guys year after year, probably the last 20 years or so. The coleslaw is great, sides and homemade desserts plus the bread, butter, drinks, etc. (Our current church is too small to have them). It's known as being one of the best so you have to get there before 4 PM if you want to eat-in without watiting in a long, long line. Even the To-Go line is huge. Tom loves it because we used to trade around- I like only a bite or two of fish but give me the sides. He loves the fish and the sides are only secondary.
ReplyDeleteI went to a fish fry in the US, years ago. It was at a kind of Catholic social club? There were pictures of JFK everywhere and a bar. I ordered a martini (which over here in the UK is different to over there, much weaker). It contained Gin! Anyway, the portions were always very generous in America and I loved the food, especially the steaks! Your bacon however, or ham as you call it, I didn't like. Can't beat english bacon and eggs!
ReplyDeleteAs for sociable churches, I was in Sheffield Cathedral for mass last week, (mother's day) and at the coffee afterwards, no-one spoke at first. I said to my son "you can tell we're in a catholic environment, no-one speaks to anyone, except their own family/friends"
Just then, a lady came over and introduced herself as 'the greeter' and had a really long (a bit too long actually haha!) chat with us.
I won't be going back there again, she found out far too much about me! ;)
Ros, That is so funny.
ReplyDeleteKathy, I agree, $9 is a bit much - but then it supports the Knights. And it was "all you can eat."
I remember fainting once in a Catholic church in early menopause. I lay there on the aisle carpet until I came around and the congregation just ignored me. Nobody even looked in my direction although many of them had greeted me and exchanged the Kiss of Peace. I eventually got up and went out of the church and a passerby in the streetgot me a glass of cold water and offered to call a doctor. I always think of that as my Samaritan moment.
ReplyDeleteMary in Africa
Although I technically belong to one parish, I go to several different churches. I go to one for daily Mass and another for Adoration and yet another sometimes for confession. When we belong to Him, we belong wherever we can find Him in the particular moment. Who fried up the fish? It looks sumptuous!
ReplyDeleteOh Mary in Africa, I am so sorry that happened to you. One time I fell and hurt myself on my way out of church and everyone just drove past me. It was awful.
ReplyDeleteAnd Joyce, I love that, when we belong to Him, we belong wherever we can find him.
I just hope I can bring compassion and a loving attitude with me where ever I go.
To Mary in Africa:
ReplyDeleteWe had a woman (possibly early menopause) who fainted in church right around the liturgy of the Eucharest about a year and a half ago. The mass continued on but we in that conre of the congregation helped the woman, got the usher to call an ambulance, made her comfortable, and held her hand until the ambulance arrived. The ambulance took her away. A few weeks later we saw the woman back again and we asked how she was and she said she was great and they found nothing wrong. Wouldn't you know, she fainted again right at the same point in the mass. Again we got her an ambulance. Several months later, she returned to church and again had a spell, though this time she didn't pass out. This time she refused the ambulance. We never did find out what was wrong with her, at least I didn't. But she has been back at the same mass and no more incidences. It was amazing, three times in four months or so.
But we did help her out each time.
Thanks for the supportive comments, Mary and Manny. I wonder if perhaps people were unsure what to do and waiting for someone else to respond. Fear of embarrassment is very strong in public places.
ReplyDeleteBut the wonderful healing moment was the man going past in the street who responded so promptly and helpfully. That made me realise that the universal church or goodness or neighbourliness is not bounded by those in a particular building or at one particular place. And in another parish church there might have been kinder and more compassionate people.
Mary in Africa
Mary, I have thought about your comment over the last day and last night I recalled an incident that happened at my current church ,the one with the unfriendly people. It was a couple of years ago.
ReplyDeleteA woman fainted during Mass. Someone asked if there was a doctor in the house. The priest, the one I love, stopped the Mass, came down from the altar, and sat with the young woman, who by that time had come around a bit. He asked her if she wanted to be annointed. He could see that it frightened her, and he explained that it didn't mean she is dying, that it frequently caused people to feel better. He annointed her then. And then continued the Mass once the ambulance had come for her.
That was a very special Mass. I don't think I shall ever forget it.
That is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteMary in Africa