Unbelievers

In our 'neck' of the woods (whatever that means)--there is a majority of people who are readying themselves for the start of the academic year.

In my day-- that meant you received a new ruled tablet with glue binding and one #2 pencil that could never write on the tablet because the paper was too cushiony.  For some (except my brother who merely switched between two classrooms for six years) there was a new classroom and new seating.  There may even be a 'new kid'.  It's a mix of excitement and anxiety.

Right now, I'm the newbie at a parish where I recently began some part-time work.

This past weekend I said hello and shook some hands..."Hi, I'm the part-time youth director..."

I don't do well with that kind of stuff--actually the older I get the more difficult it has become.

How many of us have that automatic shut off that is activated whenever a person begins to speak after communion?  Even as a priest I would shut down.  None-the-less I decided to share a quick story (that I had published earlier in this blog).

And so, I preface my request for your prayers for this group with that story...

(The following scene happened to me a few years ago)

The room was filled with about 50 some high schoolers attending a retreat that I was to give.

But I couldn't even get the evening started...

I read the Gospel passage where Jesus was tempted in the desert.

They gave me that blank stare. 

"Crap," I thought "This whole evening is centered on this passage and they're looking at me like I'm some old fart with ten heads."

I put the Bible down and with that my eyes were opened.

"How many of you believe in God?"

There was silence.

"Come on, be honest, we got nothing to lose.  I'm just curious, raise your hand if you believe in the existence of God."

Six hands...out of about 50

"Okay, so lets move to Jesus.  How many believe?"

Four hands.

"Now, what about satan?"

Two.

We spent the next two hours talking about why and what's missing, and what can the Church do, and who goes to Mass, and what is going on at home ...and all that stuff.

WE HAVE FORMED A GENERATION WHERE THE MAJORITY BELIEVE IN NOTHING.

One of the clergy upon hearing this remarked, "Well you know, it was bad weather that night."

Yep, I base my faith on the weather.

Do me a favor today and pray for the youth who will be gathering this evening.

For anyone interested in following the startup and life of a new youth community you can follow them on twitter @stjoesbol

Confecting or Confusing?

Yesterday I left Holy Mass very confused.

That happens after you spend time in the pew, your soul being bombarded with superfluous crap and agendas.

1.(I looked at my watch for this one 'cause I just had a bad feeling).  Someone spoke before Mass (I suppose this helps to keep the Holy Sacrifice intact in some pretend liturgist's world).  The person spoke for two minutes over and above the pre-Mass chatter (which is espoused apparently at this church--so much that people meander among pews and congregate in the aisles up to the last minute).  By the way, the two minute announcement concerned two monetary collections which were occurring simultaneously.

2.  The Eucharistic Prayer (II) didn't take that long.

3.  The announcement by the pastor following the closing prayer lasted three minutes--because the new website for the parish was being 'launched'.

It could have been worse--the Holy Gospel could have been acted out or as they say 'dramatized'

Yeh--consumer driven church.  

Next up product placement ads during the liturgy along with audible trailers during any proclamation?

Now, here is the catch.  When I was an active priest I supported what I liked to call the 'peripheral Sunday morning chaos'--the greetings, the hellos, the announcements, the name tags and the whole 'keeping people connected' approach.  I was even in favor of some dramatization of Scripture and a dance here and there.  (I was also in favor of married clergy and woman clergy...but that is a whole other story).  

I changed my mind when I started sitting in the pew.

Sometimes you don't want to say 'hello' to everyone.

Sometimes you don't want to hear about money.

Sometimes you just want to sit in the quiet and maybe, just maybe--look at the tabernacle.

Sometimes it took everything just to get to church that day and the last thing you want to do is fake a smile.

Sometimes you don't feel like you want it to be DisneyWorld that morning.

Sometimes you don't want a show or drama.

Sometimes all you want and all you need is Jesus.

Since parishes(and dioceses) seem to be moving in the direction of a consumer based approach (and losing their soul--sorry did i write that?)  might I suggest that each diocese designate parishes that are simply known as "PlaIn Mass Parishes"?  

They could place PMP on their website or there could even be an app for people who travel and simply want a PMP. 

PMP's could offer confessions on Saturdays and Sundays before Mass (the priest would have time because he wouldn't have to orchestrate or control a liturgy).  In short PMP's  might quietly revolutionize Sunday mornings.

So, what is really being confected on Sunday mornings--Jesus or an "approach to liturgy" that simply confuses, scatters, and keeps all the attention away from Christ?