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I never see what is there. I notice what is not, then, imagine the rest.
Perhaps it is the poet or the dreamer in me, but it happens quite often. It happened most recently with a photograph I encountered on Facebook: A black and white portrait of Catholicism at its best. In the snapshot, a purposeful priest is clad in a black robe and adorned in a white frock. He is walking through a sleepy village...moving away from the camera. Slovakia. Circa 1940’s? Although, I can only see him from the back, I imagine the priest to be transporting the Eucharist--the "real and living presence" of Our Lord. In the center of the photo, two men grip their caps and are kneeling in a muddy street, the deep rut of a wagon wheel separating them from the approaching cleric. There is an omnipotent oxen standing in the foreground of the photo. His “all-seeing” eyes remind us that: God is watching. I thought then of what Sherry Weddell wrote in her guide to Forming Intentional Disciples: “Invite people to live with Him and for Him, anchor people in the Eucharist, and they won’t wander off.” Weddell's words might have been the caption to this photograph of two men firmly grounded in their reverence of and belief in the Risen Christ.
15 Comments
louise von brockdorff
3/27/2015 01:01:42 pm
We have lost some of that reverence for the Eucharist that those men showed. But I am not sure if it is from lack of belief or our informal/casual life style.
Christopher Schaefer
3/28/2015 02:50:04 am
In "The Magic Mountain", a 1924 novel by Thomas Mann, there is a scene when a priest arrives to administer the Last Rites/Extreme unction to someone in the tuberculosis sanatorium. All fall silent as the priest is greeted with someone bearing a candle who then leads the way to the patient's room. This is a scene that would have been very familiar to every Catholic who knew just how to prepare a loved one's room for the priest's visit. I wonder if this scene is EVER repeated today... 3/29/2015 02:56:36 pm
Thank you, Christopher, for that provocative post and thanks also to you, Evelyn, for prompting me to comment by your mention.
Christopher Schaefer
3/29/2015 09:26:29 pm
Yes, Richard, I actually was referring to the Viaticum that customarily accompanies Extreme unction. As for the bells, in the 1969 "new" order of Mass, the bell ringing was made optional--and therefore disappeared in most places. There is no tradition of not ringing the consecration bell during Lent, although perhaps your parish has created its own custom. However, the bells never are rung during the consecration at the evening Mass on Holy Thursday. The tradition was to replace the consecration bell at this one particular Mass with the striking together of 2 blocks of wood or wooden clappers or a ratchet-like noise-maker called a "crotalus". Thanks to Pope Benedict's "Summorum pontificum" of 2007, I now attend a Solemn High Traditional Latin Mass every Sunday morning, as well as the traditional form of the Holy Week liturgies at my parish in Connecticut. http://www.stmarynorwalk.net/ I'm so happy you're back Mr. Anthony! You (and Christopher) are well versed in "old school" Catholicism. I hope to encourage you both to continue to share what your experiences in Church and about the Mass have been. It is my hope that readers will be curious about these beautiful traditions, want to learn more about their meaning and ask the pastor about them. (Opening up a dialogue between pastor and parishioner is a good thing! It leads to conversion.) So much of our Catholic tradition has been allowed to "fall away" for the sake of meeting "people" (aka parishioners or the "nones") "where they are at" instead of asking that they do what is needed to maintain the integrity of what Matthew Kelly calls: The Genius of Catholism. As you know, once these practices are disregarded it's virtually impossible to reinstated. Unfortunately, many of us were too young to remember what the Mass felt like before Vatican ll. We don't know what we are missing. We need you and men like Christopher to speak of it and speak of it often. You would be likened to the "keepers" or "memory" of the tribe..of tradition, if you were a Native American. What are your thoughts on the Altar Boy and his part in The New Evangelization? 3/31/2015 03:49:23 pm
Evelyn, your appreciation for us "elders of the tribe" is gratifying. I would be happy to reminisce with others who may recall traditions and practices that have "gone by the board" in our modern times. Little things like Jackie's mention of the paten beneath the chin held by the altar boy as the priest placed the wafer on the tongue--the communicant's hands were never used. Only a smattering of people at each mass went up to the altar rail receive Holy Communion (before it was called Eucharist), presumably because most deemed themselves not in a sufficient "state of grace." Kneeling at the altar was the fashion rather than standing in line. The jingle of coins splashing into the collection basket could be heard as it was was passed down the pews on a long pole. Priests would ask for "a silent collection" (no coins). Women would not enter church without a cover over their heads because a woman's hair was considered her "crowning glory," not to be flaunted. And of course, the mass was celebrated mostly in Latin, with so many prayers and familiar phrases like "dominus vobiscum" (the Lord be with you), "et cum spiritu tuo" (and with your spirit), which only recently has been re-translated from "and also with you."
jackie white
3/30/2015 03:45:35 am
Feel so filled with with all the above responses. I am blessed to have been part of all that was mentioned. I am in the winter of my life and in some way I am happy that I was able to be part of all that was just said.
Ken Humphrey
3/31/2015 12:41:37 pm
Jackie created a great platform with his statement, 'Rituals are beautiful as long as they don't take away from the reason why we have rituals to begin with'. My take (belief) runs differently but, with the same respectful intention (Jackie, please correct me if I'm mis representing or misinterpreting your statement or your meaning).
jackie white
3/31/2015 09:06:38 pm
What about the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) in preparation for the reception of the Eucharist. In times past, the lines were long in waiting to better prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ in the Eucharist. The children in the Catholic schools would go monthly in those lines before the First Friday of the month. The priest would always be in the confessional with a veil to separate him from the penitent. Gone are the long lines. On Saturday in most churches, the priest is in the confessional waiting an hour before the Saturday liturgy for one or two people who still want to be in the deepest friendship with Christ and receiving the great Sacrament of Reconciliation. The removal of the veil to allow a more friendly meeting with the Lord through his ordained priest did not help much in most cases.
Michael Veitch
4/2/2015 01:01:37 am
This wonderful and evocative photo reminds me of the Roman Catholic Church at its best. The faithful were encouraged by their church of the certainty of the real presence of Jesus and the validity of the sacraments which have come from him. There is too much discouragement of the faithful in our time, who are not hearing what they should from a Church that at one time was not afraid to use the phrase "the one true Church." Why do we not hear that today? Why do we not hear about sin, which after all dates to the single most important human failing of our Genesis parents that God sent his son Jesus to atone for? What has become of "fear of the Lord," a healthy concept, and not a foreboding one. Why do we not hear about mandatory attendance at weekend Mass? And why was Latin thrown to the wind? There may well be a connection between some of the elements of Vatican II and today's empty churches. How many of the faithful were discouraged by the direction taken in some places in the wake of Vatican II? I dare say they were deeply hurt, and have not returned. Why are we not reaching out to them today? There was a time when the Roman Catholic Church was not afraid to be Catholic, such as when this photo was taken. A Blessed Easter to all. These are all good questions. This is beautifully constructed treatise on what a Catholic should expect from its Mother Church. Thank you Michael. I want to believe our call to The New Evangelization will solve this problem by either beckonong people back or inviting them to join us in the Hope we know is rooted in our belief in The Risen Christ. But I am worried when I hear "slogans" lIke: "We need to meet people where they are at." I don't feel comfortable when I hear those words used as a game plan. Something about them is all wrong. My question ...is after we encounter them there...then what? I want the bar set higher so that one's commitment to Our Lord is evident and true.
jackie white
4/3/2015 01:22:46 am
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