Miss is an Alter server at our Church. She goes with her dad for the 8:30am Mass because Big D helps out at that Mass as well. I on the other hand can’t get it together until the 10:30 am Mass. Lil D and I attend Mass at that time.
I have been attending Mass every Sunday going on seven years now, and we have pretty much sat in the same general area for that long. If you know anything about Catholics you know that we have our certain seats at Mass and we like to keep it that way.
Where Lil D and I sit means that when it comes time for Communion we go to the back of the Church and a Deacon or a Eucharistic Minister will give us Communion. I have no problem with either of these folks distributing Communion. Lil D on the other hand seems to have a problem with this.
Last Sunday as Lil D and I were preparing to go up for Communion, I was informed by my son that he did not want to go up unless we would be getting Communion, or a blessing in his case, by our Priest or a Deacon.
I said all right, thinking it was a simple request, and proceeded to maneuver over to the line that was going to our Priest. You will have to know that in our Church it is a maze to get into a Communion line if you are not going with the flow by where you are seated. We basically had to walk around the entire Church, be physically stopped by an Usher, and I think we cut off a sweet older women. The things we do for our kids.
I realized that sitting in our normal seat would not be a great place to receive Communion from our Priest or Deacon, unless we want to cause havoc, which we don’t. The only other option is to find new seats, and do this without upsetting any of the people who have had these seats for the past 10 years or so.
Next Sunday Lil D and I will go to Church early and scope out the seats. I will try to remember who sits where so I don’t ruffle any body’s feathers.
We will find the perfect seat, one that will make my little traditional Catholic happy. If I ask him if these seats suit him, he better not say, “What are you talking about mom?”
7 comments:
i assure you, it's not just catholics that are attached to their pews...
I have often found myself waiting in the line to recieve the Eucharist from a priest when the line next to me which leads to a Eucharistic minister is pretty much empty. Our pastor recently pointed out during his homily that the practice of insisting on receiving from a priest detracts from the real presence of Christ. If Jesus is really there, which of course he is-receiving form a priest vs. a eucharistic minister shouldn't matter.
Anyway, when he put it that way it made a lot of sense. But it may not be so easy for a child.
There is such a Priest shortage here that at times there is NO Priest present..During these times the Parish Sister and Eucharistic Ministers administer the Eucharist to parishioners.
We really need to pray for more men to enter the Priesthood and that they are taught inline with the Magisterium and the Doctrines fo the Catholic Church.
Peace to you hon:)
Marie xoxooxox PS: I just grab a seat where I can;)
Ginny, I completely agree with you. Lil D has not made his Communion yet. He wants to go to a Priest or Deacon for a blessing. When he does make his Communion he will know as well as I do that it is all about Jesus and not about who is giving Jesus to him.
Marie, We are lucky that at our parish we have a wonderful priest and wonderful Deacons. We also have men and women who step up and help by being Eucharistic Ministers. We are defiantly fond of one in particular, my husband. :)
We do need more priests and so many prayers are needed for this vocation.
Thank you for the x's and o's your a sweetie. :)
Oh, I gotcha-That is cool that he wants a blessing. My boys walk up with me-but zoom right past without a pause b/c they are too shy. Seth will make his first communion next spring and I am nervous about it! Oh-and when it's time to offer a sign of peace-then I find myself saying over and over, "Peace be with you...sorry he's really shy" as people attempt to shake hands with Keats, who just won't do it.
God bless him! The movement of the Holy Spirit on his pure heart!
"Out of the mouth of babes...."
"And a child shall lead them all..."
The Priest alone is the Alter Christi with the +consecrated+ hands and for centuries, up to the last 40 years, the Church highlighted that as the early church fathers did.
There's much to read on this subject including how it HAS detracted from the Real Presence which was much more revered 40 years ago than today. A Priest must realize who he is supposed to be, he is supposed to be Christ to us...any humility there is misguided. He may recognize his own humanity but at the altar his duty is to become Christ for us, that's what he was consecrated to do and any diluting of his vocational duties to others, making it common, does not strengthen the priesthood, as we have seen. :(
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