I felt out of place. What?
I wonder if I should start a movement?
I think I better show up when the Pope arrives, just to let him know that I didn't feel welcome. I felt out of place. I didn't feel the mercy.
The homily was a fund raiser - sorta.
I know - you gotta do it.
I'm thinking new priests need a little time before becoming a pastor.
I know, I'm a bad man... inconsistent.
You never know where I'm coming from.
Oh! Oh!
Then a family sang a song for the Fall Festival at the end of Mass, and, and, and ...
I try to offer it up, but ...
I didn't feel welcome.
What?
Did you feel unwelcome because you don't have money to contribute? That was my life in church from age 9 through 17. In Miami we had constant "give us money" sermons, especially by the monsignor who eventually became the bishop. (I guess that's why he was made bishop.) He tried to make everyone who was not contributing feel like scum. I was a kid and had no money of my own. My parents weren't practicing Catholics though my mother accompanied me to Mass. I left the Church at 17. The money sermons weren't the reason, but they didn't help my religious formation. You'd be welcome in our parish, Terry.
ReplyDeleteHaha. No it wasn't that - my sister had the same experience you did though and still feels the same way.
DeleteI was just writing about 'feelings' - sometimes you just feel those things - it doesn't mean much.
The homily on tithing sounded kind of charismatic-protestant - it wasn't bad though. I think it's just an 'age' difference and 'tone'. None of it matters - it's just 'people' stuff. Mood. Fleeting emotions. I meant it kind of satirical. I was thinking of the single-mom bloggers who felt unrepresented at the Synod. And all strains of gay people who feel they don't fit in at their parish. Know what I mean? It's exhausting talking like that.
And I laugh.
I should add that the gif really expresses my attitude when I skim 'news portals' or 'blog portals' and the headlines. Again - just mood.
DeleteI should add that the gif really expresses my attitude when I skim 'news portals' or 'blog portals' and the headlines. Again - just mood.
DeleteI can't remember what the Gospel was or much of the homily but I do remember getting my envelope for the annual diocesan fund raising appeal. Thankfully Father did not spend much time preaching on the "Sermon of the AMount".
ReplyDeleteWhen the bishop first started the Appeal a few years ago (we didn't have one in the glory days of the diocese - they just kept selling land they had bought cheap in the old days to fund things) I remember one pastoral assistant (still living in 1971) saying something to the effect that the more we gave the more benefits God would bless us with. Hello? Watch Joel Osteen much?
"the more we gave the more benefits God would bless us with."
DeleteThat's exactly what this priest said.
"the more we gave the more benefits God would bless us with."
DeleteThat's exactly what this priest said.
His theology is a bit off isn't it? Wasn't it the widow who was all in with her two mites whose gift meant more to God than those giving a lot of money from their excess?
ReplyDeleteWhat ever happened to faithfully discerning a sacrificial gift? Is he fundraising for anything in particular or was he just saying, hey guys, we need to pay the electric bill? Remember you're getting an envelope each month of winter to help keep the heat on.
I feel like I'm at NET ministries sometimes.
Delete