A Combo Mass?

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We went away for the weekend and attended a Catholic Church unfamiliar to us. We were greeted at the door by a super-friendly Deacon who was opening up for confession.

He was wonderful. He stood and chatted about sports with our son and encouraged us to make his church our "home away from home." I couldn't miss what an authentic, natural, evangelizing spirit he had. He was so joyful and attentive, even though I knew he had things to do at that moment.  He never made us feel that we were delaying him.

Unfortunately, the Mass we attended felt quite the opposite of joyful.

It was celebrated quasi-Latin. Now my intention is NOT to denounce anyone's freedom to worship that way, but it seems this church was trying to combine two ways of worship.  It was a Mass struggling to find itself.

I say quasi-Latin, because the Priest's back was to the congregation, the Deacon lifted his chasuble during the consecration, there was a communion rail, and, oddly, this priest did a quick spin to formally, almost inauthentically, say peace to us. (I suppose that was a compromise he had to make. I'm not sure, but it sort of felt like it.)
 
We regretted that he did not greet people after Mass, which is always a nice, welcoming touch. Perhaps that was just his personal preference, I have no idea.
 
But, honestly, I'm not hear to complain, even though the only way to make my point is to sound like I am.
 
Here's my point:

I have been Catholic my entire life, and to attend a Mass where I felt like an outsider, observing an elite club, where only those "in the know" could participate or have even an inkling of what was going on, was a strange, sad experience.

Honestly, all I could think about later was how a newcomer would have experienced this. That's the sad part.

Our mission is to draw others to Christ. At Mass we joyfully encounter the living Christ, and everyone should walk away with THAT realization, Catholic or not, and be inspired to live and talk about Jesus!

Most Catholic Masses I attend welcome the stranger (as Christ did) and greet each other warmly (as the Apostles and the early disciples did.) Jesus himself focused on those who drew near to him. He showed them love.

If you ever encounter a Catholic Mass that leaves you wanting, please keep looking, because you will find different cultures even within  Catholic Churches.

But the one reason to attend, regardless of the culture, is the fact that Jesus is present in the Eucharist, and every Catholic Priest--notwithstanding their lack of personal charisma or practices--has God working through them to make that happen.

That is why Catholics stay Catholic (or at least they should!)  We look beyond, to the transcendent, and know that the Real Presence of Jesus is with us in every Mass.
 
Be sure to check out my latest conversation (video) with Deacon Art Miller about Emmett Till.  It's a good one!  You can find it HERE.

Janet Cassidy
janetcassidy.com
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https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/
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