A cleric friend of mine reports in from the papal Mass in DC:
“I was distributing communion on the first level on the South Capitol side of the stadium. About 10 minutes into distributing communion, I start smelling burgers, popcorn, pizza, etc. I turn around and see that all the concession stands have raised their gates and were selling food! And people were in line! Now I didn’t have anybody come to me with a hot dog in their hand, but with length of these lines it was clear people were receiving communion and then going for a pizza.
The concession stands were open until right before Mass. Then they reopened during communion. I figure the stadium staff didn’t know any better and thought it was something akin to the 7th inning stretch. And why shouldn’t they? To non-Catholics, nothing seemed prayerful about the Mass. With the “Benedetto” chants erupting after his homily, and a failed attempt to begin a wave, the music, the disposition of the assembly…. Why wouldn’t they think “Oh, they’re taking a break, let’s sell some burgers.”
We can see now why some months ago Pope Benedict expressed his concern that our Lord did not intend these large Masses when he instituted the Eucharist…”
April 18, 2008 at 1:04 am
Please, holy father, ban these kinds of liturgies.
April 18, 2008 at 1:34 am
Wonder how many that received Communion were not Catholic? From various members of the War Department’s Methodist church I’ve heard our “closed table policy” really twists their panties. Some have even vowed they WOULD receive while attending Mass with a Catholic relative.
Just an idle thought.
April 18, 2008 at 1:34 am
Say it ain’t so!
April 18, 2008 at 1:36 am
God Bless Fr. Neuhaus(sp?) for his commentary.
April 18, 2008 at 1:38 am
Its A Outrage!
April 18, 2008 at 1:44 am
Don’t you see, they have stumbled upon the answers to all of our problems. In the future, womynpriests can hand out happy meals at mass and the meals can include a condom as the toy!
Then, they will come back to mass!
April 18, 2008 at 2:50 am
But other than the music and the hot dogs, how did you enjoy the Mass?
April 18, 2008 at 2:01 pm
WOW, when did Americans become such heathens?
April 18, 2008 at 3:47 pm
I was at the Mass and did not see anyone eating regular food during communion. Admittedly, my row was the first to go up from our section, so we were back at our seats, praying, when others may have been queuing up for hot dogs. I do understand why Benedict would stop doing these sorts of Masses, but i’m very glad that my 14yo daughter got to attend. She was in alt over being at a Papal Mass! without events of this size, most of us would never be this close to our holy Father–TV just isn’t the same.
–Sally
April 21, 2008 at 8:31 pm
That is too funny!
When I was at World Youth Day in 1993, they had McDonald’s CONTRACTED to feed the hundreds of thousands of people at the vigil at Cherry Creek State Park in Denver. They gave you tickets, and you could go up and grab your box lunch with a Big Mac, bottled water, apple, and chips.
It was a very spiritual trip that really strengthened my faith. But, I still have visions of kids like myself from all over the world scarfing down their Mickey D’s as JP2 was speaking.