My daughter’s first communion was yesterday. Unlike Patrick’s tale of woe, it was a fully reverential and moving affair. All the children bowed low before the Eucharist. And after receiving the Eucharist my daughter didn’t even make eye contact with us even though we were seated nearby. She was solemn and prayerful. I was very proud.
She read the Prayer of the Faithful beautifully and when I asked her afterwards if she’d been nervous she looked at me like I was crazy. (Just the way her mother does)
But one odd and funny thing happened I wanted to share. Actually two. When we came in to Church we noticed two birds flying around the altar. They were attracted to the altar, I think, because of the flowers. (I don’t think they were Catholic as they didn’t genuflect but that doesn’t mean anything anymore) But they were swishing and zooming around our Pastor’s head.
Now mind you, the church was a heck of a lot more packed than is typical for our parish and I know this greatly upsets the priests at my parish because they bend over backwards trying to do anything and everything to get people to come to Mass regularly. But our Pastor at the beginning of Mass said he tried all night to get the birds out, including turning all the lights off and leaving the front doors wide open, running, chasing, and screaming after them, and making crow noises into the microphone system. I half think the birds stayed just to see what he would do next.
So our Pastor concluded we would just have to ignore them. And then he said a thought just struck him. “I know what I’ll do,” he said. “I’ll baptize them so that way they’ll only come to Church twice a year at Christmas and Easter.”
Some people laughed. Many didn’t.
But overall it was a great, beautiful and prayerful day.
April 28, 2008 at 3:54 am
From the I Kid You Not files: Easter Sunday at a Presbyterian church in a town known for its bison and buffalo ranching, Jamestown, North Dakota, 100 miles west of Fargo on I94. Anyway. The minister has a 3-ft stuffed buffalo up front with rabbit ears strapped on it for the children’s sermon. “Kids, do know what this is?” “It’s a bunny rabbit!!!!” “No, it’s a buffalo pretending to be a bunny rabbit, just like some people pretend to be Christians by coming to church twice a year…”
Don’t forget to tip your usher on the way out…
April 28, 2008 at 11:56 am
Excellent!! A fine and charitable way for the pastor to remind the parishoners of their Sunday Obligation.
April 28, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Best wishes to your dear daughter and many, many more Holy Communions!
April 28, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Congratulations to your daughter and God bless your family!
I knew a priest who used to look up as if in surprise at all the “new faces,” and then grin and remind everyone, “We do this every week, folks…!”
April 28, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Don’t you think it’s a little wrong for the priest to use the children’s first holy communion to make a point?
I mean, let the children have their day.
April 28, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Anon–I’m glad that priest said something, because I’d be willing to bet money that more than half those kids won’t be back next week or the week after or maybe not until Christmas.
It isn’t just a ceremony, it’s a sacrament.
April 29, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Anon, yes, it probably was a smidge toward the crude side but it was likely the only time many of those who didn’t laugh would have the chance to hear it. Maybe, just maybe, a few of them took it to heart and will start coming back. More likely their kids got the hint and will start pestering them in the loving way that only kids can.