I'm feeling rather aggrieved at the moment. I have had to abandon the Monsignori to the tender care of my next-door neighbour (fortunately, she really likes cats) while I scoot over to Eastbourne in order to look after my parents' two yorkshire terriers and cat.
I don't really dislike dogs. I just prefer dogs to be proper dogs... and not, as a friend described them, a pair of slippers. Yappy slippers. The cat, on the other hand, is really cute.
To add insult to injury, I had to grit my teeth when I noticed Eucharistic Ministers purifying chalices at Mass. Apparently this is a very common liturgical abuse in Arundel & Brighton diocese.
It has highlighted how very, very fortunate I am to be a parishioner in Blackfen!
I do hope that the Monsignori will have forgiven me by the time I get back home on Friday. I might have to invest in some smoked salmon by way of apology...
6 comments:
Of the four parishes I know in A'n'B, Eucharistic Ministers routinely purify the sacred vessels in three of them while the priest just sits back. It's rather off-putting to see the EMs swigging back the residue of the Blood and to recall that they have all been shaking hands with other parishioners at the sign of peace. At least one will have shared in distributing the Host (quite unnecessarily).
The purification seems to me to be such a solemn moment in the Mass that I can't imagine why a priest would not want to reserve it for himself.
I too found it a common practice during my exile in A&B, as well as the excessive use of Extraordinary|Ministers of the Eucharist. More power to the elbow of our parish priest in Nottingham diocese, who inherited the same situation but now limits the purification to himself and the Deacon.
The parishioners of Blackfen are indeed very blessed.
"Deo gratias for OLOTR Blackfen" is a wonderful silver lining for the liturgical nonsense one encounters on one's travels...
As bad as things might be elsewhere, it's good to be reminded that there's no place like home :-)
Though an A&B priest, I do the purification myself.
Thank you Father - I'm sure you're not the only faithful priest in A&B (and I'm sure that abuses happen in other dioceses too!)
I just wish there were more priests like you who treat the Liturgy (and the Blessed Sacrament) with respect!
A&B practice is also common in the next-door diocese of Portsmouth.
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