Dance - and the cat gets it!



All I can say is that the Catholic world must be knee deep in dead kittens (sorry Mulier Fortis and other cat lovers). I also have a sneaking feeling that this picture was featured by Mac at some time (more apologies) but it is good enough to stand a second airing, hopefully.

Let me say here and now; I am not a cat lover but I condemn those who distort the liturgy resulting in all those kittens being.....enough!

Remember the 'ton-up' Vicar?

You know, back in the 60s when Vicars thought they were being trendy by being one of the boys, riding around on 500cc Motor bikes, dressing in leathers and meeting up with the gang in various cafes along the A1. Or, sometimes you would see them standing outside a pub on a summer evening, shooting the talk with fellow bikers and quaffing a daring half pint of shandy.

If the words Wincarnis, Complan and afternoon nap have some resonance with you, the chances are that you will recall these vicars who thought that they could be trendy and pull in a few souls to join their dwindling congregations by being part of the mob. I do not think that any of the vicars actually converted a Hell's Angel into a Heaven's Angel; it just does not work that way.
Familiarity, in this case, definitely breeds contempt.

Despite having this model of getting things wrong in front of them there are some in the Catholic Church who have gone the same way. Priests who believe that they will only be accepted by putting on a shell suit and trainers or, who get rid of their schola in favour of a bit of a rock 'n' rolla choir. Silly chaps! Don't they know that one of the reasons that people go to church is to escape the everyday and the banal?

There is a rather wonderful blog called The Little Way and today's post about a priest who ad libs at Mass is well worth reading.
It falls into the same category as the ton up vicar syndrome; bring sacred worship down to the lowest common denominator and you drive people away from the Faith - not difficult to comprehend is it?

Oh Joy! the Feast of the Ascension approaches and we have the promise of a circus Mass!

Yippeee! Or should that be *x*!@*! I rather think the latter. But this is not Menevia...much like a circus we may be; this is deepest France where the Cirque Pinder has a really jolly liturgical experience lined up for all those ermm......modernists?.... liberal Catholics?.....Pagans?.....

What words would you use to describe a circus Mass?
Vulgar, profane, shallow, sacrilegeous? They'll
do for a start!

Fr Phillipe Kloeckner from Clermont is planning a big top event on this wonderful feast.
This is from the promotional blurb......

This year, the clowns will lead the procession of offerings. The prayer "Our Father" is to be said with all holding hands in a moment of communion. That particularly excited Fr  P. Kloeckner. "Everyone recites in their own language," he noted, because many nationalities are represented. Another highlight bound to be popular is: the blessing of the animals, mainly tigers and elephants! (Would it be unchristian to pray for a hungry tiger? or, maybe, a weary elephant?)

The celebration, at the initiative of the Pastoral Realities of Tourism and Leisure, is a great opportunity for the local church to be "open to the real world." "It shows that the Church is interested in all" he concludes. In 2010, the circus had hosted 400 people. .....(Bucket please Nurse, and make it quick!)


I must say that it stretches credulity somewhat to think that this sort of debacle is still taking place 6 plus years into the reign of Pope Benedict XVI......does the Diocese of Rodez embrace Clermont Ferrand, I wonder?

H/T to Thoughts from an Oasis in French Catholicism for leading me down this path.