For us, sometimes, Sunday is a day of stress. We are in a different city or town almost every week. We have to make two trips to get to the Church and that can take over an hour. Sometimes we walk. That can also take over an hour. It requires advance planning. Sometimes we are in places where we know in advance that things are weird, sometimes it's a surprise. Rarely, sadly, are we in a town or diocese where the Mass conforms to the GIRM! Three Sundays ago we were in Falls City, NE and the past two weeks we've been in York, NE. Usually in Nebraska we are in the far western part of the state in the Grand Island diocese. Both towns are in the Lincoln diocese. The parishes in both these towns seem to be robust and wonderful. No frills, no nylon net all over, no sand and sticks for Lent and real, wet, holy water in the holy water fonts! Joy!
(An aside: Could I tell you stories! But it's Lent and I'm giving up complaining for Holy Week. Let's just say this, the Tabernacle ought to be in the center of the Church because when a *presider* has his *chair* up there, well, maybe it's a little harder to remember exactly Who is the center of the Universe, the Source and Summit... In a "gathering space," that shows.)
So back to St Joseph's in York, NE. Simple purple cloth covering the statuary. Green plants. Boys on the altar. (Even though at our first parish in Alabama, my daughters served at Mass, I've come to understand that this is not ideal. My girls can't be priests - and frankly none of them has ever said they want to. And girl servers sometimes make boys reluctant to serve. 'Cause, ya know, for ten year old boys - girls have cooties! LOL) Lots of families with dads. No offense meant and no judgment of single parents, none at all, I have spent many a Mass without Bud there - mostly because of his work schedule. But if a family is intact, it is nice to see the dad at Mass with them. And sometimes one gets the distinct impression that men are missing because maybe the women have it all handled. You've seen it - bows everywhere, half a dozen women ministers of Holy Communion, a choir with several ladies and one or two men. And very few dads in the pews. Why should they show up? Women got it handled. I digress, again.
Mostly though, I just want to thank God for the pastor and associate priest at St Joseph in York for peace-filled, soul-renewing Masses. And for Bishop Bruskewitz for really being a Bishop in union with the Bishop of Rome. It is a relief and a renewal to be in a place where one can simply worship the Lord.
It would be nice to be here for Easter Vigil. But that doesn't seem likely.
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