I did something today that I have never done before. I attended a Catholic Mass. I was at work so I had the added benefit of being paid to be there. The nursing home was honoured with a visit from the Bishop (or l’Eveque) who celebrated the ‘messe’ and shared communion with all the residents and staff who wished to participate. There was great anticipation among the faithful, with invitations going out to all the relatives who may want to come. Yesterday I spent with the residents, picking spring flowers from the gardens and arranging them in vases and practising with them the song that they would ‘perform’ during the service. (Trouver dans ma vie ta presence) My little Choeur (choir) sang beautifully and did me proud but you wouldn’t believe the feat of organisation required just for an hours service. Arranging the hall so that each resident’s individual needs could be catered for. Mme X who wanted to be close to the toilet ‘en cas ou’ Mr Y whose wheelchair was too long for the space provided, Mme Z who was prone to wandering and needed careful positioning so as not to disrupt the proceedings…
But when all was said and done, it turned out to be a joyful and unspoilt event with the sunshine flooding through the windows and no sudden ‘emergencies’. As this was uncharted territory I was a little out of my depths during service but I was able to join in with the Lord’s prayer and the Amens, so I didn’t feel like too much of a heathen. But the loveliest thing of all was seeing my residents, some of whom can barely string a coherent sentence together normally, joining in, faultlessly repeating their liturgy. But not only that, looking at ease and at peace.
As I reflected afterwards I realised that as with music or scents of childhood, the communal response to the sacred seems to have a place beyond the conscious and cognitive parts of our being. Long lost memories are triggered and for a brief moment in time, people with even the most profound disabilities are communicating, coherently and in union. Maybe not directly to each other but to God. Perhaps simply that sense of ‘togetherness’ with a common aim of worship is enough though. These old residents are of the generation where faith was revered or at least observed.
I wonder what my generation will do communally when we get to that stage?
“I wonder what my generation will do communally when we get to that stage?”
The way its going Nothing. Or they become God botherers taking things to the extream.
It has become the ‘me’ society. How do I look, I want to be a celeb and all that guff. They miss out on so much. I put it down to leftie education and family breakdown and the loss of the work ethic. So many want something for nothing, but there is always a price to pay as we can see.
In the move for equality so many woman have turned their back on the wonderful role that only a woman can do in their fulcrum of family life.
I believe it is women that hold the key to our future.
You want to be careful, you know, attending Catholic masses. You’ll be feeling guilty about something soon
I’m not a devout Christian and I rarely go to church but I understand the sense of togetherness it brings. I’ve often visited churches in other countries and was most struck by the importance of the church recently when visiting a tiny island in the Grenadines. On a Sunday morning, the church was absolutely packed out – the people here on this island were poor but everyone was wearing their Sunday best, proud to me there and to be part of the community. It was beautiful to see, a community coming together despite poverty – even the children were gorgeous and so well behaved. I haven’t seen such well behaved children for a very long time!
For the youngsters in the Beaujolais, I am sure that they will be sharing their ‘conscrits’ until ripe old age
Strange how I came over your writing exactly these days. I have been feeling the need for attending a church mass and I am somehow contemplating this idea and at the same time fight with it … It’s been long since I last atended one. I am Roman Catholic but I am not a practitioner and I rather indulge in the ideatic and cultural part of Christianity ( of any denomination). I feel like I am missing it a lot at the moment but I also know it can be very boring. Which part will prevail ?!