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Monday 20 August 2007

And what have YOU done....?

We finished the Baptism Marathon yesterday, (eight or nine new little Christians! Welcome!) and through an unfortunate confluence, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was not only the setting for the family reunions of mostly unchurched persons that these sacraments always entail, but was also held, as Masses so often are, indoors, thus providing shelter from the threatening rain for those who were really only in the vicinity for the Back to (Catholic) School Picnic, and were just waiting for it to begin.
My impression at these events is that a surprising number of the (Catholic) students and their (Catholic) families, (Catholic) parents, are also essentially unchurched.
I don't know what can be done about it, I'm stymied.

And I just read that Dietrich von Hildebrand had over one hundred godchildren.

I am whole-heartedly in favor of this development (since VCII, I believe?) of the Sacrament of Baptism being held on a Sunday, as an affair of the entire community, not just the family (although even in the '90s, most of the Baptisms to which I've been invited were indeed essentially private affairs, on a Sunday afternoon.)
(And I admit, I think our practice of the Marathon is an unwarranted and unwise fabrication by the local community.)
But I am beginning to feel that what is good in principle has had unfortunate results in practice.

The larger, more public event does not contribute to "community" (especially since it is well know, and much complained about that the "connected" celebrate the sacrament as we did 40 years ago,) a feeling that each person, child and parent is an individual welcomed by and need by the community, but to more of a feeling that people are just pegs fitted into pre-existing slots.
The resentment does not go unspoken, people grouse to me (which is a whole 'nother topic -- I have lost count of how many times, on how many subjects I have been approached by a parishioner and have said, "I agree/disagree but it really isn't up to me, why don't you speak to M, D, or Fr K? come to a LitCom/Parish Council meeting?" and seen a look of horror on the face of the parishioner. What??!?#?!?#?$?? They seem afraid to talk to some of the Powers and Dominions in the Parish. Apparently I am approachable and they are not? I've never been though approachable before in my life, I'll have to do something about it.... ButIDigress.)
I have been told more than once, by young, involved people (that is important,) that "those people" appear, have their children baptized, and then disappear from parish life.
It may be counter-intuitive seems to me that "private" Baptisms impress more of importance and responsibility on the recipients (or rather, their proxies/parents,) than do the big community events.
I know that they are trying, through lay ministry, to have "peer mentors" as it were for Matrimony and other sacraments, hence the Baptism Ministry Team" and they may help, but meanwhile....
Baptisms, like Weddings are a commodity people shop around for , decide to purchase, and then have ownership of -- at least that is the mentality I am seeing from too, too many.

And Von Hildebrand had 1oo-some godchildren. Individuals and families he, himself, personally caused to be ,themselves, personally, closer to Christ.

I don't know what the answer to this is. Am I doing all I can? Patently not. What shall I do? Is the Legion the answer?

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