Keep Out! by Dr Stuart Reiss
Recently I visited a 100-year-old lady patient of mine at her little flat above a fish and chips shop. When I let myself in with the key safe, I found her sitting propped up in an armchair, placed at …More
Recently I visited a 100-year-old lady patient of mine at her little flat above a fish and chips shop.
When I let myself in with the key safe, I found her sitting propped up in an armchair, placed at an angle by the window, from the corner of which she had a clear sight of the local Church’s steeple. She explained that she “keeps Jesus company, who is alone and locked up in there”. The usual tacky Catholic paraphernalia, including plastic Lourdes water bottles, and glow-in-the-dark rosary beads, confirmed that she really believed in Jesus’ presence in the tabernacle in the locked Church.
Locked up and alone, they both were. And both circumstances are heartbreaking for different reasons. Jesus is locked up and alone, mainly because the parish priest is too busy protecting church belongings, which would otherwise probably be vandalised, and because he has to ‘do so much’ else, that he’s never in Church.
Perhaps the laity can get organised like I proposed to a famous blogger priest once, …More
When I let myself in with the key safe, I found her sitting propped up in an armchair, placed at an angle by the window, from the corner of which she had a clear sight of the local Church’s steeple. She explained that she “keeps Jesus company, who is alone and locked up in there”. The usual tacky Catholic paraphernalia, including plastic Lourdes water bottles, and glow-in-the-dark rosary beads, confirmed that she really believed in Jesus’ presence in the tabernacle in the locked Church.
Locked up and alone, they both were. And both circumstances are heartbreaking for different reasons. Jesus is locked up and alone, mainly because the parish priest is too busy protecting church belongings, which would otherwise probably be vandalised, and because he has to ‘do so much’ else, that he’s never in Church.
Perhaps the laity can get organised like I proposed to a famous blogger priest once, …More
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BrTomFordeOFMCap
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I fear you may be a little hard on Parish Priests but I take your point. More could be done to make the Lord more available to people and keep churches open. (Ours is open all day, most days of the year, but then we are in Cork city centre.
About twenty years ago there was a movement around Ireland (where in general, outside the suburbs, churches are generally open all day) to have 24 hour Eucharistic …More
I fear you may be a little hard on Parish Priests but I take your point. More could be done to make the Lord more available to people and keep churches open. (Ours is open all day, most days of the year, but then we are in Cork city centre.
About twenty years ago there was a movement around Ireland (where in general, outside the suburbs, churches are generally open all day) to have 24 hour Eucharistic adoration. I don't know if it has continued but one of the problems that emerged was that people would volunteer and then drop away after a while.
Yet the grill idea might work. There was a grill fitted to the Honan Chapel, UCC, Cork but it's now in storage. The chapel is open every day (or it was under my successor there - I'm not sure what the new guy is doing) and a steady flow of visitors. A grilled area at the back of the church might allow visitors for prayer but provide acceptable security.
The problem for PPs and chancelries is insurance. If you have a building open you probably have to have someone there or you're not insured and, worse, one can be taken to the cleaners by the unscrupulous and end up paying through the nose. Depressing but that's life today.
About twenty years ago there was a movement around Ireland (where in general, outside the suburbs, churches are generally open all day) to have 24 hour Eucharistic adoration. I don't know if it has continued but one of the problems that emerged was that people would volunteer and then drop away after a while.
Yet the grill idea might work. There was a grill fitted to the Honan Chapel, UCC, Cork but it's now in storage. The chapel is open every day (or it was under my successor there - I'm not sure what the new guy is doing) and a steady flow of visitors. A grilled area at the back of the church might allow visitors for prayer but provide acceptable security.
The problem for PPs and chancelries is insurance. If you have a building open you probably have to have someone there or you're not insured and, worse, one can be taken to the cleaners by the unscrupulous and end up paying through the nose. Depressing but that's life today.
Jungerheld
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...just put your book suggestion on my birthday wish list, @Dr Stuart Reiss. Thanks for the idea!
Maurizio Muscas
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adeste fideles
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