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"Monday is Father's day off." Father doesn't say Mass on Mondays. But why not?
It's an innocent enquiry, a genuine question, which nevertheless may raise clerical hackles.
But it seems to me that priests should have a day off on the day the Devil has a day off.
Fathers of families don't have days off from being fathers. Mothers don't have days off from being mothers, any more than they have days off from being wives, and husbands don't have days off from being husbands. Fathers and mothers are fathers and mothers full-time. Period. So should priests be Fathers full-time - and full-time Spouses of their Bride, the Church.
And before you go, oh but priests are different or, they need time off or they'll 'burn out', reflect that yes they are certainly different, but they differ by being divinely called to become divine - as we all are - but they become divine chiefly by celebrating Holy Mass and the Sacraments, just as we become divinised chiefly by attending Mass and receiving the Sacraments.
A lay person who belongs to a third order like the Carmelites, Dominicans or Benedictines commits to a life of prayer which includes daily Mass (Dominicans and Benedictines, correct me if I'm wrong) but certainly the Discalced Carmelites commit to daily Mass along with the Divine Office, meditation and spiritual reading. I know because for seven years I was a Discalced Lay Carmelite in-the-making, until one week before my Final Profession I received a Dear John letter - and started all over again with the original Order, of Our Lady of Mt Carmel.
This is not an argument against priests having time off. They absolutely must have time off, just as fathers of families must, for their mental and spiritual health. But what causes priests to 'burn out' is not a lot of hard work, but not enough prayer time, of which daily Mass is the supremely important feature (followed closely by daily meditation/contemplation).
But I'm getting side-tracked, as is my wont. I'm spurred to write this by St John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church, whose feast we celebrate today. And what lay Carmelite worth her salt, of either the Discalced or O Carm variety, would not celebrate the Feast of that exemplar of Carmelites by attending Holy Mass?
But I had to be in Palmerston North today, and in Palmerston North there is only one Mass on a Monday, at St Mary's at 9 a m.
Palmy is an hour and a half's drive from here, and like all mothers and wives I had the duties of my state in life to attend to (not to mention the Divine Office) before going to Mass. So first I drove 20 minutes in the opposite direction, to St Patrick's Waipawa, where the parish priest, in his eighties, did not take this Monday off, as he never does take a Monday off. Till recently he celebrated Mass every day, cancelling Tuesday evening's Mass only because it was attended by a congregation of one.
The Cathedral of the Holy Spirit where there are two priests, no bishop and no Mass on Mondays
It is beyond belief that the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit does not offer Mass on Mondays.
There are two priests at the cathedral - Fr Joe Grayland and Monsignor David Bell. Fr Grayland is very innovative; Monsignor Bell believes in saying Mass as quickly as possible.
There should also be a bishop, of course, seated metaphorically in the cathedra for which the church building is named, but the bishop left long ago, under a cloud as they say. It is the Pope's task to appoint bishops - his most important task, according to Bishop Athanasius Schneider who knows a thing or two - but the Pope has been busy.
Among other things, the Pope has cancelled the public Christmas Masses at St Peter's Basilica.
Also he has authorised the installation of the traditional St Peter's Nativity Scene which this year is anything but traditional.
In fact one could go so far as to say it's a good thing public Mass at St Peter's is cancelled because there will be fewer of the faithful to be stunned, perplexed, dismayed or downright horrified at the Vatican's idea of what the Blessed Virgin Mary, St Joseph and the Christ Child should look like:
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| St Joseph and Our Lady flanking an angel (apparently) with a rather precocious Baby Jesus |
There I go again, getting side-tracked. But I thought these pix, of the more than life-sized figures which are fairly described by some as blasphemous, might induce you to get your own Nativity sets out pronto, and pray to them for the Holy Father and the Church.
Two of the 3 Wise Men, perhaps? Your guess is as good as mine
I had been assured by a friend that there was no Mass on Monday at the cathedral, and that "it's been like that for years". There was a Communion Service, lay-led of course (feminists of the Church, please note spelling: if you must be lay-led be that, and not 'lay-lead'). I preferred to add another 40 minutes to my journey to Palmy.
Did St John of the Cross take Mondays off? Did St John Vianney? Did Jesus Christ?
Monday is known as golf day, apparently.
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