A commenter linked to this Methodist church website which has got to have the most ridiculous logo I have ever seen. A clown with arms outstretched in a fructified position is just too silly. I wonder if they require their congregation to have a circuscision prior to becoming members?
We are a welcoming all-inclusive congregation that….
Now even being inclusive is not enough it has to be all-inclusive. There is a liturgical dance group, Shehkinah (“The feminine face of God”) Spiral women’s discussion group, and the Busy Bees who make the "famous Clown Dolls." Of course as Catholics we can’t laugh too hard because at least their pastor is not dressed in a clown suit. Though happily clown Masses seem to be on the downswing.
It does remind me of what I call Tharp’s law. Fr. Shane Tharp from Catholic Ragemonkey left this in another post.
"For every one good Jesuit you encounter there are at least two celebrating a Clown Mass somewhere."
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Could be worse… could be mimes.”Look, he’s doing Christ in a strong wind.” ahhhhh!
No kidding! Your’s and Fr. Tharp’s “Clown Mass” has dislodged a repressed memory of mine from the 70’s where we had folks in clown make-up tricycling up the aisle for the processiona. The “look at me!” crowd is still at it… and yet, they still fill me with ennui.
What? You mean they don’t have Clown Masses were you are? If the “presider” isn’t in full makeup and costume, is the Mass even valid? Our pastor, Fr. Bojangles, is a bit pre-Vatican II, though: he insists on wearing the maniple on his polka-dotted arm. Sometimes he even says the Eucharistic Prayer in Latin (though I think it’s actually pig Latin). :-}
One of the most liberal Catholic parishes in our very liberal diocese invited members of other (liberal) denominations to take part in their Good Friday celebration: the Way of the Cross in the Company of Clowns. It’s all-inclusive; anyone silly enough to participate can join the Company.
You should have seen the Freak Show I got this Sunday when I went to visit my mother. Priest was out of town, didn’t get a deason or priest to fill in for him, so on Mothers’ Day / Ascension Sunday we had a woman all dressed in white robes lead us all in what she called a “Communion Celebration”. She read the gospel, gave a homily, and when she held the Host up and said “this is the Lamb of God” over the chalic, I almost SCREAMED. I’m not even joking here. My family and I ended up going to mass later on that evening at another Catholic Church, even though “Millie” told the congregation that her service fulfilled our Sunday obligation. What a crock…….
Karen,
Can we atleast hope that they had more than wheat and water in the eucharist? The effect being that it was not our Lord.
*gasp* Lucy, I needed smelling salts after that testimony. These gals really need to get out of the way of themselves or open their own “The Greater Glory of Me” church.
I’m going to sue them for copyright infingement. That logo looks strikingly familiar to one of my children’s works that adorn my refrigerator. 😉
Theresa, your comment of “The Greater Glory of Me” church might be true, but I really don’t think this woman had a clue, nor did anyone else there. That’s what was so sad about this. If there was someone who knew this was wrong they didn’t say a word or get up and leave, because I watched. I’m kicking my self for not standing up and saying it was wrong, but because my parents were sitting there I was totally torn. If I had it to do over again, I would have said, I can not sit through this in good conscience or allow my children to sit throught this debauchery, and then have left. But, as it is was I sat throught the horror show. I’m still fuming.
Lucy, I can defenitely identify with that (especially with family around you) and knowing when you directly address them they often lash out. One of the things I learned to do is come to them one-on-one quietly, away from others to respect their diginity (much of this is borne from an anger and hatred towards men). I start off the conversation by saying like, “I’m confused by something…” (because it’s true!). EX: A choir member wanted to change the words from “…and peace to His people on earth…” to “…and peace to God’s people” to be more gender friendly. After choir practice I went to her without anyone else around and said, “Can you help me understand? When you said that in practice, all that went through my mind was ‘are we serving God here or people’ in your suggestion to change the Gloria.” I’m not sure I changed her heart, but we were respecful with one another and I gave her something to think about. At the very least she knows exactly where I stand. And you know what, that’s good Lucy.