Growing Up in a Catholic Parish

I was baptised in 1937 into theCommunity of St Columba, Maryhill, Glasgow. Of course in those days we used the word parish but I am not sure that changing words actually changes reality. In those days where people lived was pretty static so it was the Church my Father had attended and his Father, my mother and his mother. I immediately knew it was somewhere quite special because when I entered before or after Mass or when there was no liturgy, the place was silent. It was explained to me that in that tent like object altar was the real presence of Jesus in the host and we should not disturb the people who were praying to Him. Sometimes I was taken from school to the Church to pray to and later adore Jesus in the host now displayed on the altar where it was surrounded by candles not only on the altar but in the sanctuary itself. It was an awesome sight for young people. To believe in the Real Presence presented no difficulty it was just something we grew up with. Then there was the Sunday Mass. 10am Mass was the childrens` Mass. Yes, it was in Latin but the children were at the front and a schoolteacher was present to tell us what the priest was doing and saying. We leaned to recite, `Lord, have mercy` ` and Holy, holy, holy...., Lord I am not worthy.... In fact we took part in a dialogue Mass. Families took pride in giving their children little booklets and Missals so that they would know what the priest was saying. So we grew up knowing what the Mass was and what the priest was doing and saying. The unfaithful Catholics have all sorts of stories to tell about private prayers, saying the Rosary during Mass, and although there well could have been the odd person doing this I can say that my Parish priest spoke out against such things. At the end of Mass the priest would kneel at the foot of the altar and recite the prayers for the Queen and ask the assistance of St Michael the Archangel. Again there is a great confusion here. Yes,at this stage many did leave as the priest began to pray, but it was not at any other part of the Mass, and the minority who practiced this usually positioned themselves at the back of the Church. There were processions from time to time of the Blessed Sacrament and in May processions in honour of Our Lady. Again the unfaithful Catholics have called such things triumphalist which is rich coming from those who claim to seek a non-judgemental Church. There were Confessions on a Friday evening and Saturday morning. Many people attended these but not because they were bowed down with guilt. They sought holiness in everything and especially in receiving the Body of Jesus. So whatever they did in a religious way they did perfectly. For those who never got back to receiving there were parish retreats. Two priests from an order such as the Redemptorists would arrive I the parish on the Sunday. They would give a short talk about what they would be doing. There was always speculation about which of them would give the hell fire sermon. Yes one evening was reserved for the Devil and His Angels and it was always the one everyone would attend. But again as with everything Catholic there was too many positives. Jesus, the Sacred Hearty, the Saits, etc. I just cannot believe the lies I have heard from unfaithful Catholics and as for any Parish Retreat I have been on, well with prejudice about the past the priest and helpers just did their best. But what about the most despicable lie of them all. The claim that Catholics believed they were the only ones going to heaven. I know there are people outside the Church who claim this but the truth is that in the post-reformation era many leaders in the Church had been looking at this question. I had many discussions with my Protestant friends on this explaining the Catholic teaching on Baptism of Desire. Strangely enough they believed Catholics were going to Hell because they did not read the Bible. It was easy to explain this was wrong by showing them my Catholic Bible, however not so easy is it to explain that the Catholic reformers are the ones who lie about this. But this will require another post. I t . priesyt