We have heard occasionally, we think, the click of some kind of counter as we receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which is perfectly sensible and practical . Moreover, it permits the introduction of a statistical element into the spiritual life of our parishes.
We have been accused, by the way, of being a single-issue blog , this being apparently A Bad Thing. But since our issue is that of highlighting the words of Christ at the Last Supper, we can live with that. And die with it. We don’t care. So there.
But back to business. Sorry, we may also be accused of being anecdotal. But since those pesky Gospels could also be accused of that, we don’t care either. So there -again.
Back to business this time. We have noticed , in our anecdotal single-issue way, that at Communion time almost the entire congregation goes to receive the Body and Blood of Christ . We have also noticed how few people go to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We have also read that this may be particularly obvious in Britain, and we’re being definitely anecdotal here, but we also notice that at family functions, especially Baptisms and even First Communions, the presence of some unlikely to receive a prize for regular Mass going receive Communion , and many of them are young. We know it’s none of our business, but wonder why.
Do they find it difficult to confess to a considerably discredited group who may be found to be paedophiles later ?(We know the feeling here.)
Do they feel that these old men who so betrayed their parents and grandparents are just embarrassing nowadays, and can still be found , despite everything, still being so on the front pages of Scotland’s newspapers ?
Do they feel that these old men don’t seem to want to help carry out Christ’s Eucharistic imperative , as the Pope has suggested, in a world where Islam is rampant and China is suffering spiritual hunger and that they are now really irrelevant ?
Are the young baffled as to why they cannot receive General AbsoIution , again knocked back by the Bishops of England and Wales some weeks ago ?
Ask the question: What about the image of the priesthood? We suggest two possible responses: LOL, as our young texters would say , and ‘who cares?’
And by the way, no member of Feed The Flock is under 80 years old.