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Today’s Blog Post
The sound of a beautiful Choir spilled out into the plaza in front of the Cathedral. In fact it was the sound that drew us into the doors.
As I walked through the huge doors that stood open the vaulted ceiling drew my eyes upward… it seemed to go on forever… up and up and up! As I stared upwards the twinkling spot lights shown down on me.
At that moment the Choir’s voice was drowned out by the gigantic deep throated rumble of the organ. It seemed to be everywhere – totally enveloping us as we stood in the doorway. The fact was that the Choir and the Organ were directly above our heads, mounted just over the entrance doors about 50 feet up!
I have never seen a crowd this big before in church. There had to be well over 2000 – maybe even 3000 people in the room. It was way more than attends our local hockey arena which seats 2500.
In fact in terms of hockey, you could likely fit three hockey rink sheets of ice within the sanctuary floor and easily seat all of the 2500 around the edge.
This place was very big.
This is the main church building for the Cap de la Madeleine Shrine built close to the St. Lawrence River and not far from where the St. Maurice River empties into it. Or I should say it is the “Our Lady of the Cape Shrine”
The “Our Lady of the Cape Shrine” is now in Trois Rivieres, Quebec – but in the former Cap de la Madeleine community which is now amalgamated into the greater Trois Rivieres city.
On this particular day they were celebrating a mass with pilgrims from all over Quebec. Each group of women were carrying their home parish’s flag. The audience was perhaps 90% women.
Alida leaned over and said, “This is their Women’s Ministry Conference…” I grinned in response. In our Pentecostal world it is known as a “WM Conference” – where the ladies do a once a year’s retreat in a large way.
That statement alone has got to raise a few eyebrows as it is. A Pentecostal Minister and his wife sitting in one of the largest Mass for Catholic people – on a Sunday no less. What is this world coming to anyway? Has this Pentecostal lost his marbles? Or Charismatic Zeal?
Nope… still the same… but very impressed with what we had witnessed on that Sunday.
For one thing – the Pentecostals could learn from these people as they give their monetary gifts… lots of gifts… tons of gifts…
It took about 15 minutes to receive the offering – and it was very big! Just like the church!
The ushers numbered about 30 or more. They were all ladies dressed in a sharp uniform and were carrying offering bags attached to long poles. The poles were pushed into each pew by extending the pole to the giver. The cash offerings and envelopes were deposited in the bag as it past each pilgrim.
It was not long before the 12 inch deep bag was full and getting heavy for the usher to extend into the audience. That problem was solved by having an alternate/secondary usher with a much bigger bag where the already collected offerings were dumped while the two ushers stood in the middle of the aisle. And then his bag became very full with its treasure.
The ushers met at the back and then walked forward carrying the offering where it was received by the priest and blessed, placed on the communion table.
Impressive to say the least. I gave something too. I was blessed and responded that way.
The sense of something special was in the room. There was a deep spiritual awe in the place. Maybe it was the sanctuary, or the Organ, or the Choir, or all the people… but something was different about the place. This was a “God moment” (an hour actually) for me.
We were in this area over this particular weekend to celebrate the wedding of a close friend, Valerie.
At the wedding I met many of the folk, both friends and family members. A number had taken time to discuss their spiritual beliefs or lack of them. They were quite strong in opinions and were not the least bit hesitant to tell me that they had no belief in God whatsoever, openly detested the church and the way that it had dominated the lives of their family.
Being a minister in this crowd of friends and family was quite interesting to say the least. It was a bit like being a “dog” at a “cat convention”. Everyone knew you and what you represented, but stood their distance and warned you at the same time. I was there to “dog things” and not be a “cat”.
A minister in Quebec is not a revered or feared person any longer. With the hated past of the troubling church and interfering Priests, people had grown tired of this kind of domination.
One Catholic friend told me that each year his mother was expected to produce a child. If she was not pregnant within one year of the last baby, she would have visit from the parish Priest who would ask why she had chosen to SIN in this way. She was expected to be pregnant all the time.
This friend came from a family of 14 children plus mom and dad. It was very difficult to find enough money to make do… while church expected more and more full bags each Sunday. It was a bad time to grow up under that domination.
It was good to feel the contrasts this past weekend. From the hatred and solid commitments some have made to be vowed atheists to others that are so very deeply committed to their faith.
Come to think of it… at recent Pentecostal Funeral where a “Dear Saint” had passed on… the kids and grandkids had all come to say good bye to the Dear Saint. The startling fact was that not one of the offspring of the Dear Saint would have anything to do with Church, God, or Religion of any sort. The kids of the Dear Saint were totally turned off by the events of the Pentecostal Church, and the parents (and their friends) – and had abandoned any of it and all of it!
As I reflected in the large Cathedral last Sunday I was deeply moved. I have spent a life time of doing the “priest’s” work… standing in front of people that you have no idea about… no information where they come from or are going… and sometimes – no way to ever show that you care.
I felt for this priest and what he must be doing today. Who are his friends?
Oh boy.
I needed that Mass to put things into focus again. Why do I do what I do? Why should I give a hoot about the priest and the pilgrims? Oh Boy – lots to think about!
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Source:
http://www.sanctuaire-ndc.ca/sndc01/index.php?Itemid=152
http://www.sanctuaire-ndc.ca/sndc01/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=99&Itemid=247
Here I am standing in the Plaza out front
The congregation standing...now look way, way, way up...
Taking up the Offering...
Lining up to bring offering to the front
The Altar area
The Old and Original Church
Just $5.00 a Prayer
1 comment:
Seems like a strange system that Jesus died to create.
We do love our buildings even though,"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. Acts 17:24
But why quibble over something that we obviously love, even if God doesn't.
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