We have a new Pope!

[mockingbird]

I don't think I've ever heard an anti-gay homily, actually the only time that came up was when there was a letter, I think? from some governing body within the church (I don't remember if it was something in the US or if it was from the Vatican) about how Catholic parents need to love their gay children. We had a homily that mentioned that but it was just in the form of loving and accepting everyone/not judging. The priests I've heard bring up technology and sometimes modern music, but that's more of just trying to make their message relevant.

This is the snack I had before lunch... our local cupcake store was giving them away in exchange for St. Vincent de Paul donations. It was wedding cake and tasted awesome, by the way ;)

[louisa05]

Honestly, and in fairness I don't go to mass often. But I've never heard a homily on gays, abortion or anything controversial. It's usually something nicey nice and geared towards the kids.

I go every week. I've heard one ranting homily about abortion in my whole life. The only other political homily I ever heard was a very solid lecture about why the exceedingly ridiculous anti-immigrant city ordinance being voted on that week in the town was unwelcoming, unChristian and discriminatory. Usually the homily is in some way connected to the gospel reading and how we can live it out in our own time.

ETA: I'm in the U.S. In a very conservative state. And I went to Catholic school in the most conservative diocese in the U.S and never heard homilies like that there, either.

[GolightlyGrrl]

Catholic Churches are so fancy & quiet. When I was 21 I almost converted because I found out mass is only a hour. I grew up Baptist and they will seriously hold you hostage in church for almost 3 hours. :roll:

I can recall a comedian talking about how a Baptist acquaintance of hers was giving her shit for being Catholic. The comedian countered her with, "Well, at least we aren't in church ALL DAY!"

[Californiacicle]

Honestly, and in fairness I don't go to mass often. But I've never heard a homily on gays, abortion or anything controversial. It's usually something nicey nice and geared towards the kids.

Neither have I and I used to go every Sunday.

ETA: I lived in California for 37 years.

[divadivine]

Whenever I get stuck going to Mass with my very Catholic in-laws, I'm always shocked by how short the homily is. It usually clocks in under 10 minutes, most of which is usually ranting about some combination of atheism, Barack Obama, abortion, and/or teh gayz. Coming from a Unitarian Universalist church where most of the service is made up of a very cerebral, very liberal 25-minute-plus sermon, it's always a shock to my system. (I know that's still nothing on a good hour-long Pissing Preacher sermon-slash-complete-emotional-breakdown, but still.)

Depending on the priest and if there are any baptisms or other special things going on during the Mass the homily can be 7-10 minutes long. I think 15 minutes would be on the very, very high side. That would be something you could expect during a "State of the Parish" homily or during Catholic Schools week. Our parish is really large- the church seats 700 people and during a regular 9 a.m. Mass it's about 85% full and it takes quite awhile to get everyone through the communion line. Our priests take this into account when they are write their homilies.

I've never heard any homily like you've mentioned. EVER. Our priest did use a reference to Scarface during Good Friday last year, but it totally made sense and it was hilarious to hear him give the homily in Spanish after he gave it in English. I couldn't sit through any 25 minute homily. That is why I convert years ago because I was raised Baptist. I actually stopped going to Baptist church because I really disliked being yelled at during church and being told I was going to hell. I've never felt like that at Mass.

[darkplumaged]

These look so damned delicious... Can't get em here.

They are good, but my favorite are chocolate-cake glazed from Dunkin' Donuts (which I'm guessing you don't have in Ireland, either).

[SoybeanQueen]

I hope his jesuit-ness turns out to be a good thing. I'm not Catholic, so I don't have a personal reason to care who is pope. I was, however, really disappointed to see him quoted as thinking that adoption by gay couples was a form of discrimination against children. He followed that up with something about how not being raised in a traditional man, wife, kid family damages the kid's human development. Not a very loving thing to say.

[Arete]

Neither have I and I used to go every Sunday.

ETA: I lived in California for 37 years.

I went to Catholic Mass at least twice a month in college since there was not a close Orthodox Church. Now I go to Catholic Mass a few times a year when childhood friends of mine are in town from across the country and in one case the Atlantic Ocean. I have NEVER heard an anti-Obama, the gays are destroying society, abortion, the submission of women to her headship homily. I am in the US Northeast. Most Catholics I know here vote straight down the Democratic Party line. That shit just would not fly.

[mockingbird]

The best homily-giver I have ever had was the priest at the church I went to in Glasgow. It was a small church and I swear he timed his homilies to be exactly 5 minutes every time (though I wouldn't call it a drive-through church because they had lots of music). I liked him because he always had a very clear and interesting "hook" that related back to lesson he wanted to give from the readings. I still remember a homily he gave on checking your privilege, but he compared it to the "mind the gap" thing at train stations. Basically, he wanted us to "mind the gap" of disparity in the world. There is always someone on the other end of the "gap" (you are not the worst off nor the best; never assume things about other people) and if you can keep that in mind and be humble then you will be enabled to serve/help others. It was very quick, but he got the message across - almost like a parable. In general, I envy people who can easily be concise. I am not!

[caitiedid313]

I have to say I'm excited about the election of Pope Francis.

But then again, it's for largely selfish reasons: 1) he was elected on my 25th birthday and 2) it is depressingly rare to hear any neutral let alone positive news relating to Catholicism.

That being said, I'm looking forward to seeing his policies in action considering his somewhat unique blend of very conservative background, comparatively forward thinking views with regard to contraception, and his nontraditional name choice.

Since he is bucking tradition by choosing a previously unused name, I can't help but wonder when a cardinal decides what his papal name would be. I've got this visual of all of the cardinals playing MASH and having their papal names all picked out, much like sixth grade girls do with their future baby names.

[Nothing2CHere]

Since he is bucking tradition by choosing a previously unused name, I can't help but wonder when a cardinal decides what his papal name would be. I've got this visual of all of the cardinals playing MASH and having their papal names all picked out, much like sixth grade girls do with their future baby names.

Hee, I love this visual! :mrgreen:

[Savoring Samsara]

I went to Catholic Mass at least twice a month in college since there was not a close Orthodox Church. Now I go to Catholic Mass a few times a year when childhood friends of mine are in town from across the country and in one case the Atlantic Ocean. I have NEVER heard an anti-Obama, the gays are destroying society, abortion, the submission of women to her headship homily. I am in the US Northeast. Most Catholics I know here vote straight down the Democratic Party line. That shit just would not fly.

Oh yeah, submission of women - I've heard that one too, a few times. Because of the way the Catholic liturgy and my typical visits to my in-laws line up, one of the Masses I usually end up attending has Paul's "Wives, submit to your husbands..." BS as one of the readings. Always a pleasure (sarcasm) to see what the priests will have to say about that one. While it has never been as awful as the things we see fundies say around here, there is usually at least one place in those homilies where my husband and I have to surreptitiously :roll: at each other. :lol: Again, apparently I am just insanely unlucky in having been to all of the most conservative parishes EVAR. (For the record, I have heard non-offensive and well delivered Catholic homilies too - I think the terrible ones just stand out more in my mind.)

[Cran]

I can hardly believe that yu end up hearing the same reading over and over. For Sunday masses, the Catholic Church has a three year cycle (A, B, C) with different readings for each Sunday and a two year cycle for weekdays (1,2). While some texts repeat I find it highly unlikely they repeat that often.

A priest is not allowed to pick and chose the parts of the bible he's going to read.

[Mellanya]

Oh my. I personally thought he looked very sympathetic and humble when he came out onto that balcony. His speech was nice and he made a good first impression on me.

I do not like that they picked somebody that old yet again, but on the other hand age shouldn't be the most important factor here.

As for his previous history: Yeah, it sucks and all, but that's over and who knows, people change. In this sense, I try to forget both the military issue as well as the fact that he is a jesuite for now, and we'll see how he does during the next few weeks. I think that will provide a better base for judgement.

Who knows... you know... he might still talk some serious crap despite being a jesuite. Or he might actually do something useful. We'll see.

Oh, one last thing: I was hoping they'd pick a non-euro. Simply because it's about time.

[Savoring Samsara]

I can hardly believe that yu end up hearing the same reading over and over. For Sunday masses, the Catholic Church has a three year cycle (A, B, C) with different readings for each Sunday and a two year cycle for weekdays (1,2). While some texts repeat I find it highly unlikely they repeat that often.

A priest is not allowed to pick and chose the parts of the bible he's going to read.

Oops, I should clarify: I always visit my in-laws over New Year's and so end up attending the first Sunday mass after Christmas. The reading in question in the second (New Testament) reading for one of those Sundays on the cycle. Thus, every three years, I get to hear a homily incorporating that topic. That's what I meant, not that ROGUE MISOGYNIST PRIESTS are preaching on their favorite passage out of sequence. ;) Sorry to cause confusion.

[Cran]

The first Sunday mass after Christmas: Feast of the Holy Family.

Either Kol 3 or Hebr 11, as far as Pauline texts go.

The real misogynistic star of the Christmas week is Titus 2, which is read during the celebration of Holy Night every year (if it is not left out), but only the verses 11-14 are to be read, and they do not contain the infamous submission-stuff, so I still wonder how you get to hear such readings.

Snark works better with knowledge.

[Savoring Samsara]

Perhaps it is not that exact Sunday, then. It's a Sunday around that time though, and I've definitely heard multiple sermons preached on the topic in the weeks following Christmas.

(Edit: Struck that through because now I'm not sure if I'm remembering the dates correctly. This is actually really bothering me now. The passage in question is from Ephesians 5. I know I heard at least two homilies about it at my in-laws' church, but it may have been at a different time of year. When in the liturgical year does that passage usually show up? Human memory is...problematic, and conflates things. I'm sorry I spoke with such certainty about something it seems likely I misremembered.)

Anyway, I'm not trying to snark on all homilies ever given in all of Catholicism ever here - only sharing a personal experience. I know that not all Masses have homilies like this, and that not all Catholics agree with the views I heard expressed. You can choose not to believe that I experienced what I did, if you like, but I know what I heard. I've been to a lot of Masses, and I've heard a lot of homilies I found objectionable. I have also heard a lot that were not objectionable in any way. But of course when the topic is fundamentalism I'll bring up the ones that expressed fundie views. That's all.

[Cran]

I rather think you make things up, because the further along the discussions get, the more you're vague you get. Oh it's always a homily there. No, only every third year there on this Sunday. Oh, it might not be that Sunday after all... and that's not a way i like to snark, so I'll criticize it when I come across it.

no doubt, many texts and homilies are a disgrace, so there's no need to make things up, thinking it "fits". Even the other readings that are taken from Paul's letters during Christmas time up until 6.1 (Gal 4 and Eph 1 and 4) are perfectly innocent in this regard.

[Savoring Samsara]

See my edit above. I see that the readings for Holy Family Sunday are as you've described them, so it seems very likely that I heard sermons preached from Ephesians 5 on a different Sunday, and have misremembered the dates of what happened. I apologize for the error. (Note to self: fact check all future FJ posts before hitting Submit)

[Cran]

I know for sure Eph 5, 21-33 (or, as a substitute Eph 5, 2a. 25-32), which contains the submission-parts is to be read on Tuesday of the 30th week in ordinary time (year II), which was last year the 30th october, and on the 21th Sunday of ordinary time, year B, which was last year the 26th August, (Eph 5, 21-32) but it is quite possible it might turn up on other days, too. It is frequently chosen as reading for nuptial masses.

[Savoring Samsara]

Thanks for the information, Cran. This is not the first time that my memory has made a fool of me, nor will it be the last.

Back on topic...so, how about that new Pope? ;)

[Nothing2CHere]

D'oh! Apparently the Italian Bishops were so certain Cardinal Scola was going to be the next pope, they sent a congratulatory message to the news media with Scola's name instead of Bergoglio: http://news.yahoo.com/italian-bishops-t ... 44174.html

Ooopsey.

[GolightlyGrrl]

D'oh! Apparently the Italian Bishops were so certain Cardinal Scola was going to be the next pope, they sent a congratulatory message to the news media with Scola's name instead of Bergoglio: http://news.yahoo.com/italian-bishops-t ... 44174.html

Ooopsey.

That makes me think of this classic headline:

[NurseNell]

Whenever I get stuck going to Mass with my very Catholic in-laws, I'm always shocked by how short the homily is. It usually clocks in under 10 minutes, most of which is usually ranting about some combination of atheism, Barack Obama, abortion, and/or teh gayz. Coming from a Unitarian Universalist church where most of the service is made up of a very cerebral, very liberal 25-minute-plus sermon, it's always a shock to my system. (I know that's still nothing on a good hour-long Pissing Preacher sermon-slash-complete-emotional-breakdown, but still.)

I am a life long Catholic. I have never heard a homily about Barack Obama or any other politician, atheism, or the gays. Once a year on pro-life Sunday abortion is addressed. The homily is always about the gospel and other readings of the particular Sunday, and their application to living in today's world. I don't know where your in-laws go to Mass but their church would appear to be an exception to Catholic teaching and custom.

I've been off line for 2 days thanks to a cut fiberoptic cable so I'm late responding.

[NurseNell]

I went to Catholic Mass at least twice a month in college since there was not a close Orthodox Church. Now I go to Catholic Mass a few times a year when childhood friends of mine are in town from across the country and in one case the Atlantic Ocean. I have NEVER heard an anti-Obama, the gays are destroying society, abortion, the submission of women to her headship homily. I am in the US Northeast. Most Catholics I know here vote straight down the Democratic Party line. That shit just would not fly.

I am a regular Mass goer and I've never heard any of that either. On pro-life Sunday the homily is usually about being there for pregnant women, providing support, not judging single mothers. I live in the midwest and none of that shit would fly here either. The deacon here had an Obama poster on his lawn. My priest where I lived before was for Obama. The only thing I ever heard political was on theSunday before election day, and that wasn't part of the homily, it was part of the announcements, and it was "go vote for the candidate of your choice."