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Eucharistic Flash Mob

A Eucharistic flash mob in the centre of Preston, organised by the Capuchin Franciscans on Ascension Thursday 2011.

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Caber1967
Caber1967
Monday, June 27, AD 2011 2:32pm

We need more of these…..

Tonic
Monday, June 27, AD 2011 4:49pm

Bravo, Bravo, Bravo…Jesus Body, Blood, Soul & Divinity truly present in the Blessed Sacrament have mercy on me a sinner.

Robert
Robert
Monday, June 27, AD 2011 5:12pm

Wow I enjoyed that!

Kevin in Texas
Kevin in Texas
Monday, June 27, AD 2011 6:31pm

I really enjoyed this, and the litany read out loud by the 2nd friar sent chills up my spine. However, I realized that the 1st friar, the one holding up the monstrance in the center of the plaza, later stuffed it in a duffel bag and walked away with it as if it were a gym bag. I’m not sure that demonstrates the Catholic belief of Christ’s Real Presence in those who witnessed (and appreciated) the previous act. I also wonder if it’s even licit to carry it in such a way. I applaud the act itself and moreso since these friars did it in the heart of secular England, but I wonder if they may have damaged their cause and shown a lack of respect for Christ’s Real Presence during the Corpus Christi feast? Any thoughts?

Frank
Frank
Tuesday, June 28, AD 2011 1:35am

Jesus has to ride the subway just like everybody else.

The monk brought the monstrance in and out of the square in the most reasonable and respectful way possible. If you observe at the very end of the video, a woman tries to engage the monk in conversation while he’s leaving the square, and he waives her off. It’s clear he was serious and respectful. What would you expect him to do — build an altar?

Kevin in Texas
Kevin in Texas
Tuesday, June 28, AD 2011 10:50am

“Jesus has to ride the subway just like everybody else.”

Huh? What does this mean?

“The monk brought the monstrance in and out of the square in the most reasonable and respectful way possible.”

Nope, not even a little bit correct. Haven’t you seen Eucharistic processions through the streets? I used to live in Spain and witnessed a few myself. The priest is properly vested with the shoulder vestment (not sure of the name?) and carries the monstrance reverently wrapped in the vestment, not in his bare hands; often there are four faithful men carrying a beautiful canopy over the monstrance and the carrying priest; generally there are others walking in prayer before and after the priest with the monstrance, etc. I don’t know if all of those things are prescribed specifically in the GIRM, but I’ve seen it done that way every single time I’ve seen a public Eucharistic procession with a monstrance involved, except for this time. Here’s alink to a video showing such a procession around Manhattan with the CFR priests (in Harlem, no less!), as well as probably diocesan priests (the vid was created by the Archdiocese of NYC:
http://youtu.be/NX5X2cXMh0o

“a woman tries to engage the monk in conversation while he’s leaving the square, and he waives her off”

I didn’t get that sense at all. Instead, I think she was briefly touching him and thanking him for his brave witness, and he waved to her to say “thank you” to her.

I think it’s easy for us to inadvertently show a lack of reverence for Christ present in the Eucharist, and this could be one example. My point is that it is incongruous with the message we really wish to spread, that this is the Lord of the Universe physically present. I’m not saying the friars did this purposely at all, but merely that they probably didn’t think it through well before they did it.

Chris H
Wednesday, June 29, AD 2011 11:05am

Simply brilliant! I hope that The American Catholic will organize a flashmob in a major American city. Simply tell us where to go and when. Nowadays, that is all it takes. The success of social media in the recent “Arab Spring” is a testament to the power of this new age of global connectedness. [On the flip side social media made it easier for the attackers during the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack].

I respect that Kevin in Texas points out the need for reference in how the monstrance is handled — may God bless him for his courage… even though he temporarily sucked the wind out of my sails!

But there is a roll for all Catholics if we are to preserve everything we think is sacred about our faith. He is not unlike “The Vortex” which is relentless in its demand for accountability and spiritual perfection, even though some of their commentaries focus on what I tend to consider “spiritual minutia,” such as whether or not we should kneel when receiving the Eucharist or whether or not we should receive it directly on the tongue.

I truly appreciate the nit picking because it forces us to reevaluate and appreciate everything we do with reference to our faith.

This flash mob idea should be extended locally, and it should be done right.

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