Three priests die in a triple car pile up. They all go to Heaven:
Franciscan: This is just what Brother Francis said it would be!
Jesuit: This is how I have always thought Heaven would be.
Dominican: Wait a moment! What is the Jesuit doing here?
Jesuits
- Donald R. McClarey
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 43 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
A Trappist monk and a Jesuit were walking down a street when they were approached by a little old lady. “Fathers, my Mercedes Benz has been breaking down lately— which is the best novena for me to say so it will stop having problems?” Both the Trappist and the Jesuit looked puzzled, and after a moment the Trappist asked the lady “What’s a Mercedes Benz?”— and the Jesuit asked “What’s a novena?”.
A Franciscan, Dominican, and Jesuit are transported to the stable in Bethlehem. The Franciscan, seeing the incarnate Lord in the manger, falls to his knees with tears in his eyes. The Dominican begins joining the heavenly choir singing the Gloria.
The Jesuit hangs back, studying the scene, then approaches Our Lady and St. Joseph, hands them a brochure and says, “have you given a thought to your Child’s college plans?”
— I remember telling this joke to a gathering of Jesuits when I was in school (at a Jesuit college) – the older faithful Jesuits laughed their behinds off. The younger ones were highly offended. It was a telling moment for me, even at age 19.
Old quip: “He is as lost as a Jesuit in Holy Week.”
I never thought I’d say this, but I’m with the Jesuit.
… No lightning bolt yet? good!
I see it often, people kneeling before a statue praying, back turned toward the tabernacle. It does no good to lament over the lack of faith in the Real Presence among Catholics if we make excuses for those who show greater affection to plaster. Our statues are pleaded with, fawned over and adorned with gifts (not unlike the fruit left for the buddha at the sushi restaurant).
Lex orandi lex credendi.
“When we cannot go to the church, let us turn towards the tabernacle; no wall can shut us from the good God” — St. Jean-Marie Vianney.
Of what avail is the carved image,
that its maker should carve it?
Or the molten image and lying oracle,
that its very maker should trust in it,
and make dumb idols?
But the Lord is in his holy temple;
silence before him, all the earth!
~ Habakkuk 2:18, 20
CAG, seems to me we have a bit of needless dissonance here. If we pray Stations of the Cross in a typical church, we’re facing the Station, not the tabernacle. Or, many a parish will have a statue of Mary, Joseph, or another patron saint by which people may offer devotions. ..and many churches still have their altars for Mary and Joseph to either side. For that matter, Gothic cathedrals intentionally used stained glass, statues, frescoes, other art works, …and music… to encourage devotions to the particular subjects of the works.
Granted, Catholic jr/sr high school placed focus on rather different intentions, so many of these seemed quite alien for some time. Yet… these expressions of faith still kept creeping through in the wider culture.
Robin Hood, in all it’s various versions, has little design to teach Catholic faith. It’s still impossible to tell the story without presenting various Catholic notions.
For a more Catholic than most Robin Hood, I suggest Roger Lancelyn Green.
Still available by Penguin if I remember right. Associate of Tolkien…
A Jesuit and a Dominican were arguing about which was most favored by the Almighty. Finally they decided to pray over the matter and await a sign from heaven. Shortly after, a dove flew in with a piece of paper in it’s beak and dropped it on the table. Both got up and read, ” You are both favored by Me”. Signed God O.P.
” If we pray Stations of the Cross in a typical church, we’re facing the Station, not the tabernacle. “
Speak for yourself
Everything else you said was deflection. I never said icons were evil, but there’s something greater than stained glass here.
The priest at the mission when celebrating the Mass faces the tabernacle not the congregation. Some dislike it, saying that he is turning his back on them. The priest says he is leading his flock. I can see that facing the altar is less distracting for the priest. He is facing God in the tabernacle.
Visiting priests are asked their preference and the altar is dressed accordingly.
When I say the Memorare before a painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe in her shrine or in front of the statue Our Lady of Fatima it is a focal point for me. She and the saints are intercessories to God the Father and God the Son.
Stained glass windows, stations of the cross, etc tell the story of our Faith. As such taught the illiterate in olden times
“Everything else you said was deflection.”
That’s …an odd appraisal.
I get what you mean about the lack of faith in the Real Presence.
Even so, … to “show great affection for plaster” sounds awfully…needlessly disparaging. Many/most churches prior to the Council had art and stained glass designed to catch the eye and inspire. To lead one toward Christ. Most architecture and art “pointed” to the high altar and the tabernacle. Sure, one needed an education to understand this. …So does everything else of substance.
Including in the military. ..Especially in the military.
Devotions can be overdone, sure, yet things can all too easily be underdone too.
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conference for diocesan and religious order priests.
Lights go out during vespers.
Jesuits: dispense themselves from saying vespers
Franciscans: Embrace the moment with Brother darkness
Dominicans: Contemplate the light of the intellect
Benedictines: keep praying as they have the Psalms memorized
Diocesan priest: gets up and goes to check fuses and switches in the panel box
🙂
John Flaherty,
Perhaps we’re misunderstanding each other … Let me make this simple and personal.
Say you’re getting married and you invite me to your home for the wedding banquet.
Now, what if I was to come into your house that day and ignore you while spending the morning talking to a painting of you on the wall?
You might think me rude, you might even be concerned about the mental state of this person in your living room … But if you’re honest, you’d have to admit that my behavior wasn’t right.
… So, let’s be honest.
… And, as far as sounding “awfully…needlessly disparaging” … What ever happened to that bronze serpent Moses instructed the Israelites to make?