Generally when I start a blog I will already have a title for it in mind but, seeing as how I have no idea where this one tonight is going I will wait to title it till the very end.
Last Sunday I believe was my last blog. Sunday afternoon my mom's cousin (so my 2nd cousin? I'm confused because we always called him "Uncle" John) Fr. John Rossiter passed away. Today was now the second funeral I've been to for a priest. With all the issues I have with religion and Catholism in general one thing I never took issue with was my two uncle's who were priests. The other was Fr. Robert Kocour who really was my great uncle. The media likes to really focus their attention on priests who do bad things. I agree with the sentiment that they should be called out for their horrendous behavior and I also do not think that the Church should protect these people. They are scum. The ones who do horrific things. However, I don't feel like the media does a very good job at showing how fantastic, and understanding, and relateable priests can be. When I read about the works of priest who has done something good or honorable or what have you, I feel like the reporter writes in a way that says, "Hey, look at me, I'm a reporter who finally found a decent priest to write about now someone should write about how great I am." To which I say, PPLLLLbBBBtTTT.
Fr. Kocour and Fr. Rossiter were two of the greatest men I knew and if you had ever met my father you know that's saying something. Both of these men dedicated themselves to making the world a better place. One went to Venezuela to do missionary work for years, and the other stayed in Topeka with an open door to anyone who needed it. I am not going to go on and on about these two men and their life stories. If you want to know more I'm sure Google could help you out. My point in bringing it up was simply that it seems like people are quick to think the worst about priests and maybe I would be one of those people also if I hadn't grown up knowing two of the best around. I am a better person for having known them.
Now all that mushy stuff aside I would also like to add that if you have never been to a funeral for a priest and one day you find yourself blessed enough to know a wonderful priest (or a nun/sister, I can only assume that there will be similarities but I can't confirm this on account of never having been to a funeral for a nun/sister.) that want to pay your respects to upon his departure from this plain, I offer you a few tips. 1) There will most likely be a plethora of living priests at the funeral and they will all be up in the first 3-5 pews in their proper garments. Keep a close eye on this section because you will most likely witness what I like to call, "synchronized priesting." Now before you start casting stones let me explain, there are certain gestures and handmovments, and so forth that go on during a mass. At a funeral you will see about 40-50 priests doing all these movements at the same time. It is awesome! And I'm not even trying to be an asshole. It's just fun to watch. 2) If you are lucky you will get a priest that really knows how to deliver a homily. If you don't know what that is the best way to explain it is to say that it is an anecdotal collection of stories that make you better understand the gospel reading (see Geri, I still know my stuff). Some priests really have a gift for homily's while others to put it nicely just do not. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I don't remember the homily for Fr. Kocour's funeral but the one I heard today for Fr. John was pretty terrific. It had humor, it had a point, it didn't drag on and on and on, and the best part was that Uncle John actually had a say in what was said. He picked the priest and gave him a few pointers on how to deliver his final message. And again, while I am not a big believer in religion as a whole, I do like words a lot. I like it when someone is able to string words together in ways that really make you think or better yet challenge yourself. You don't have to have the same beliefs to come to the same conclusions or to know right from wrong.
Blah blah blah. I ment for that last section to be more funny than it was. I will say one irritating thing about priests though. There should be no hot priests. Yeah, I said it and I ment it. Just seems wasteful. Careful about casting those stones again. :)
I'm headed out of town for this 4th of July weekend but I promise to come back with some good stories. Hopefully they will be blog appropriete. Not that I think children read this but I'm sure I could get most of you to blush if I tried hard enough. Let's just say that this is my first weekend going to one of my favorite towns as a single woman in quite some time. Not that I'm gonna whore it up, but it's just nice to know the option is there! Have a great weekend and don't blow up any body parts!
P.S. I feel like I came up with an appropriete title for this blog after all!!!
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1 comment:
Ok.....weird it didn't leave my original comment.........I did enjoy the title and how it fit with your blog. I try to avoid funerals and the whole death subject. The Buddist in my views death differently than most. However the few times I've attended church service with your sis, I enjoyed it.....Take care this weekend and if I told you to be safe, well heck, that wouldn't be as fun a blog now would it? I'm off to spoil a niece and nephews back home. Take care!
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