ROAMIN'
CATHOLIC
By Charles A. Coulombe
ARTICLES
LETTERS
NEWS
Contents © 2000
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.
ST. SIMON'S AND JUDE'S
For Kids From One to Ninety-two
Ss. Simon's and Jude's church, at Magnolia and Indianapolis in Huntington Beach (diocese of Orange), has enjoyed a reputation as one of the most innovative parishes in the area. The Franciscan church boasts an impressive physical plant. The church building is unencumbered by kneelers, stations of the Cross, statues, or any images, other than a statue of St. Francis and two wall plaques (one of the Virgin, and the other either of the flame of the Holy Ghost or the Burning Bush). The structure is dominated by straight lines.The central worship space features the table in the center, flanked on the left by an unobtrusive wooden tabernacle surmounted by a vigil lamp (so unobtrusive that no one in the worship party paid it the least attention), a stark wooden ambo, and a baptismal waterfall. Behind the table were several rows of chairs, and to its right the priest's throne; further on was the musical ensemble, with piano, two guitars, drums, and conga drums and maracas.
Although I was told that the 7:30 p.m. Sunday Mass was the "youth Mass," slightly fewer than half of the medium-sized, mostly Anglo congregation appeared to be youths. This could be because the regularly scheduled youth activities would not commence until October, and the date was September 3.
Many attendees genuflected as they came, many did not. Most of the congregation chatted away until the music mistress invited the crowd to join in the first song. Music sheets covering the specific liturgy's songs had been handed out; Ss. Simon and Jude does not offer missalettes. The first song, in tone and rhythm, was much like all those that would follow: early '70s, reminiscent of the Carpenters.
The worship party consisted of a crucifetrix bearing a cross without a corpus, a pair of lectoresses, three gentlemen (in street clothes) carrying vigil candles in wooden basket-frames, a Franciscan brother, and the celebrant. The light-bearers posted their burdens in three stands off to the right of the table, while the crucifetrix placed hers off to the left.
The priest led the brother to the ambo, where he introduced him to the community, saying that he had taken vows, was not yet a deacon, but would be at the parish for at least a year, so that he could "learn about being a Catholic from all of you."
The brother departed, and the celebrant commenced a free-form "Lord Have Mercy," one of his tropes being a request for God's help in "re-defining for ourselves what basic terms like 'religion' mean." A lectoress and a lector gave the readings, the music team offered original responses, and the priest read the Gospel. It contained Christ's denunciations of the Pharisees for adhering to the traditions of men. These the celebrant read with great precision.
He then launched into his sermon. There he announced that the 5 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday Masses had recently been featured in "a newspaper of a differing orientation than ours -- The Wanderer. Further I have heard," he continued, "that this evening's Mass may be covered by someone from a similar newspaper." He joked that "if members of the press are present, my name is Father Patrick Rhodes -- and I'm a Dominican!" Laughter ensued. He then said, "seriously, I'm Father Mark Hurst, and I'm a Franciscan." Father then went on to explain that "religion is a relationship; real religion means loving God, one's self, and one's neighbor." He warned that law is not an end in itself, but a means toward real religion; it can help or hinder. He expressed the hope that if a member of the press were in the congregation, that person would include these thoughts in his article.
The sermon concluded, and the bidding prayers finished, a toddler, assisted by her mother, brought up a large basket of bread, while the babe's father bore a glass pitcher of wine. Attendants brought more of both, and readied the table for the Eucharistic prayer. Save for the words of institution, most of this prayer seemed composed on the spot by the priest. He called upon the congregation to recite with him the prayer, "Through Him, With Him, In Him...." All held hands during the Our Father. Then a mob of 13 Eucharistic Ministers flooded the worship space, received their designated elements, and took their places at its border. When the priest said, "This is the Jesus, the Lamb of God..." the ministers all elevated their respective burdens in unison with him.
After communion, some of the attendants took the copious remainder of the Sacred Species back to the sacristy. The blessing delivered, a woman went to the ambo to call for volunteers for parish doings. She was replaced by a gentleman, who offered a brief meditation on the holy obligation of Christians to vote. They retired, the worship party formed up and recessed. It being an evening Mass, there were no coffee and doughnuts.