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Attending Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral

Posted by dbhalling 10 years ago to Culture
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This was from a friend of mine

So on Sunday as a gesture to Mary Ellen who is nominally Catholic, and to Cory we attended mass at the magnificent (usually) St. Patrick's cathedral.

Mass was poorly attended and the entire of the interior of the cathedral was a huge mass of scaffolding. Here is symbolic point number 1: the work is presumably being done to repair the crumbling structure of the church building having not been maintained for many decades. I.e., I don't think they are doing this to create some incredible new vision of the cathedral. The sermon was very hard to follow due to the poor sound system and the priest was at the altar that seemed to be a mile away. The cathedral was slightly cool and dark and it was bright and hot outside. Probably close to the experience by a typical medieval mass goer. Believe it or not the sermon as best as I could make out was that we shouldn't concentrate on the seen, but that would should concentrate on the unseen and the life hereafter. That's what really counts. There were two collections and so I dropped a 20 for each collection. Here is the kicker - get ready for it. I didn't feel anything particularly one way or the other and as we sauntered out the bright sunlight hit me full force and what did I see right in front of me in all of its glory? The statue of Atlas boom right in front of me! I thought that that was so shocking and such a contrast to the whole mass experience that I just had to share it with you. I will leave it to you to connect the dots and write an essay about it and let me know what it all means if you ever feel like it.

All Comments

  • Posted by $ jdg 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    He could have done us more good by not bullying us about trivial things. I vote to throw the book at him when he comes to trial.
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  • Posted by Ranter 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    But he is his father. There is only one God, in Christian Teaching. There are three persons, but one entity. So, God sacrificed himself for the good of Humanity.
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  • Posted by Ranter 10 years ago
    I hear you about the lack of feeling from the Mass. Since Vatican II, the experience of Mass in this country has gone very much downhill.
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  • Posted by $ jdg 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Even if you believe the story -- Jesus' sacrifice only sounds noble until you realize the only thing he's offering to save you from is his father's own wrath. In other words, it's a protection racket.
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  • Posted by Zenphamy 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    The old mission church south of Tucson must be similar; adobe construction, white-washed interior and exterior, ceramic figurines, vivid colors, etc.
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  • Posted by dbhalling 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    They are incredibly stupid, however you think words stand for real things in the world and they think words create reality.
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  • Posted by strugatsky 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    The world is being wrapped in Stupidity. As in the New Dark Age. The question that I often wonder about, when I hear such revelations as the one from the Pope, or the Democratic strategist who recently said Thank God that the Charleston victims were not armed or it would have been worse - are they themselves incredibly stupid, do they believe that their audience is stupid, or both?
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  • Posted by dbhalling 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Hear hear - I can't understand why he did that. However, he was raised catholic and he might have thought he was supporting the reconstruction effort.
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  • Posted by dbhalling 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    We went into an old mission church in Mexico and while the building was definitely catholic, the structure was more primitive than a catholic church in the US and not decorated in as depressing a manner.
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  • Posted by dbhalling 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    He is not a gulcher. But he is a Rand fan. I remember going into some churches for friends' of K who got married (none of my friends, well friend, got married in a church). I did it because of K, not because I was interested and I had a hard time not commenting the whole time.
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  • Posted by dbhalling 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    I don't know. I know he was raised catholic and when he went through a divorce over a decade ago he revisited religion, but I think he has decided to pass.

    I would not give them a dime. It was the story of Galileo that caused me at a young age to say no-way to the christianity and religion.
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  • Posted by dbhalling 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    That is hilarious. I was raised catholic I think I went to confession twice. Once when I was confirmed and once when I had graduated to communion
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  • Posted by VetteGuy 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    Hi AB,
    Most here at the Gulch are not going to share your faith, so that's something to be aware of.

    More directly in response to your post, the point of the AS book is that Atlas should SHRUG OFF the world. As Galt, Rearden and Mulligan found in the book (and I'm sure many here in the virtual Gulch have also experienced) the moochers of the world will pile on and keep piling on, and nothing short of your total sacrifice is sufficient.

    Those in the Gulch (both Virtual and literary) have recognized that a need on the moochers part does not necessarily create an obligation on the producers part.

    Welcome to the Gulch.
    VG
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  • -2
    Posted by Annetteburriello 10 years ago
    Jesus was the the true and real atlas who took on the sins of the world and then killed those sins on the cross.
    From a true Catholic
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  • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 10 years ago
    There is a dramatic dichotomy between pagan bicameral fear and slavery, living for an unknown afterlife; (instilled by catholic tyranny throughout the ages and the ever widening chasm between it and the actual teachings.) and the moral empowerment's of being the very best you can be, creating values for self and others naturally as a conscious human being; Living life to it's fullest in appreciation of all that's been created; however that happened and what ever it was that created it. After reading Julian Jaynes on the breakdown of the bicameral mind, (which produced awareness of one's self) You begin to understand biblical history and that Jesus was actually trying guide us in that process while speaking in bicameral terms hoping it would be understood by the transitioning bicameral mind. I think you'd all be shocked to find that he actually taught 'Rational self Interest', free market principals and local government starting with the family unit. None of which was the least bit mystical.
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  • Posted by LibertyBelle 10 years ago
    A Galt's Gulcher going to Catholic Mass and con-
    tributing $20? So what did you expect to experi-
    ence? Exaltation?--I am aware that all Galt's Gul-
    chers are not required to be Objectivists, but I do
    think it is still rather odd.
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  • Posted by strugatsky 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    So the Pope and the Church are drumming the beat with a "call for moral restraint by businesses and individuals." Perhaps starting with themselves would be a good beginning? Like restraining the priests when they see a little boy; like restraining the Vatican's ever growing riches while they condemn poverty; like restraining the priests' perversions while they preach morality (has the Vatican stoped giving absolutions for having sex with one's mother or sister for a set fee? - or, sorry, they did stop that a while back, but do continue the practice for lesser perversions...). The next Pope the conclave elects should be Obama - this is one area that he definately has experience in and is uniquely qualified for this job.
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  • Posted by Technocracy 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    If you look slightly to the left, that building says bananna republic over the window. I wonder if that is coincidence or commentary on where the US and world is heading.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 10 years ago in reply to this comment.
    i do much the same when I buy power ball and refer to it as my fair share of that States taxes. All both of them twice a year. I recall the cost of the doors of that church when redone the last time were $50,000.00. They had two donation deals going. One for the doors and one for hungry indigents. Guess which one reeached it's goal first.
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  • Posted by Zenphamy 10 years ago
    An interesting poster to have participated in the altruistic throes of what must be the wealthiest organization in the world. But to then see the pagan Titan, Atlas as one departs the gloomy, medieval, gilded but crumbling tatters of the past, and be reminded of a struggling present and a possible future in one uninvited vision.

    I've only been in a Catholic church twice in my adult life, once for a funeral, and once at the old Indian one south of Tucson and I can well remember the oppressive feeling of weight and doom and gloom that was present throughout those brief visits. In one way I was reminded of a carnival ride with all the decoration, the back ground of mystery for the laity behind the altar, and the acolytes in their robes with magic water and smoke. But it was also apparent that the parishioners gathered from the poor were expected to give, both financially (even if just pennys) and personally--to accept their life as it was with the word pictures drawn by the priests as hope and eventual payment for sacrifice of today's life.

    The reasons one might find that entices entrance to the mysteries and magic contained within are really unimportant, compared to the revelation seen when returning to the light of the day and reality of individual achievement.
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