Les —

I agree with you completely.

It is a shame and not traditional Catholic practice at all to do such a thing. But these days, the Liturgy is often wrongly treated as if it were a show. I am sorry for what you witnessed. It shows a strange spirit.

If it were me, I would seek another parish. Welcome to life in our dissension-torn Catholic Church.

Thank God for Rome, eh?

Mary Ann

Hi Les,

Dear Les,

Thanks for your question.

I can see why you would be concerned about this. Such a course of action is, in my judgment, both uncharitable and unpastoral.

• There is a real risk that someone will stop going to church on account of this, and for what reason?
• So that people might not have to listen to someone arrive late?

Perhaps people who are disturbed by people arriving late need to practice some forbearance, or else take a seat closer to the front.

• Is the minor inconvenience of taking a seat closer to the front worth jeopardizing the salvation of souls?
  
  < IMHO, No.>

That being said, in all probability, this is "legal", in the sense that the pastor has authority over his parish and there is not likely anything that would prevent him from doing this.

But here is what I would do. The proper course of action is to write the bishop. Do so very respectfully of course, acknowledging the pastor's concerns and his prerogative to do this, but relate your concerns as well, and certainly relate the altercation that occurred, and explain that you are nevertheless scandalized by the pastor's behavior. Given how you wrote your question,
I expect you will do well.

The bishop has the authority to instruct the priest to do something differently. See if writing him makes a difference.

Eric Ewanco

Dear Les,

First, welcome home to the Catholic Church! Thank you, as well, for this inquiry. Your question and sense of things is quite on target. I have read some of the other members' responses and now give you the perspective of a priest who will be ordained thirty years this May.

My very first pastor taught me a wonderful principle which was, "Do not be stricter than the Church." Pastorally, that has guided me over the years and has helped me many times. Apparently this pastor never learned this important pastoral lesson. As to your question of whether this was legal, no canon (Church) law forbids late entrance to any Liturgy.

This does not conclude anything, however. Let me explain. Ash Wednesday is not simply the solemn beginning of Lent. There is a draw for all sorts of people — not only practicing Catholics, but non-practicing as well, and other Christians and, yes, even some non-Catholics as well.

Ash Wednesday in practice is a holy day (something like the secular holiday of Thanksgiving), although certainly not one of the Holy Days we think of automatically. It is a day to make contact with God for all these people. The day answers a deep sense and a deep need to make contact with God on a personal basis, but also at least somewhat publicly (not just praying at home, and the wearing of ashes in public which is very obvious) and communally; they sense the need to be with others in this.

Over the thirty years, I have seen so many come with so many differing desires and needs — some of them a bit strange, but nonetheless real. Ash Wednesday is one of the days of the year where the real sense of "Catholic" reveals itself. The Irish author, James Joyce himself, a man struggling with and sometimes against the Catholic Faith, gave a wonderful definition of "Catholic". For him, Catholic means "Here comes everybody" — and that is so true on Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday also reveals the incarnational mystery of our faith. We are not just spirits or in our heads. Those gritty ashes and the human touch: skin on skin — brings so much meaning to both 'penitent' and minister of the ashes.

Now from what you wrote, I have a sense that your pastor was frustrated, that not everyone had the full understanding of the meaning of Ash Wednesday in their minds and in their hearts. After all, we are supposed to begin any liturgical service with the Liturgy of the Word. You were not quite clear whether these were services or Masses. The Mass, of course, is the summit of our Christian lives, but not everyone coming for ashes sees it that way. I once was giving Holy Communion at Mass on Ash Wednesday (having already given ashes), and a person came up and said to me, "I do not want that! I want ashes!" I was stunned, and then grew angry at the person, but later felt sorry that they could not differentiate the Eucharist from ashes, and value each accordingly.

Now what should you do? Eric said — write the bishop. Of course you can, but you are short circuiting Catholic community and the command of Jesus! Jesus teaches us in Matthew 18:

My guess is your pastor has heard already from some of the people. Write a letter to him
(start there, even ask for a meeting with him). Certainly, it is something, especially if he
does not listen, for the Pastoral Council!

Blessings during this Lenten season as you grow "in communion" with the Church.

Father Francis

Dear Les:

This is an excellent example of:

"While a priest may have the right to do something, should he exercise that right?"

• Does the pastor have the right to establish rules and regulations for allowing people into Church?

The answer is "Yes."

• Should he have done this, is the real question?

My answer would be "No!"

I can see no positive reason to exclude people from an Ash Wednesday service because they are late.

Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation. People maybe making heroic efforts from family, work, etc., to get to church to show their witness. They should not have the door slammed in their face.

Fr. Nick