Graduation Mass

Yup. I am pretty angry. There has not been a single person who supports me in my objection to this crap.

Well, now it is I who am angry. Okay, not angry, but dude!, annoyed, because this is simply not true. Although I know that many of my fellow parishioners and staff members (school and church) will be chagrined to hear me say this (albeit not surprised, per se), I absolutely support you in your liturgical objections. (I don't have the same objection to the dress that you mentioned.)

As Maureen pointed out, we simply do not have adequate facilities to facilitate (snicker) the secular and religious needs of a graduation ceremony. So it's a quandary, but there has to be a compromise that works for everyone.

So, before I share my thoughts on specifics, first let me say that I do have a certain sense that in some ways it is none of my business. I'm not a parent of a school child (although I am a surrogate grandmother of a first grader) and I am not a school staff member. I am however, a Catholic and a full and participating member of this parish; as such, I believe that what happens in the body of Christ, happens to and for me. So, I speak in that sense.

What struck me as of most concern is the fact that at the awards ceremony the young man spoke so passionately and eloquently about the futures that lay ahead for the alumni: lawyers, doctors, computer programmers, big business, the first woman president, etc....but never even came close to mentioning a religious vocation; this despite the fact that it is well known that at least two of the boys in the class speak seriously of becoming priests. Hello?! What have we been working to instill as values in these kids for the past 9 years? One would hope that they would at least give an honorable mention to vocations; that it would at least be on their minds for the masses if not for their own selves!

Okay, and then there was the graduation Mass. By the time we finished repeating the awards from the day before and then added the 10,000 additional awards (I exaggerate, but not much) it was time to take a nap. I actually forgot that a Mass was still in progress. And as cute as the slide presentation was, give me a break! If the parents and kids love it so much; and I believe that they do; then I can't help but think that they would be more than happy to hop on over to the hall to see it after the Mass. Same goes for the umpteen million awards. I'm sorry, these things simply are not appropriate in the context of the liturgy. And if we, as a Catholic corporation, don't get that, then you are right, Fr. Jeff, we just don't get it.

Oh man, I am going to regret this post when I wake up in the morning!

Where were you three years ago, when I was the lone ranger fighting for my son's religious convictions? He was not only literally embarassed by getting a pity award from the most gracious math teacher. When the million awards were being given, my son sat there flustered and embarassed to death. My 4.0 student did not get recognized at the school for his gifts and talents. He was utterly neglected particularly by his eigthth grade teacher.

It is definitely time to bring back the glory of a real Catholic education that knows what it means to be obedient, and be faithful to the teachings of the Church. Which begins with one's obedience to the Pastor.

So, were her shoulders really uncovered or her upper arms?

My pet peeve is the cleavage that has become so fashionable (with the assistance, I imagine since I don't intend to try it, of tortuous bras to create it). And the cropped tops so that navel piercings or tatoos can be admired.

Actually, her shoulders were also a little uncovered, but really, it was just sort of one of those "Jackie Kennedy"-type things. I think our mothers used to call them "shifts"?. She looked nice...and even though she's known for wearing black (something about which the class teased her and about which she teased herself during the PowerPoint presentation), the dress was quite colorful and tasteful. Of course, our pastor has a preference for wearing black, too, so maybe that's the problem; the Friday dress was colorful, the Saturday dress was black. Neither was too short.

You know, I keep thinking that they are going to put us back into veils...we're such tempting creatures when away from our keepers, um, I mean husbands/fathers. And yeah, I've heard the arguments about reverence and agree with the vast majority of them. The tats, piercings, exposed bellies (and beyond) and mohawk hairstyles are gettings out of control. But we have to put some perspective on things and cannot nit-pick every little detail of every single outfit. Her dress was fine! Father was just having a bad hair day...or two...or three........

Fighting for her son's religious convictions at at a Catholic school? Never even come close to mentioning a religious vocation when the graduates talked about their future?

Hmmm....there is a lot of work ahead, Father.

Lucia

Father Keyes!! I found you!

First off, I understand your liturgical frustrations, especially regarding graduations. My high school graduation was held at the nearby parish, and they had what I thought was an elegant solution to the question. They held the Baccalaureate Mass first, then the graduates lined up outside and marched in to receive their awards and diplomas. Any speeches were given during the Commencement ceremony.

The school maintained a strict dress code for both faculty and students, do bare shoulders were not an issue. We _always_ had to have skirts below the knee, necklines no more than two inches below the collar bone, and shoulders covered. Admittedly, that made it difficult to find appropriate clothing, but cardigans and shrugs, many quite lovely, generally took care of bare shoulders during Mass. The neckline rule is perhaps a bit extreme for everyday life, but it certainly taught me to mind my appearance and to seek out modest clothing.

God's blessings on your work!

At my previous parish where I served as parochial vicar, we celebrated and completed the Baccalaureate Mass. The Pastor and myself left the sanctuary and divested, etc. After we returned, awards and diplomas were given out. This was a change from what the previous pastor had done (giving out diplomas and awards and scholarships after Communion but before Mass was completed).

In my first year as pastor at a parish where they had been giving at the diplomas, etc. at the 5:30 PM Vigil Mass, I told them that the graduates (small school) would sit in the in front and assist at Mass, where they would offer thanks to God. Some served as lectors, several of the boys served, and a couple graduates carried the bread and wine to the altar. After Mass as I left, the graduates followed me out of the Church (the people were instructed to follow) and we walked the block to the school where in the cafeteria, they watched their slide show and received their diplomas and scholarships. Of course, I had some complaints from the students: "We've always done it this way, why are you against honoring us?, We are a Catholic school, etc." I repeatedly told them that Mass exists for man to honor God, not for us to applaud each other. Furthermore, neither I nor them is permitted to change or add the Mass. Graduation, unlike baptism, confirmation, or first communion, is not a sacrament. In fact the gift you receive of the Eucharist blows any diploma.

Well, anyway, it was done in my first year here and now next year will easily follow this year. The integrity of the Mass was respected. Glory and honor and focus was on God. And yet, being a Catholic school, the conferral of diplomas, etc. was connected to the Mass by a reverent procession to the school gym.

I would guess that most Catholic schools have their ceremonies in the middle of Mass, just as high schools notoriously seem to use Mass for a backdrop for principal announcements, the reading of poems, dramas, slide-shows, etc.
I say, "The Mass, just give me the Mass." The Mass is for the sake of the Mass and not for something else.

At my previous parish where I served as parochial vicar, we celebrated and completed the Baccalaureate Mass. The Pastor and myself left the sanctuary and divested, etc. After we returned, awards and diplomas were given out. This was a change from what the previous pastor had done (giving out diplomas and awards and scholarships after Communion but before Mass was completed).

In my first year as pastor at a parish where they had been giving at the diplomas, etc. at the 5:30 PM Vigil Mass, I told them that the graduates (small school) would sit in the in front and assist at Mass, where they would offer thanks to God. Some served as lectors, several of the boys served, and a couple graduates carried the bread and wine to the altar. After Mass as I left, the graduates followed me out of the Church (the people were instructed to follow) and we walked the block to the school where in the cafeteria, they watched their slide show and received their diplomas and scholarships. Of course, I had some complaints from the students: "We've always done it this way, why are you against honoring us?, We are a Catholic school, etc." I repeatedly told them that Mass exists for man to honor God, not for us to applaud each other. Furthermore, neither I nor them is permitted to change or add the Mass. Graduation, unlike baptism, confirmation, or first communion, is not a sacrament. In fact the gift you receive of the Eucharist blows any diploma.

Well, anyway, it was done in my first year here and now next year will easily follow this year. The integrity of the Mass was respected. Glory and honor and focus was on God. And yet, being a Catholic school, the conferral of diplomas, etc. was connected to the Mass by a reverent procession to the school gym.

I would guess that most Catholic schools have their ceremonies in the middle of Mass, just as high schools notoriously seem to use Mass for a backdrop for principal announcements, the reading of poems, dramas, slide-shows, etc.
I say, "The Mass, just give me the Mass." The Mass is for the sake of the Mass and not for something else.