The following comes from a Southern Cross article by Denis Grasska:
SAN DIEGO — There was something special about the Mass celebrated on March 8 at Our Mother of Confidence Church.
And it wasn’t just the fact that a female puppet co-preached the homily.
The sixth annual Missionary Childhood Association Mass was celebrated in a church filled with Catholic school children and it concluded with a recognition ceremony. The celebration, organized by the diocesan Office for the Missions, provided an opportunity to thank local Catholic schools and religious education programs for their generous support of the missions.
Retired Bishop Robert H. Brom presided over the concelebrated Mass, while Divine Word Father Michael Manning delivered the homily.
Addressing a congregation of about 600 people from 28 Catholic schools and three parishes, Father Manning admitted that he felt “very nervous” standing there under the watchful gaze of the bishop and concelebrating priests. He asked the children’s permission to invite his friend Lupe to assist him with his homily.
Upon receiving their permission to do so, Father Manning walked toward the altar and, reaching into a sack beneath it, pulled out the puppet named Lupe.
It took a few moments for Father Manning’s friend to acclimate herself to her new surroundings. But, in short order, he informed her that she was in San Diego, currently inside a church, and surrounded by children who are actively involved in supporting the Church’s missionary work.
“Who’s the guy in purple over there?” Lupe asked. “Is he ‘big stuff’?”
Father Manning responded that the gentleman in question was the bishop and that, yes, in fact, he was a personage of great import in the diocese.
Father Manning then solicited Lupe’s insights on what it means to be a missionary. To put it simply, she said, it means, “You gotta love people.”
“That’s easy to say,” Father Manning replied. “I can love people that I like, but there are some people that I don’t like, and that’s kind of hard.”
“What kind of Christian are you?” Lupe asked in response, chastising her own puppeteer as the church erupted in laughter.
After thanking Lupe for her assistance with his homily, Father Manning unceremoniously returned her to the place from whence she had come. Her final words — “Not in the sack! Not in the sack! Please, not in the sack!” — were greeted with the laughter of the youth in attendance.
Sister Eva Rodriguez, a member of the Sister Servants of the Blessed Sacrament who serves as associate director of the Missions Office, said Father Manning’s homily added “a beautiful touch” to this year’s celebration, and “Lupe did a great job explaining to the children what is needed to be a missionary.”
Why am I not surprised? Anything goes in today’s Catholic Church. In related news, see the latest travesty at the Sistine Chapel. Apparently it is now fit for rock concerts, in addition to St. Peter’s Basilica being splashed in Mother Earth images.
https://wdtprs.com/blog/2016/05/the-slide-continues-rock-in-the-sistine-chapel/
“I know, it’s only rock ‘n roll but I like it.”
CR, I have always had a problem with any ‘concerts’ being held, off hours, in Catholic churches. It just does not sit well with me. Really, wouldn’t a hall or auditorium be more appropriate, especially if it is a fund raiser? The only thing that should be allowed in Catholic churches, after mass times , is constant adoration, weddings, funerals, etc. A concert may not be considered ‘harmful’, but it sure is not using our dear Sacred Spaces for ‘worship’ as intended. The Lord should always come first. Why rock (no pun intended) the boat?
One proclaims the word of God in a way the audience understands it. This wouldn’t be appropriate for the 11:00 mass at my parish, however it sounds like it was a good way to teach the kids. I thought it was cute!
C&H totally not surprised by your response, it personifies the disaster of the last 50 years…This nonsense is not appropriate at any Catholic Mass ever all this will produce is another poorly catechized group of young Catholics…
Hey C&H, “cute” isn’t a description one should use in considering the Mass, the unbloody re-presentation of Our Lord’s suffering and death. For generations kids were taught the Faith with respect and reverence, it is a disservice to today’s children to think they cannot learn that way too.
She was referring to the liturgy f the word, not the liturgy you of the Eucharist, or at least that was my take.
Does the author of this piece and the editors of CCD realize that Lupe is not real, cannot think, speak, or move if the priest isn’t thinking, speaking, or moving for “her”?
Please note that the editors heavily edited my post, even though it was entirely consistent with the rules of this blog. I did, however, poke a bit of fun at the previous headline’s ridiculous notion that the puppet was especially offensive (to them) because “it” was a she. editors heavy ands were inappropriately applied, as they edited out gentle criicism of heir own editorial judgmrnts. Bad call editors!
Thanks for your comment. The headline has since been updated.
Puppets can’t co-preach. Your headline still misstates the truth.
Frankly, “YCF”, if the editors omitted all of your posts this site would have one less detractor and that would be a good thing. Perhaps your properly formed Catholic conscience will make an appearance one day, meanwhile we wait in joyful hope.
If the editors deleted all my posts, there would be many liars who get away with it unscathed.
“YFC”, would that you will find greater happiness in promoting the fullness of the Faith in all it’s truth. Peace of soul to you.
Is this an indicator that the Clown Masses will be making a comeback? Thank you Lord that I don’t have to attend Mass at a Novus Ordo church!
You teach about God and faith and love and mission in a way that is appropriate to the age group to whom you are speaking. I wonder if the kids would have learned better if they had to provide rote answers to the questions? I think they all learned a valuable lesson about the missions. This is not heresy, as some will try to make it, but taking the Word to young people in a way they understand and will tell others about. This is a good Priest!
This is pandering.
Sorry, Bob One, but parents were teaching their children by way of one-on-one human interaction without puppets for generations. Please, stop.
there’s a remote chance that lupe has been listening to the dark voices of the puppet ordination conference. members of this group have been known to infiltrate themselves into church settings for guerrilla homilies, often in front of unknowing clergy and parishioners who believe that they are observing ‘cute enhancements’ of children’s liturgies they love to test limits with outrageous statements that are later denied or blamed on the hosting priest or deacon.worst of all they feel that they aleady ordained in virtue of their baptisms
Jesus always approached people in their circumstances. Considering this was a Mass for children, this priest did the same. Relax a bit folks!
So Bob, the children will really learn their Catholic faith from a puppet mass? I guess those of us that have been around for awhile didn’t really learn the Catholic faith because all we had was the catechism. Oh, the shame of it all! Can we redeem ourselves by going to a clown mass?
Father Michael Manning has admitted to having an affair with his own cousin. Nice that he stopped it, for the sake of his soul and hers.
Does it surprise anyone that he is still pushing limits when it comes to women? A male priesthood is what Jesus instituted, accept it and move on – or out.
So a male puppet would have made you feel that your limits weren’t pushed quite so far?
Snarky of you, “YFC”, but the Church has limited certain roles to men and we should acknowledge and accept it. It’s not about feelings, it’s about reverence, and this troubled priest has again overstepped his bounds.
Use of puppets of any kind is a ridiculous novelty demeaning to the sacredness of the Holy Mass. This priest needs prayer and correction, not praise for inappropriate antics meant to make a political statement. Duh!
The Church has limited roles of female puppets via a vis male puppets? I believe in gender parity among puppets, and the Pope should declare it de fide. I don’t believe that only male puppets should be ordained.
This might be funny, YFC, if there weren’t already a cadre of ordained male puppets out there. What we need are strong, principled men of Faith. That’s why devolving into female dolls is really a move in the absolute wrong direction.
Thanks for pointing this out.
A better headline for this article might have been: “Priest used age appropriate methods to teach the love of God to school children.”
Mass is for the worship of God and to be nourished by His Word and His Precious Body and Blood. There are better ways to educate the youth about the Faith than turning Holy Mass into Sesame Street. Think about the saints. Do you think they learned the Faith by attending an infantilized Mass? I would wager young children attending the Mass in Latin know much more about the Catholic faith than those who are exposed to such Masses as featured in this article.
Good grief why should this surprise anyone here? I have told you about giant puppets, dancing girls, altar girls, hand holding, kiss of peace, rock, mariachi, folk music, communion in the hand while standing, female lectors, women running around the altar pretending to be priests, drums, guitars, protestant hymns, this is the NOVUS ORDO way of life folks. The return of the TLM and traditional sacraments are the only way to solve the problem of the past 40 years!
This reminds me of the movie “What About Bob,” where the psychiatrist, played by Richard Dreyfuss, uses hand puppets to communicate non-threateningly with his patient, played by Bill Murray.
I just can’t get too worked up over this.
Certainly Children do not understand as Adults do, which is why there many Parishes offer both Children’s and Young Adult Masses.
The Story of the ‘Homely Ghost and his Cross Eyed Bear’ is one common misheard and misunderstood phrase.
We use sign interpreters at some masses, some have Icons and Stations to provide examples for all – not to worship, but to help simple Souls understand & visualize the Greater Truth.
These are not and never should be confused with puppet shows, mimicking television – which has the sole purpose of Soft Selling Things while Pushing Radical Politics – otherwise the cast & producers would not get paid, often quite well in Hollywerid.
Emulating TV (including adopting their ‘beloved’ puppets)…
Countd.
Emulating TV (including adopting their ‘beloved’ puppets) tries to place Holy Mass on that low stage…
– when better methods show Children the Altar Above, and explain in Loving Terms using imagery from the Catholic Church – not hollyweird’s
I forgot about Fr. Manning’s long-term affair with his cousin. The comment prompted me to look the scandal. Seems as if he served a one month suspension for his multi-decade affair and resulting scandal.. That says a lot about AmChurch.
Yet Michael Voris just confessed to decades of debauchery with multiple partners, and now he is the glory of the RightChurch.
Glory of RightChurch? Hardly. But there is much to be said of a Catholic man who repents of sin and gets busy working for Christ’s kingdom minus the distracting novelty and pretense.
You may call that flip flopping, but you’re delightfully consistent. On that we may rely.
I wasn’t aware Michael Voris was a priest and responsible for the care of souls. Nor was I aware this his debauchery was recent. I was under the impression that he had repented many years ago and been living the straight-and-narrow for a considerable time.
I’m not against Fr. Manning’s return to ministry, assuming his repentance and penance were genuine– which I assume. I’m just wondering about the naivete of his superiors who think that decades of deception, sacrileges Communions, and mortal sin might take more than a month for a competent spiritual director to sort through with the priest.
Unlike you YFC, Voris repented and dedicated his Chasity to Our Lady of Lourdes would you be willing to do that…. ????
Any priest, that is comfortable, in front of a bishop, to use Lupe the puppet during the context of the Holy Mass: = “shall be like a foolish man that build his house upon the sand.” There is NO healing power, in Lupe, the puppet.
Matthew 7: [26] And every one that heareth these my words, and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand, (27) And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof. [28] And it came to pass when Jesus had fully ended these words, the people were in admiration at his doctrine. [29] For he was teaching them as one having power, and not as the scribes and Pharisees.
These were also listed in the parish church bulletin.
Centering Prayer: On Monday evenings (except the second Monday) 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Also every Thursday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Chair Yoga: For those who have difficulty getting up and down on/off the floor. Every
Wednesday at 10:30 a.m
Regular Yoga: Every Tuesday evening at 5:00 p.m. in the Youth Room. Bring your own mat. Heather Foat will guide you through a new and inspiring experience.
The Danger of Centering Prayer | Catholic Culture
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=234
Catherine, This listing of Ads MAKES your point to those in the pews in the know. That is why, when we travel, our family checks out the bulletin. We would not expect much from a Catholic church that had Yoga or Centering Prayers. Dare I say CINO parish? Maybe without knowing more, that is harsh. I can state this fact, if we saw that in a bulletin while checking the parish out, we would try to find another parish if at all possible, to attend mass. Praise be to God for His mercy and these bulletin ‘ad warnings’. Just the way we roll as mass is THAT important.
Catherine of Siena, 500 years past, rolls in her eternal grave at the rants against centering prayer. Apparently the seven story tower is cut short by such as these.
Your credibility regarding what constitutes a rant or orthodox Catholicism is not quite the thing, YFC. More likely your posting here as a presumed authority is what rolls many. But again, predictable. No repentance or flip flopping with you.
True Anon he thinks he has some kind of authority while brazenly rejecting Church moral teachings, laughable at best
Sorry I flubbed. I meant Saint Teresa of Avila.
YFC, Are you referring to the Classic spiritual text by St. Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle, which outlines 7 spiritual ‘Mansions’ sometimes called, ‘Grades of Prayer’? None are ‘centering’ = a contemporary prayer method borrowed from Buddhist/eastern practices like those found in ZEN, was made famous by Fr Thomas Keating. He is on you tube and a past president of The Temple of Understanding. That should explain a lot.
Attended my nephews First Communion Mass 20 years ago and the Pastor had Beanie Babies on the altar to try to make the homily entertaining. Those in the pews loved it with laughter and clapping. We were not amused!
Having heard many fine, perfectly orthodox homilies over the years, I am thankful for those. Unfortunately, I’ve also heard hundreds of AWFUL sermons over the same time. Lupe alone herself could do better than the guy in purple. Its really rough when he leaves his notes in the car and has to ad lib.