If you are not receiving Father Scalia’s weekly email with parish news and spiritual enlightenment, email [email protected], with your full name and email address.
Below is the most recent email.
Please note that any replies to the emails are sent to [email protected] and not directly to Father Scalia.
Have A Seat
Caring for the Church
Friday, January 17, 2025
Dear Friends in Christ,
Pews are a new thing in the life of the Church. For most of the Church’s history, the faithful stood and knelt during the liturgy. Never sat. Pews were first introduced in Protestant churches. They eventually made their way into Catholic churches.
Now, for the record, I am in favor of pews. But they’re not without their drawbacks. One is that the pews make the church resemble a theater or classroom, rather than a place of worship. At least, that’s how people sometimes seem to approach it. When someone is leaning back in the pew – legs crossed, arms splayed across the back – that conveys an attitude of Entertain me not Sanctify me.
So, a reminder that, even when seated, we should maintain a posture of prayer and attentiveness. The liturgy requires active receptivity, not inert passivity.
These thoughts are occasioned because we’ve recently had all the pew cushions replaced. This was done at no cost to the parish and has given our pews a few more years of life. It’s also served as reminder to me to make a reminder about church etiquette.
I’ve joked with some of you that the cleaners gleaned a lot of cheerios. Yes, but not only those. They also scraped a lot of gum off the bottom of the pews. Similarly, our ushers often find various things in the pews after Mass, such half-empty (half full?) coffee cups and water bottles. After a wedding several months ago, I had to go through and clean up about a dozen water bottles. Over the years, we’ve picked up enough toys to overwhelm even the Saint James bazaar.
So, to clarify, it’s never appropriate to enter the church chewing gum or drinking coffee. As for water, I know that it’s healthy to hydrate…but Mass is only one hour and most people can probably make it that long without a sip. As for the toys, please limit them to those that are silent…and small…and not left behind. In general, please be respectful of this common space shared with your brothers and sisters in Christ.
As for the cheerios…[this is Father rushing in where angels fear to tread]…only if they’re necessary for the little ones…and please make every effort to clean up afterward.
Updates…
We still need to know…can Christians wear pants?! Join us for the rescheduled presentation on “Strange Stories from Papal History” by Father Conrad Murphy, author of Why Christians Can Wear Pants. Monday, February 10th at 7pm in Monsignor Heller Hall.
Adorers needed! We have Eucharistic adoration every Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. To continue this, we need to ensure that every hour is covered. Please consider committing to an hour of adoration.
The Annual March for Life is Friday, January 24th. We have chartered a bus for those interested in participating. Deadline for signing up in the 22nd. For more information click here.
Candlemas – The Presentation of the Lord – is Sunday, February 2nd. The traditional blessing of candles will be done at the 9:00am and 10:30am Masses. You are invited to bring candles to those Masses, during which the priest will process through the church to bless them.
Pet Doctors
Dogs can’t operate MRI machines. But catscan.
Through the intercession of our Lady and Saint James, may the Lord bless and keep you.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Scalia