More tales from Houston.......

Went to Mass at St. John Vianney Parish this morning.  Absolutely huge!  Must have been 1,200 people there.  And the choir!  Nothing amateurish about it.  A full, professional chorale, instruments and all.

The homily was.....well, "interesting" to say the least.  A full condemnation of:

• divorce
• adultery
• homosexuality
• pornography
• sex abuse (oops, a few priests in on that one)
• same-sex marriage
• contraception
• hooking up
• casual sex 
• promiscuity
• child abuse, and
• the internet in general

Whew!  Sarah and I kept poking, and looking askance at, each other.  Reminded me of the old Oratorians at St. Brigid's Parish in Ottawa back in the '80s.  Actually changed parishes when they took over.  Yes, Texan catholics are very conservative!  Hmmm, come to think of it, Jesus wasn't mentioned once.  It was straight politics, something you would never hear in Calgary.  "Gee, if one of my children turns out to be gay, I guess I'll have to stop coming to Mass," said Sarah sarcastically.  "How dumb and wrong would that be," I added.

Interestingly, the priest said, "Funny how homosexuals want to get married and heterosexuals don't."  Yes, most gay couples are very conservative and family-oriented, but I don't think he meant it in the positive way that I do.

As a practicing Catholic, I tend to ignore a lot of the Church....like the Pope, unrealistic or vicious homilies and sin and stuff...and focus on what I enjoy:  the music, the ceremony, the candles, the incense and the ritual.  The rest of it can pretty much disappear.

Well, time for turkey.

p.s.  Yes, son-in-law and family chef John always celebrates Canadian Thanksgiving.  What a peach.