The Eucharist is an occasion of inspiration

The piece below is this week's column in INM's regional newspapers in Ireland.

Michael Commane
A Dominican in his 80s said to me during the summer that when he was a young priest older Dominicans accused his generation of being far too radical and rebellious. “And guess what Michael, today the young Dominicans are accusing my generation of being far too radical and rebellious. Isn’t it strange how things have turned out,” he smiled.

It certainly set me thinking, especially about being a member of a religious order and being a priest.

I can still recall a conversation between my elderly father and a distant cousin of mine. At the time I was working as a journalist in The Kerryman and the cousin asked my Dad what sort of a priest was I working in a newspaper. Dad’s reply was brilliant: “What’s the difference between working as a school teacher and working as a journalist?” A great reply and was I proud of my Dad that day.

For over the last 16 years I have been working as a journalist, either in a newspaper or in a press office. I greatly enjoy the work. I have also spent many years teaching. Since moving to journalism I have been living away from a Dominican priory and living on my own.

Indeed, I greatly appreciate the freedom that the Dominicans have afforded me.

My knowledge of church has been tempered by and from the experiences I have had as a Dominican. But I have also had glimpses of other models.

Whether I like it or not there is now a tendency among younger clerics to return to an ‘old-style’ church. I have seen young priests out searching for pre conciliar Mass vestments.

I have seen young priests stick their thumb and index fingers together celebrating Mass. I hear priests praise the new Missal. I hear priests requesting to wear their religious habit in public. I hear priests condemn the world and greatly criticise the media as if it were the work of the devil.

I hear priests saying that they know best. I hear priests laying down the law.

In the last few months I have officiated at a number of weddings of colleagues.

Without exception I have met people of great goodness and genuine faith. Every single one of these people wanted to be sacramentally married.

Of course it’s not as it was when I was growing up in Dublin in the 1960s. And thank God for that. The memories are bleak.

Sometimes I think that clerics have some sort of propensity to shove ideas down the necks of people; it’s their way or no way.

No priest, no church owns God.

Surely it is an essential prerequisite for a priest to be interested in people, not in a patronising, judgemental way but as a fellow fragile traveller in this confused and meandering world of ours.

In the last few weeks there has been public discussion about eulogies at funeral Masses.

Of course it’s important that the Sacrament be celebrated in a holy and dignified manner. I’d love to hear bishops and religious superiors talking out loud to their priests as how to celebrate Mass in a dignified and meaningful way. And that includes improving the quality of our preaching.

The liturgy, as we have had it for the last 40 years can be celebrated in a profoundly holy and dignified manner, in a way that connects with the people who are praying with us.

The Eucharist is the perfect place to inspire people. For the Eucharist to be real there has to be a genuine and loving communion between peoples.

Is that how you felt the last time you left church after Mass?