tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post7429967323864836912..comments2023-12-25T11:13:04.495+00:00Comments on Seraphic Singles: Mother's Day RebellionSeraphichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06251504033428511090noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post-35245764737200641302012-05-15T01:34:40.861+01:002012-05-15T01:34:40.861+01:00Many parishes where I live (including my own) use ...Many parishes where I live (including my own) use Mother's Day as the day to hold the May Crowning, the crowning of a statue of the Blessed Virgin with a crown of flowers. This takes place before or after Mass, and is quite lovely.Emmanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post-85632597918949856082012-05-14T20:57:08.491+01:002012-05-14T20:57:08.491+01:00I am beginning to hate the ritual myself. Yesterd...I am beginning to hate the ritual myself. Yesterday, I was out of town. Normally I go to an Extraordinary form Mass so there isn't any of this extra-liturgical stuff but since we were out of town yesterday, I went to the closest parish. There are many things that could be said for the church that I didn't like but on of them was the silly extra-liturgical ritual. Then as I was walking out of the church, the greeter wished me a happy Mother's day, assuming I was a mother even though I am not (my husband and I are dealing with infertility right now). Then, when we stopped off to get some lunch at a restaurant, they offered me a free sundae in honor of Mother's day, again assuming I was a mother and I said I wasn't. :( It hurts to be singled out like that because it highlights one of the many crosses I have had to bear these past couple of years. I guess I might be very sensitive about it :(.rachelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post-33910648304778294402012-05-13T20:26:26.652+01:002012-05-13T20:26:26.652+01:00Mother's Day at college campuses is a little c...Mother's Day at college campuses is a little calmer because most of the women present are single. Today we got a homily that mentioned 1) our mothers 2) Mother Church and 3) Mary, Mother of Christ and of the Church. It also was mostly about the readings and Gospel. There was no ritual of standing, flowers, or clapping -- the mothers present with their children had already been given cards and gifts at home and did not appear to be put out by the lack of additional praise.sciencegirlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post-36087501381488426032012-05-13T19:48:11.688+01:002012-05-13T19:48:11.688+01:00I just wanted to share that my pastor was incredib...I just wanted to share that my pastor was incredibly thoughtful. We didn't have any show, but when he remembered mothers "in a special way", he also reminded us to remember women who suffer because they have lost children or can't have children of their own. I wish every priest would take a cue from him!MaryJanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post-27139288947682691392012-05-13T07:30:34.169+01:002012-05-13T07:30:34.169+01:00I was so happy to see a post on this! All day whe...I was so happy to see a post on this! All day when I was out shopping, seeing the "Mother's Day Sale" signs, I was thinking, "I hope Seraphic writes something about this!" I plan to call up a fellow single gal tomorrow to tell her happy mother's day, because I am determined to celebrate spiritual motherhood, not just biological motherhood (which of course is also spiritual.)<br /><br />I am tempted to get up early for the EF mass tommorow, to avoid the spectacle... but the last time I went the homily was almost 30 minutes and the mic stopped working so none of us could understand a word of it.MaryJanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post-40457617306654557662012-05-12T23:12:25.877+01:002012-05-12T23:12:25.877+01:00I am not a fan of anything quasi-liturgical myself...I am not a fan of anything quasi-liturgical myself. I have been in my parish for less than a year, but given the ridculousness that I have already witnessed, I fully expect a spectacle.<br /><br />As a side note, my previous parish used to give out pink carnations to women whose mothers were living, and white ones to those whose mothers had passed away. So when you came out the door, an usher would ask you, "Living or dead?" It was so weird.<br /><br />But anyway, Seraphic, you are obviously a spiritual mother to all of the singles who look for advice on your blog. So if you find yourself at a Mass with the quasi-liturgical ritual, just stand up!Julie M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11557928562104861348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post-90238572960688596982012-05-12T22:27:35.364+01:002012-05-12T22:27:35.364+01:00A mention in a homily would be great. Almost nobod...A mention in a homily would be great. Almost nobody minds that. It's the whole quasi-religious ritual that gets tacked on in which women are separated and the ones with kids are singled out while the ones without just sit there.Seraphichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06251504033428511090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post-57500608999622394822012-05-12T22:10:11.384+01:002012-05-12T22:10:11.384+01:00I've never seen the standing-up thing done, bu...I've never seen the standing-up thing done, but most years the priests will say something in the sermon about honoring and appreciating mothers. Is that really so bad? I don't think it's intended as a "this isn't for you if you don't have kids," type of thing. I don't think we should stop honoring mothers because some people might have painful memories or feelings associated with motherhood.<br /><br />I have to admit, I hate any kind of audience participation, though. I was at an ordinary form mass last week for one of the very few times in my life and the priest asked if anyone was from out of town. I just sat there silently, completely terrified.Charming Disarrayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15481799867576915560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post-87525766129794705362012-05-12T18:20:29.437+01:002012-05-12T18:20:29.437+01:00I attend the EF, so there's none of that silly...I attend the EF, so there's none of that silly business. Our regular priest always uses Mother's Day as a way to discuss the maternity of the Blessed Mother. He tends to wax poetic on most subjects, but he goes all out on this - and in this way, none of us feel slighted and we brush up on our dogma. I will admit that I do get presents from my godson, so all is well.Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06445940812881681649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post-69715438884866652332012-05-12T18:13:54.920+01:002012-05-12T18:13:54.920+01:00Don't waste the tears! Either stand or have a ...Don't waste the tears! Either stand or have a "wail-in." Seriously. If all the childless Catholic women aged 18-100 started crying right after the "applause for mothers" thing, this pernicious made-up ritual would stop. And, heck, surely we haven't wailed in church since we were 3, so we're due.Seraphichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06251504033428511090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post-58010508885926501512012-05-12T14:32:46.462+01:002012-05-12T14:32:46.462+01:00Thank you for writing this, Seraphic. I've alr...Thank you for writing this, Seraphic. I've already been dreading mass tomorrow in a very big way, knowing what a horrible mood the "stand up if you're fertile" part will put me in for the whole rest of the day. And I'm hosting dinner for my mother and family, so I would rather be happy and not puffy-faced.Kim Vandapoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00921200022020464673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post-77921937088058738862012-05-12T12:33:17.481+01:002012-05-12T12:33:17.481+01:00Whoops. Forgot to add "was stupid." Gree...Whoops. Forgot to add "was stupid." Greer and others have said that women protesting with physical force or screaming is counterproductive, but there's nothing like weeping and wailing to make well-meaning men feel really lousy.Seraphichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06251504033428511090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post-19691743217095325742012-05-12T12:31:46.592+01:002012-05-12T12:31:46.592+01:00What if we all started crying? I think it was Germ...What if we all started crying? I think it was Germaine Greer who said that the way women protested the war in Vietnam (e.g. at Kent State). She said that what would have disarmed various male authority figures was women crying. <br /><br />Half a church of crying women would make a priest think twice about next year. <br /><br />But I say "we" knowing full well that there will be absolutely no mention of Mother's Day where I'm at Mass tomorrow, and was at Mass during the UK Mother's Day, and where I will likely be for all the Mother's Days as long as I live in Edinburgh.Seraphichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06251504033428511090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905236167079601771.post-82975133506485260122012-05-12T11:44:25.050+01:002012-05-12T11:44:25.050+01:00Can this post be sent to every priest in America? ...Can this post be sent to every priest in America? I'm eager to support mothers and motherhood, but it's heartwrenching and humiliating to have to pass the flowers across the pew and not take one. And if I did take one to acknowledge my spiritual motherhood, people might think I'd had an abortion or a child I'd placed for adoption. It's a no-win situation for me all the way around.Domestic Divanoreply@blogger.com