Yes - but not During Lent
Hello:
As you know, I'm not Catholic but I work for one of the largest Catholic publishing houses in the world - Liguori Publications. Over the years that I have worked here (coming up on eight now), I've learned a lot about the Catholic Church, it's people and traditions. Usually I enjoy getting caught up in the intricacies of the infrequent or obscure (Papal succession for instance), but sometimes I end up learning about something much more basic - like Lent.
01/28/06: Please note - apparently there are some serious inaccuracies in this post. Rather than correct them, I refer you to the comments section. While you are there you might *gasp* leave a remark of your own. Thanks for visiting!
Yes, it's true - I had no real concept of Lent before I started working at Liguori. Easter I knew. But Lent? I come from an area that celebrates "Mardi Gras" in October and I associated it with Halloween.
Several years before I started at Liguori, I was talking to a lady on a Wednesday morning. I said "Denise, you have something on your forehead." "Oh, it's Ash Wednesday", she replied. Between not hearing her clearly and lacking any comprehension of what she said, I waited a few minutes and then said "Denise, I think you have some dirt on your face." "It's ASH Wednesday." She repeated - slightly annoyed. "Uh, hmmm - ash Wednesday?"......
Lent is one of our two big selling seasons (the other being Advent of course) so it's hard not to learn about it here. In addition to Ash Wednesday, I learned that all of Holy Week has names. Maudy Monday, Fat Tuesday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday. Speaking of Fat Tuesday, the Fat Tuesday celebration traditionally renders everyone unable to move throughout the remainder of the week. St. Louis hosts the 3rd largest Mardi Gras celebration in the world so it isn't difficult to get beads.
The title of this post, "Yes - but not During Lent" refers to a catch line I developed. Being a Catholic publisher, it isn't unusual for people to call in with questions about their faith. If the caller isn't careful when they key in someone's extension, they can be mis-directed and not realize it. My lunch group and I were chuckling over some of the awkward situations that this can cause, when someone suggested it would be impossible for me to field calls because I'm not Catholic. "Not really," I replied. "Whatever the question is, I just respond 'Yes, but not during Lent.'"
This posted turned out to be a little disjointed. I started with the title which may have been the problem. I hope not, because my next posts will be "Scraping by" and "Miracle - Getting Plastered Cures Household Leprosy". Both of which will deal with my adventures in repairing the plaster walls of my new house. In the mean time, I would like to suggest The Essential Lenten Handbook: A Daily Companion which is a Redemptorist Pastoral Publication and also Day By Day Through Lent: Reflections, Prayers, Practices by Daniel L. Lowery, C.Ss.R.
Peace,
P. Del Ricci - Dark Glass
posted by Philip Del Ricci | 1:44 PM
6 Comments:
Dearest Phillip,
I hate to tell you this, but Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras in French) does NOT fall during Holy Week, but is the day before Ash Wednesday which is the first day of Lent. Holy Week is at the end of Lent and just before Easter. Also, the word "maundy" belongs with Thurday of Holy Week (not Monday) and is a Protestant term. Catholics would not normally use it.
Oh my, we still have so much to teach you about the Catholic faith!
Dave is right. Mardi Gras is the final celebration before you have to buckle down and give something up.
This is one of the things I find funniest about Catholicism. I find that believe it or not - Catholics enjoy their humanity...they have a celebration designed to get the most out of gluttony before they have to give it up for a mere 40 days.
*Heavy Sigh* I guess I don't need to keep telling people about my ignorance when it seems to speak for itself.
Obviously the only thing to be done is go on a bender (I mean do a lot of research) at Mardi Gras. If I had known, I would have been in the gym a lot more....
Peace,
P. Del Ricci - Dark Glass
I like Luin's remark "Catholics enjoy their humanity." That's because Catholicism is a very Incarnational religion. After all, God became a human being - took on our flesh. Catholics believe that God touches us through physical earthly channels: water (baptism), oil (confirmation); bread & wine (Eucharist), etc.
We fast during Lent, however, just to remind us not to go overboard with the fleshpots!
dave, you make me feel like I am vaguely still Catholic. I actually do remember the things you told Philip about. Thanks for your bits about the Incarnation. I am in limbo really about whether I will ever have enough faith to embrace Catholicism again, but there are things I have read about the Incarnation that help me hang in there.
To kiwi nomad: Never give up on the search for God.
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