Something really new for me

I thought I had seen it all – dogs and kids running around in church. But Sunday night’s Mass in Dulce Nombre was very different.

I had been in Dulce Nombre since early that morning, helping lead a retreat for the youth group in Dulce Nombre. It was a very good experience for me – and I hope for them. I had two themes – sin and conversion. I used some activities so that they wouldn’t have to listen to me in Spanish too much.

The thirty or so young men and women (from 12 to 21) were supposed to be silent from about 9 am to 4 pm. Some really tried but a number just couldn’t resist talking.

Since it ended about 4:30 I decided to stay overnight in Dulce Nombre and go to the 7 o’clock Mass.

In the Gospel that evening, some Greeks approach the apostle Philip and ask to see Jesus. Padre Efraín talked a bit about seeing Jesus in the poor and marginalized and even seeing Jesus in the drunks.

Just a sort time after he said this a drunk, came walking up the main aisle in the church. He knelt on the steps in front of the altar and later knelt right in front of the altar and put two lempiras (worth about 11¢) on the altar (his offering?). Padre Efraín at first stopped and then continued his homily. One of the church leaders came up to the man and spoke quietly with him. But the drunk didn’t move.

The drunk stayed in front of the altar until the end of Mass – sometimes kneeling, then sitting, then laying down. At one point, while Communion was being distributed the drunk took out his bottle and took a few swigs.

What amazed me was that no one got really upset. Father kept his cool and no one rushed up to drag the guy off. (That was probably good since Padre Efraín later told me that the guy could get violent.) I don’t know why nobody did anything, but in one sense I think that was the best thing that could have happened – especially after Padre Efraín had talked about recognizing Christ in the drunk during his homily.

After Mass, Padre told me that he’ll probably have someone at the front door of the church in the future. They have no ushers here; so this may be the beginning of a hospitality ministry!