The Church brings us all together in the unlikeliest places, writes Fr Martin Delaney
On Sunday June 7, the Church celebrates the Feast of Corpus Christi. The dual notion of the Eucharist being the Body of Christ and all of us in the Church being part of The Body of Christ came together for me in a unique way a few years ago.
I went on a cruise to the Caribbean with a group of friends. On the final day we decided to celebrate Mass. Unfortunately, this priest had forgotten to bring communion hosts.
I approached the pizza chef on the ship to make me some plain flat pizza bread. He was curious as to my request and when I explained he was genuinely chuffed to be creating bread for the Eucharist as he was an Eastern Rite Catholic.
While I was explaining to the chef why I wanted the plain flat bread, I was overheard by an American lady. She asked was I about to celebrate Mass and when I said ‘yes’ she asked could she and her husband come as they were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary that day and would love to attend Mass. We had a lovely celebration which included a special blessing for the couple’s anniversary.
Some years later, the same group of friends decided to embark on another cruise, this time around Scandinavia and St Petersburg.
When we sailed into Copenhagen on the Sunday morning, the Feast of Corpus Christi, I asked our guide to direct us to a Catholic Church. He sent us in one direction but the church turned out to be Lutheran.
Outside that church we were directed further and eventually we found a Catholic Church. Actually it was the beautiful cathedral of the city but unfortunately, we had just missed the Mass and the congregation was gone on a short Corpus Christ procession around the streets.
I approached the sacristan and asked if I could celebrate Mass for my friends. He agreed and set up everything for us.
During the Mass, various tourists were walking through the cathedral and some stopped to join in the Mass.
When it was over one of my friends ran into the sacristy and said “you better come out here”. I did not know what was wrong. I went out and there sitting with my friends was the American couple we had met on their 40th wedding anniversary in the Caribbean a few years earlier.
They were driving around Scandinavia for a week and decided to try and find a Mass for Corpus Christi!
Yes, we are all part of The Body of Christ and the Eucharist can be the great Sacrament of Unity.
Heavenly happiness
A good cat died and went to Heaven. St Martin de Porres, who takes care of animal Heaven, asked the cat if he had any special requests. The cat replied: “All my life I slept on hard surfaces. I want a fluffy blanket.”
After the cat came a group of mice. St Martin asked them what they wanted. The head mouse replied: “We had tough lives on Earth,” he said, “everyone was always chasing us. We want roller skates.” So, St Martin outfitted them with tiny skates.
After some weeks St Martin checked up on the cat. The cat was the picture of happiness. “My blanket is so comfortable,” he said, “that I never want to leave it.” Then he added, “By the way, thanks for the Meals on Wheels!”