Peace I Give You

We Casa Blanca residents are not regular church goers by any means, but we like the church we joined a few years back. We especially like its presiding priest, who is being transferred to a parish in Northeast Minneapolis come July. So we've been attending mass a bit more often of late for what amounts to Father Dale's farewell tour. (Also, Joe will receive first communion next year and we figure he should know that church is more than just a place where you get a donut and a Dixie cup of lemonade after you sit for some songs and a lecture. Gone are the days when he called out "Yea!" after the opening hymn at the mass at which Clara was batisted.) It is also true that going to mass slows you down in a way that's soothing.

This past Sunday's mass was big for two reasons. First, the bambini were roped into handing out worship aids. You know, for the folks still saying "And also with you," instead of "And with your spirit," which does not flow trippingly off the tongue. Clara calls the worship aides  "music notes." Fans, you should have seen them! They were holding them out and up one at a time, negotiating a new one into their hands as each copy was taken. Birdie was chirping "Music notes? Music notes?" to all comers and Joe was "You're welcome," all over the place. Julie suggested they throw in a good morning. Joe informed her he was going to stick with his routine. And peace be with you.

Anyway, Fans! They were greeting and distributing music notes with all kinds of aplomb. The parishioner landed with recruiting for this ministry, Trish, knew a good act when she saw one and slyly roped Julie into giving up the Casa Blanca contact information. Apparently the older folks don't want to do it anymore. So they are getting in on the ground floor so to speak here. Families with wee ones are a hit. Trish is a hit maker.

But more triumphs were in the offing. Just after mass begins, the children can head down to the social hall for activity-based delivery of the day's scriptures. Last Sunday, Julie and Clara checked it all out before mass and met the teacher. Still, Clara wanted no part of this child-specific programming. Then, Ted accompanied her and Joe on their maiden voyage to the social hall and stayed the whole time. This Sunday, we gave it another go. Ted again walked down with the bambini, but he came back not long after. The bambini appeared with the rest of the children just before communion. Upon spotting Julie and Ted, Clara went as-the-crow-flies and cut down the pew immediately in front of them and climbed up on it when she reached where they were sitting, at which point Ted lifted her over its back. (Joe walked around.) Clara then turned to Julie and said, "Mommy! I handled it!" ("Can you handle it?" being a somewhat frequent rhetorical question).

Indeed she did, Fans. Can we get a hallelujah?