From the Pastor's Desk at St. James Catholic Church

Greeting the Pastor after Mass: Inside church

Due to the fact that we have no gathering space following the ending of Masses, your pastor asks your consideration of the following information. Please read this and be informed of “WHY? “. Following the conclusion of our weekend Masses, it is customary for the priest or the pastor to greet parishioners and guests at the front entrance of a Catholic church. In inclement weather, this greeting is done in the vestibule (inside room) or in a sheltered area known as the “gathering space”. Neither of these areas exist at St. James Church, which was built for the world of 1859.

As our worship and celebration of Holy Mass progresses, one hour, the celebrant priest does perspire with the weight of the vestments, the overhead spotlights in the sanctuary altar area. Tensions and being “house manager” of some 200 persons while disposing one’s mind toward the holy and the sacred add to perspiration.

This winter, I, Fr. Joe have made the decision to avoid the bronchitis, pneumonia and allied health matters, which I have dealt with in the past four years. To remedy this, I now walk with the altar servers in a recession, at the end of Mass to the front entrance of our church. Rather than stand in the cold and the night winds, I now return to a location near the sanctuary, below the altar, to sit and meet & to greet our guests and parishioners alike.

When you realize this is the dynamic, then it is no problem to seek me out. With no gathering space, outside the church proper, it is acceptable for our parishioners to visit afterwards in church, as soon as the recessional has reached the glass doors at the entrance of church. When you line up to greet or meet with Fr. Joe, please use the same courtesy we give others by the Confessional/reconciliation room. As you line up in the middle aisle, please allow others some distance and space for privacy for personal matters as they meet with the priest. I will remain after each Mass, as long as anyone wishes to speak with me. Besides, with parking, you only have to wait anyway for your turn in the departing traffic.

I am always pleased to greet with anyone. I also sometimes deal with serious issues that have arisen, and the parishioner needs to convey this information to me. All non-essential business can be conducted at the rectory office during business hours. Telephones, emails, fax, notes marked “Fr. Joe” can be placed in the collection basket. We are not limited in the ways we have to communicate. Let’s keep the appropriate matters for the right time. God bless you each and all.