Corpus Christi Sunday on Saturday

Following from Ascension Thursday Sunday, this weekend we have to celebrate Corpus Christi Sunday. I'm sorry but this does make me a bit grumpy. The party line is that if we celebrate this great feast on a Sunday, we can reach out to more people because they won't come if it is celebrated on a Thursday.

Of course I am preaching this weekend about the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, about the proper dispositions for Holy Communion, and the importance of Eucharistic Adoration. But I do that quite often anyway. Corpus Christi offered us an additional opportunity to witness to this mystery. The only people who are really affected by the change are the practising Catholics who take the trouble to come to Mass on the Holydays.

It is also annoying that we are consulted about all sorts of things but this decision was rushed through breathlessly as soon as the Catholic Herald announced that there would be some significant opposition to it. One consolation is the unintended consequence of furthering the popularity of the Classical Rite. See the list of Masses for last Thursday in the combox of the post Corpus Christi Masses.

All in all (caving in to secularism, alienating the devout and encouraging us trads) I think this would sum it up:

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