Senior year 1980. I am convinced to go to Sunday night Mass at Fisher Hall in the Chapel because our rector from freshman and sophomore year has returned to campus and is saying Mass that night. One of our more pious classmates is reading from the Epistle. He began by looking right and left and after a pause said, “ A reading from Paul to the Somthingicians” Another long pause while looking right and left. “My right hand does wondrous deeds!”
The guy next to me in the front row landed on the floor laughing hysterically. The good Priest just looked to the Heavens. A great guy. God bless you Father Fred Brenner. The man should be canonized. RIP
His homily was 32 minutes long. At one point the pastor of our church, the cathedral, was rolling his eyes while looking at his watch. My son, seated on the altar next to said pastor, was dozing off.
If so, I'm glad I went to 6:00 PM mass last night.
Always funny to hear Msgr. Mac's sighs when the archbishop shows up.
We founded St. Peter Chanel in Roswell with him over 20 years ago. He is the best pastor I’ve ever had. Here’s a great Fr. Frank story:
One Friday morning after 6:45 Mass, a group of guys were heading to breakfast and invited Fr. Frank to join them. He said that he would love to meet them but would drive separately because he was scheduled to hear confession at 7:30 from someone who hadn’t been to Reconciliation in over 30 years and so would be a few minutes late.
When he heard this, the guy who had extended the breakfast invitation said they could do it another time considering that the Reconciliation session would likely take a long time for someone who hadn’t been to confession in 30 years.
Fr. Frank responded, “Why? How long does it take to say, ‘You’re forgiven?’”
Our Chevy Traverse doesn't blend in well with all the Beamers, Audis, and Mercedes in the parking lot. The "High Mass" on Sunday is always under 40 minutes (because they actually sing at this Mass). All other Masses are consistently under 30 minutes.
Pre-COVID, every Mass was standing room only.
when he starts his homily. Which he never pays attention to because he turns it off and then talks for at least another 12 minutes. One particularly windy Sunday (windy inside the church), he talked for a half hour. About what I can't recall.
I wish they'd publish ahead of time who is saying the Masses, because I'd never go to another of his.
every hour from 7 to noon. The pastor insisted that the homily could be no more than 10 minutes. Mass had to last no more than 35 min, 40 min absolute max, so that the parking lot could empty out in time for the next crowd to arrive.
He required weekday masses to be 25 min, 30 min absolute max, and the homily could be no more than 5 minutes.
He theory was a variation on the old, “I apologize for writing such a long letter. I didn’t have time to write a short one.” Along with his contention that people start tuning you out if you go longer.
It is completely doable, if you put in the effort.
Which happens to be either the greatest or worst piece of defensive football strategy ever.
He's truly doing the Lord's work.