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Contents © 2005
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

ROAMIN' CATHOLIC
July/August 2005

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SAN LUIS OBISPO MISSION, SAN LUIS OBISPO

Very Hippy

The procession began at the side door and was led by two girls in albs, followed by Jesuit Father Charles Tilley in red vestments. Tilley is the principal of the local Mission College Prep.

A '70s retro folk-guitar group was located out of my view but near the sanctuary. They opened the Mass with "When the Spirit of the Lord is in your heart, you can sing as David sang. Clap clap clap." Each verse differed by a verb — "Dance as David Danced;" "Pray as David prayed;" "Clap as David clapped." Increases in tempo after each verse seemed intended to put us in a Pentecostal frenzy; though, if physical movement from the congregation was an accurate indicator, it wasn't effective.

I didn't know until after Mass that the church was shaped like an "L," the altar situated at the vertex. This explained why Father looked towards us, and sometimes to the side, when he spoke.

Father began with the usual prayer. After commenting on the nice weather we were having, he asked that we worship in a spirit of penance. He then called forth all those interested in taking part in the "children's liturgy of the word." Due to my location and their short stature, I couldn't see how many children ventured forth, but Father commented on the "small, but good-looking group this morning." He then blessed them, "may the Lord Jesus always walk with you." Then adults led the children out the side door.

Father asked us to reflect on how God is calling us this day to preach His Word, to live in the Spirit, and to help others see that Jesus is in their lives.

We recited a troped Kyrie. The upbeat Gloria had a catchy chorus that would function well as a jingle for something like, say, a Juicy Fruit commercial.

The lectoress wearing a red vest with white shirtsleeves read the account of Pentecost from the Acts of the Apostles. The psalm was slow, its accompaniment strummed rather than plucked on the guitar, with a woman speaking the verse, "Lord send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth." The effect was that of a sad country-western song, like the kind Johnny Cash used to sing. The minor-key alleluia was sung longingly, ending with a slow, melodramatic "with the honor and the glory to the Lord."

Father explained jokingly that he learned that the pastor, Father Derek Hughes, lets him do the 5:30 p.m. Saturday Mass and the early Sunday morning Mass so that Hughes can steal sermon ideas. But this week, Tilley would foil poor Father Hughes by telling us a story about himself as principal of the high school.

Father Tilley said that when he first arrived at the parish, a rumor spread that the high school would close, probably due to low enrollment. Tilley didn't think that made sense, since Jesuits are known for opening schools, not closing them. So the Jesuit assured the parents that the rumors were untrue. They then began concentrating on educating the students, and the enrollment started to grow significantly. Father pointed out how controlling fear becomes when it becomes the primary modus operandi.

Father related this story to the reading from Acts, which tells how the apostles hid in the upper room out fear of the Jews. Father told us, "it wasn't so much the little flames that appeared or the wind howling but that they went out and shared those gifts that were already given to them by their relationship with Jesus Christ." They preached "Jesus is Lord — a very political phrase," Father noted, "and one that's going to get them into a lot of trouble." But by the power of the Holy Spirit, the apostles no longer feared. We have to share who we are, Tilley said.

Tilley made the distinction that the Holy Spirit doesn't take away our fear but moves it from a primary to a secondary focus — making love the primary focus. If we do what we do out of fear, Father warned, we are doomed to fail.

Father said he worries that people see the "war on terror" and safety as being their primary focus, rather than loving one another or being caring. Fear has become the primary focus for many in San Luis Obispo, Father opined, with people vilifying others out of fear that the government will take away our social security.

Father concluded, "but that is what this Sunday is all about, to do what we do not out of fear, but out of love. The choice is ours."

We recited the creed. The response for the prayer of the faithful was, "Lord, send out your Spirit." The offertory was a thoughtful (yes, thoughtful) "The Spirit is a'movin."

Led by the crucifetrix, two children brought up the gifts and placed them on the altar, while Father sat and watched. We sang a Willie-Nelson-style "Holy Holy," then knelt for the Eucharistic prayer — which began unfamiliarly, "blessed be Jesus who descended to be friends of all of us. He came to show us how to love God, by loving one another. He came to take away sins, which keep us from being friends, and hate which makes us all unhappy."

Father bowed slightly after the consecration. For the mystery of faith acclamation we repeated in song, "you are the savior."

We clapped during the very hippy "Amen." This is the ditty where "glory, hallelujah!" launches you back into the Amen. We recited the Our Father. After communion, Father sat and watched as the women purified the vessels.

During the dismissal, the congregation followed Father Tilley's lead by adding two "alleluias" to our response. Father congratulated us by saying, "wonderful."

The two-in-one recessional song was a brisk, "This is the Day," which segued into another '70s favorite, "I've got that Joy Joy Joy Joy down in my heart."

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