Now,

(this is a copy of a facebook post of to-day from Cleveland Mass Mob)

To-day, ...

Now, New York City Mass Mob writes, "We are The Francis Effect!!". Our Francis has caught the world's attention. For example, here in America, i am reading in several quarters, about his positive charisma. Pope Francis generates good will. In less than a year, he has had ten years of newsworthy episodes of humanity, kindness, and words worth remembering. Even in America, i should say the United States, because America is not so small. America is from Alaska, where it almost kisses Siberia, to the tip of Tierra del Fuego where the tiny islands of Chile and Argentina point to Antarctica. People who are not religious, who do not look favorably upon Christianity, or Catholics in particular, freely say, "I like Francis", "I like this pope". Only the extreme religious and anti-religious bigots, one issue extremists, and those that feel their false idols are under clear and unambiguous attack have bad things to say about Francis; but sometimes one is defined by who his friends, and enemies, are. Those who felt entrenched are nervous, those that had been disregarded feel hopeful.

Yes, i am interested in all those things, and you should be too; but we, here, must be single minded about our thing here, which is the Catholic flash mob as applied locally in becoming the Cleveland Mass Mob. I repeat our mission statement:

"We wish to attract people to come for a Mass, a celebration of Liturgy and Eucharist, in a parish community of an historical, and beautiful church. We plan to call for a flash mob, a group of people to present themselves at a location. This will be a Catholic Mass Mob to attend Mass."

This is a nascent 'movement'. Something happened in Buffalo. The environment of conditions, and the spark in a few people's minds gave us this 'Buffalo idea'. The spirit we would like to promote is appreciation that leads to re-juvenation. The United States has relentlessly promoted a disposable culture of immediate reward. So many of our societal problems are children of this philosophy. Community has been attacked for convenience and the desires of the aggressively ambitious and selfish. We need to celebrate and cherish something more important and valuable.

"For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

These are the red letter words from the mouth of Jesus as recorded by the evangelist Matthew. This is the charter for the parish, a group of people in physical communion with the actual presence of Jesus with them. This is why a parish is so important.

An hundred years ago, and more, people crossed the ocean and came to a new country. Their pennies, and dimes (for that was their wages) built edifices to house their community in dignity and respect befitting what they believed honored God. Often, these newcomers, 'greenhorns', were not welcomed by the greater community. These churches were bulwarks aiding them to keep the faith. Now, the progeny of some of these people are the establishment, they are integrated in the general community; but they hold a similar disregard for those who started those parishes, and built those churches. These old parishes are our legacy, they are our culture, they are part and parcel of our faith. So at least on occasion we should flood their naves with the faithful.