Father's Day

[HelenR]

I may be stirring up a hornet's nest here, but on Sunday as well as being the 12 sunday of the year its Father's day and our children will be leading prayers, readings, and have chosen hymns - most of which are quite reasonable for the readings of the Day (The others Just keep using the word Father over and over again but we can't have everything)

Our Gospel " Who do you say I am" is quite helpful for this but I was wondering what others were doing and if anyone had any ideas for a litany or special blessing for Fathers or ways to engage Fathers more in the service and recognise their role.

[docmattc]

My views on father's day are the same as mother's day, discussed here
I don't have any involvement beyond sitting in the pews any more, but if I did, I'd be ignoring it completely!

[johnquinn39]

Would this be of any use?

http://dsjliturgy.blogspot.com/2005/06/ ... thers.html

[blackthorn fairy]

Mothering Sunday (NB not Mother's Day - that is American and secular, ditto the Fete des Mamans in France) is a different case. Mothering Sunday is always the fourth Sunday of Lent and was the traditional day in England when children in service were allowed to go home to their Mother church (and their actual mothers), gathering flowers on the way. That in itself is an ancestor of the Roman Matronalia and was one of the ancient customs absorbed over the ages (do we call it inculturation now, or something fancy like that?). I've written about this somewhere before.

For Mothering Sunday in my church we have daffodils for the children to give out at the end - but the liturgy goes according to the book - no surfeit of Marian hymns! I think a 'liturgical' Fathers' Day is pushing it a bit.

[oopsorganist]

Father's Day?

Is that a day off for parish priests then?

I hear is will be supplanted by Organists Day. On this day people who play the organ will get cards and flowers and maybe chocolates whilst those who murder organs will just get hand knitted ear muffs.

On a serious note (G) surely all that is required is a mention of dads in the bidding prayers? (Much safer than mentions of Michael Jackson as we had some time back!!!. With maybe a special blessing at the end of the Mass.

I am sure this is one of those days just made up by the people who sell things. And think of the complications for children who are brought up without fathers in the family for one reason or another.

[FrGareth]

There is a blessing for fathers in the ritual Book of Blessings
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=738

[Lakelark]

Mothering Sunday has some sort of liturgical past, certainly, and has been taken over by the commercial world. Fathers' Day, however, is the invention of the commercial world, and a manifestation of its avarice. However much we try to christen it into our liturgy, it will never be able to cast off its tainted origins. For that reason I have never drawn the attention of my children to it. If Fr Gareth decides to bless fathers, OK, but I suggest it might be more appropriate on the Feast of the Holy Family, and you could add a blessing of mothers - there must be one somewhere in the Rituale. And you would have to add a blessing of children in the interests of fairness. And so on, and so on. Like Bunthorne's toffee, there can be too much of a good thing.

[NorthernTenor]

(My mother warned me that my lips would stay pursed if the wind changed)

The Church of the first millennium was perfectly happy to transform pagan customs and places. Why don’t we follow its example?

[HelenR]

I agree with Northern Tenor and it would be right to transform the traditional custom of going out and buy more socks and toffees (sorry Dad I was never very good with presents) and actually praying for our Fathers.

Thank you all for the contributions the Final Blessing and the intercessory prayers are very helpful.

I know there is always a debate about attaching a "theme" for the mass but in this instance I was so inspired this year by the readings. Not just "Who do you say I am" but taking it further to where do we see Jesus now and a message to Fathers to guide chidlren in their faith and to lead them to a greater love and knowledge of Jesus. I think I got that from our summer school at Worth and looking for Jesus in the face of others. In my head at least the readings this Sunday lend themselves to an appreciation of the role of Fathers without having to force the point too much. A few years ago on Father's day we had an 11 minute sermon on death and preparing for death.

I will go now to our priest and give him the blessings and the prayers and am heading out to buy chocolate to give out at the end - there might still be some left on Sunday