I am not
in the least criticizing Father Rowley's method of dealing with it,
but I am a trifle uneasy at the inordinate delight it seems to have
afforded you. Of course, it is intolerable for any young man
serving a priest at Mass to watch his fingers all the time, but I
don't think you have any right to assume because on this occasion
the young man showed himself so sensitive to mere externals that he
is always aware only of externals. Unfortunately a very great deal
of true and fervid piety exists under this apparent passion for
externals. Remember that the ordinary criticism by the man in the
street of Catholic ceremonies and of Catholic methods of worship
involves us all in this condemnation. I suppose that you would
consider yourself justified, should the circumstances permit (which
in this case of course they do not), in protesting against a
priest's not taking the Eastward Position when he said Mass. I was
talking to Colonel Fraser the other day, and he was telling me how
much he had enjoyed the ministrations of the Reverend Archibald
Tait, the Leicestershire cricketer, who throughout the "second
service" never once turned his back on the congregation, and, so
far as I could gather from the Colonel's description, conducted
this "second service" very much as a conjuror performs his tricks.
Pages:
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274