Please note the Q & A at the end of this post.
YaYa was thrilled to finally have me accompany his class on a field trip. I took the day off and joined several other moms and dads for a day at the Mission de San Juan Bautista.
Everyone had a great time. We couldn’t have asked for better weather, and we were lucky enough to meet a few very interesting folks. There was a blacksmith who taught us about the properties of metal, and a guy who showed us how to make fire when there is no wood around. Did you know that they used buffalo chips as fuel back in the pioneer days?
Leading up the field trip, I was a bit nervous that I wouldn’t be able to handle my load of kids. Fortunately, there was enough volunteers for every group to have two parent chaperones, making it a lot easier to manage of our flock. Even when we took them down to see the fault line (which neither of us could actually identify for them, by the way) they managed to keep within eye, or camera, shot.
Come to find out, we got the cream of the crop. All of the "good kids" wanted to be in my group, although I think it had more to do with my partner in crime than myself. I am grateful for my blessings regardless of how they come about.
After the majority of the mission had been explored to the satisfaction of the little pioneers, we headed for the church.
I was awed by its beauty. I wanted to photograph every part of it so that I could back on it later and remember the feeling of being inside of it.
It wasn’t until later that I began to wonder if that was perhaps a no-no. My brother-in-law thought that I should NOT have taken photos. *sigh*
This same brother-in-law, however, who thought that it was a reasonable act to take holy water from a church to bring home. Of course this topic came up when we witness a woman doing this in a not so reverent manner.
It was the end of my niece’s first holy communion mass and the pews were filing out slowly when a woman took her bottle and dunked it into the bowl of holy water. "Glug, glug, glug," went the water as it left the bowl and entered her Aquafina bottle. Then she scooped up a handful and slapped it onto her neck. The sign of the cross never entering her mind.
In my humble opinion, my photographing the mission church pales in comparison. Even if it is okay to take the holy water, it hardly seems appropriate to do so during the ending of mass. Needless to say, people all around were aghast. Holy mole, we all thought. Then we all watched carefully to see if she was going to drink the water.
What do you think? Which is the more irreverent action?
- Siphoning approximately 20 oz. of holy water at the commencement of mass, or
- Snapping photos of the Virgin Mary and Jesus on the cross.
As a non-catholic and someone who doesn’t believe in holy water, I don’t see a problem. As someone who went to catholic school for six years (and church every Sunday), all I can say is ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
You have to admit though, it makes for a good story.
LOL… That’s part of the problem with the Catholic Church. People are too stuck up on themselves. I’m sure God was glad to accomodate the both of you…
I know we were told no photos during our wedding in a Catholic church, but my in-laws roundly ignored them. I think so long as you don’t use a flash, you’re fine.
Do you think that woman wasn’t aware it was holy water? That just seems like an incredibly crass thing to do in front of people. Maybe she’s not ‘all there.’
Good story? Yes. Everyone that saw was saying OMG and Are you kidding me?! I have to say that during her ceremony they asked for no flash photography but allowed cameras. Where I took my pictures, church was not in session and we were the only ones there. I figured that it was okay, but he insisted that it wasn’t. Finally, I agree that it seems incredibly crass to get the water infront of everyone, especially when you are in front of a long line of people.
I don’t know about either one. I know some museums don’t allow photos, but it’s usually posted. Really, it seems fine to me. As for the holy water, I would have been shocked too – and I don’t know anything about it. It just seems wrong.
It is usually posted very clearly inside churches/cathedrals/missions when it is NOT okay to take photographs. As an art history major, I know that they only do so because a) flash photography deteriorates paint, especially on old wall frescoes or old canvas or b) to not disturb mass, worshippers, ceremonies, etc. (so the signs are even sometimes out or not out, depending on the time of day.)
You would have known if it was not okay to take pictures and I trust you would have complied.
Stealing water in a disgusting, who-knows-where-it’s-been water bottle is bad form. BAD form.
How nice that you were able to go on a field trip with Yaya’s class. That will be a good memory for him in future years.
I don’t have a problem with taking pictures in a church, especially one that is also a tourist attraction. I do it all the time when I travel in Europe.
Maybe the woman was taking the holy water home for a sick friend or family member. It’s kind of weird that she slapped it on her neck, though.
I looked and there was no sign indicating that we could not photograph. Also, we were the only ones in the church.
I don’t know anymore! Growing up in a strict Catholic household I was never sure what rules were bibilcal or just something my mom made up to get us to mind ourselves. The water thing is kind of weird, though, in a tacky sense.
Cool that you got to go on Yaya’s field trip – I hope you and he both have great memories and that the photos help you remember how you felt during the experience, especially inside the church.
As for the woman with the water, she did not give it the reverence that was due. Whether she understood and boldly chose not to show it, or acted out of ignorance is not for any human to judge. The water should be holy enough to patiently endure either circumstance with grace, and enlightened witnesses should be able to do the same.
Karen: This is such an awesome perspective. Thank you for pointing out the
obvious truth for myself and everyone else who may have also forgotten.