Papa hiding...

Yesterday I (Grandpa Rex) served Mass at our local parish. In the chapel (family room separated from the main worship space) were Grandma Rita, Mary and Abbi (age 2 1/4), Andrew, Sarah, and Mackayla (age 13 mo), and Matt and Kelly.

As part of the rubrics (instructions) for the Mass, during the Eucharistic Prayer, the deacon kneels at the Epiclesis (invocation of the Holy Spirit), and remains kneeling until after the priest-celebrant (Fr. Joseph in this case) elevates the chalice and genuflects. Both priest and deacon then rise at the same time.

After Mass I'm told some of what was going on in the family room. First, Abbi pointed at the distant altar and said, "I see Papa." Then, later in the Mass, Abbi is a bit disturbed. "Where did Papa go? Papa hiding." Fortunately, in a few minutes, "There's papa!"

Abbi, Deacon Grandpa, Mackayla

It's great being a deacon-grandpa.