Catholic Ragemonkey

Liturgical oddity
After shedding a few tears as I watched the television this afternoon and the official reports that Pope John Paul II had died, it suddenly occurred to me: Oh, wow, I guess when I say the Holy Mass this evening, I don't say "John Paul" at the remembrance for the pope, because he is not alive and, therefore, there is no pope to pray for at that part of the Eucharistic Prayer. (Of course he may be, and should be, remembered at the commemoration of the faithful departed.)

So, this morning at Holy Mass, the 2,364th time I had offered the Mass, was the last time I did and will ever mention John Paul (in reference to John Paul II) in the Eucharistic Prayer. This evening, the 2,365th time I have offered the Holy Mass, I simply skipped over the mention of the pope's name and continued directly with the bishop's name.

It is rather odd. We are so used to hearing his name ... and now he is gone.