Maiden Moment #3673

On Saturday afternoon, I went to the wedding Mass for a couple of acquaintances. The groom was somebody I'd known when we were kids at the local swim club, and we met up again at the funeral of a mutual family friend last year, shortly before he proposed to his now-wife. We hung out every once in a while for the past year and a half while they planned their wedding. I knew at the time they got engaged that I wouldn't be invited to the reception, and I was fine with that, although I was puzzled when a couple months ago, they made a big deal that they were able to send me an invitation after all. Which I thought (and I'm pretty sure most people would think) meant I was invited to the reception. The invitation arrived a week later, and it was just that. No details about the reception, no response card. In a strange way, though, it worked out, because I was called in at nearly the last minute to cantor for the vigil Mass at the one church where I help out sometimes.

The wedding was--well, it was so them. I can't even begin to explain it, but now that you know what they did with the invitation you probably get the idea. One redeeming aspect was that during the Prayers of the Faithful, one of the petitions was for single people. I think that's the first time I've ever heard that one. It's particularly touching at this time of year when my birthday rolls around and I get blue about being alone. I thought it was nice.

I also started to think it was an excellent harbinger a few hours later when, at about 3:57 p.m., I turned around to see if the celebrant was at the back of the church and ready to start Mass, when I came face to face with a handsome young man seated right behind me. The young people never sit this close to the front. He had that geek-chic thing going, too, which I love--Buddy Holly-type glasses--and dirty blond hair that was longish on top, and was somewhat dressed up.

However, I had a job to do, and that I did, with him almost right in front of me as I stood at the podium and sang. I noticed his eyes were on me, but he didn't participate in the singing I was commissioned to lead.

I got part of the explanation for that when he got up after Communion and gave a talk about how he was a volunteer with a touchy-feely group designed to attract twenty- and thirty-something Catholics who didn't feel they got enough out of Mass and were looking to sit around talking about their feelings and singing praise and worship songs that border on relationship-emo and heterodoxy. His demeanor reminded me of that of someone else I'd known in that position several years ago, through a young adult group--confident, a bit smug, a bit smooth. The interest he possibly communicated to me was one of recruitment, not potential companionship. That's O.K.--he would've run from this semi-traditionalist who appears younger than her years.

So close, and yet. . . still no match for this Maiden Aunt who isn't traditional enough for the RadTrads and isn't liberal enough for the Touchy-Feelies. I know it only takes one, but-

Sigh.

Comments

I'm a sucker for those classes, too.

Ca-yute! :)

That wedding situation is really...odd. And pretty crappy, if you ask me.
Amy Giglio said…
Kate, I wish I had someone to set you up on a date with. Alas, the only guy I would even think about has sold out to the democratic party and I'm not sure he's coming back.

On the otehr side, maybe you have judged this young man (or the other members of this group) a little too harshly. Maybe this is the only thing going around you guys for people our age. You don't really know where he stands unless you talk to him.
Kate P said…
Ashley--Odd is a good way of putting it. Don't get me wrong, they're nice people. I think their hearts are in the right place but things always turn out a little funny when they're involved.

Amy--thanks for the offer. ;) You may be right. Don't know if I'll see him again, though, to have the chance.

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