To Stave Off Decline, Churches Attract New Members With Beer

CAT Tracks Editor's Note:

There may yet be hope for my eternal soul!

The first (and last) mass I attended at SIU shook this music-loving, ultra-conservative Catholic's faith. When we reached the point in the service where a hymn would have been played on organ and sung reverently by the congregation in my hometown church, well, the guitarist did stand and lead the assembled in rousing version of "Turn, Turn, Turn" by the Byrds.

Yes...

...as the song goes "to everything there is a season" and it was time for this traditionalist to fly south.

But, alas...

...when I arrived at my safe southern nest, change had arrived before me, the "handshake of friendship" or whatever it is called, in a city where a not-so-civil war was being waged in the streets.

What? Shake hands and come out fighting?

Actually, that was not a problem, since there were two Catholic churches, one for whites, one for blacks, albeit members of each were allowed to attend either church (and a few did...at least before the arrival of the radical priest and the "black church" became the center of the revolution, a target and source of nightly gunfire.) However, in most cases, the "mixing" was for the convenience of communing with God, not sharing brotherly love.

So, anyway...

This lapsed Catholic might "sign up" for a service at the "Kyrie Church-in-a-Pub" in Forth Worth, Texas. Hel..., uh, heck, I might even be in the mood to sing along to the 1980's pop hymn by Mr. Mister: Kyrie Eleison Lyrics (YouTube Video)

At the conclusion of which, we would all pick up our glasses and mugs, raise them on high...