Is This The Way Of The Church?

My grandfather is suffering from Alzheimers. His disease has no treatment or cure, in other words it's a one-way street. It has come to a point where he cannot remember any of his grandchildren, friends or relatives. He only remembers my grandmother, who is patiently tending to his needs and standing by him as his mental health deteriorates. The epitome of Through sickness and health...

The only thing my grandfather lives for right now is for his Catholic faith. As a communion minister, he religiously attends mass every Friday and Sunday to serve the Body of Christ. It could be the comfort of routine or the comfort in prayer and faith that draws him to church every week.

For the past few months, my grandfather has started the habit of taking a few pieces of the Host and places them in his pocket so that he can consume the Eucharist every other day of the week that he doesn't attend mass. Many from the church frowned upon this action, as the Eucharist acts as the Body of Christ and you are not allowed to take it home, let alone put it in your pocket.

My grandmother, embarrassed by his actions tried to stop him from doing it, threatening him that they won't be able to go back to church if he keeps this up. Of course, none of this made any sense to my grandfather and he continued to smuggle little pieces of the Eucharist back home in his pocket.

My grandparents have been attending mass in St Johns for over 5 decades, so of course they are considered regulars. They sit at the same pew, week after week, other parishioners know them by name, so surely they know that he's been suffering from this for a while, no?

So last Sunday, when my grandparents attended mass, my grandfather went to the alter to perform his weekly service. He not only took a few pieces of the Host but after serving the congregation he went to the choir and asked them if they have received Holy Communion. He may have asked out of concern, them singing the communion hymn may not have given them the chance to receive Communion, but we all don't know how his mind works anymore.

Seeing this action by my grandfather, the resident priest of St John's called him up to the alter, during mass, in front of the entire congregation and had a few words with him. Of course, none of us will ever know what the Father said to my grandfather, but I think we can guess the gist of what he said.

After embarrassing my grandparents in a huge cathedral, the Father continued the service. After it ended, my grandmother, took it upon herself to apologise to the priest for my grandfather's actions. She also said that it would be wise to attend mass at a different church.

Instead of giving my grandmother compassion and offering a solution to her, he agreed with her. He thought that it was a good idea to attend masses at a different church. Can you believe it?

What man of God turns people away from their church? What man turns away an 80-year old man and his wife from the place of worship that they have loyally attended every Sunday? What human being doesn't understand?

I can't get over how dismissive the priest was with my grandparents. How can you willingly ask someone to leave their place of worship? Isn't the foundation of Christianity forgiveness? My grandfather isn't well, I understand that he may make other parishioners uncomfortable but does that mean you take away the one thing in his life that he looks forward to every week?

If you were in my shoes, what would you do? Would you speak to the priest? Would you kick up a fuss?

Shame on you Father, how do you look yourself in the mirror and claim yourself to be a man of God? Aren't you supposed to lead by example? It is instances like these that you realise that religion is just a man-made institution. As long as you have pure faith in your heart, nobody can take away the love God has for you...even if they are a 'priest'.

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."