The Italians have taken it to a whole new level-we won’t even have to leave the beach.
Fortunately mass is pretty much the same no matter where you go. Basically the only thing that changes is the language. Mass is performed from a Missalette so all one has to do is find the local Catholic Church in their destination city. But, will there be anyone there to perform the mass this summer?
Catholic nuns and priests in Italy are following their flocks to the beach this summer, establishing an inflatable church and a beach-convent in the sands to lure sunbathers. Nuns from the convents in the cities near Naples have moved into beach cabins. This relocation makes them readily available to beach goers.
The 98 foot-long blow-up church — staffed by priests ready to take confession — will debut on Saturday on the Adriatic coast in the Molise region, an organizer said. There are two alters for the purpose of saying the rosary and praying which are housed under a tent alongside the inflatable church.
Will this inflatable church be mistaken by children as a bounce house? Will it garner the reverence that a traditional church commands? If it looks anything like this image, this may not be the greatest idea to get the flock back in the church during the summer season, but it is worth a try.
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LOL! That’s just so imaginative that you have to give kudos to the “nun” or “priest” that thought of the confessionals by the beach.
That alone, should be good enough to have its own reality show. Can you just imagine??
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Debo Hobo Reply:
August 10th, 2008 at 11:36 am
I know Sharon, they should put a few of these on the beach during spring break.
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I just wonder what they will wear? These aren’t cold beaches, are they? I’m just thinking they’ll be quite warm dressed all in black as is typical. Do they have lighter weight fare for the beaches? Maybe they’ll all wear white or something?
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Wow! This is real… well, I just wonder if people will take it seriously. You know, if they’ll think the church is being made a mockery of. It’s actually pretty cool looking though.
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Debo Hobo Reply:
August 12th, 2008 at 7:47 am
If I were there I would definitely take advantage of it, but I would also want to visit the actual cathedrals in Italy as well. I like that they are providing an option for the beachgoer.
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Seriously Debo… where do you find this stuff? A blow-up church at the beach! That’s hillarious. And very inventive. Gotta give it to the Catholics, they’re top knotch in thinking up new evangilism techniques.
I wonder… what would a swimming habbit look like for a nun?
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Debo Hobo Reply:
August 12th, 2008 at 7:44 am
I need to do a follow up on this to see what they actually wore. Nuns normally wear all black, but I’m sure the Vatican may have made an exception for thinking outside the box like this. “doubt it” but we’ll see.
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A church on the beach? I have nothing against church, but if I’m at the beach I’d like to have fun.
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Yup I am same opinion, when I am on beach I want to have fun
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dcr, I hear that black absorbs heat better than lighter clothing….. Of course, you wouldn’t catch me wearing all my clothes and some when lounging at the beach
sharons last blog post..Holiday Style Secret Weapons
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