Excitement, confusion, fear, hope...

are all the responses I had to that video.

Having worked with preston groups for a good few years in my last job, I am not surprised that so many people stopped and kneeled.

Preston, by the way (I should explain, for everyone apart from Dennis!) is an uber-Catholic town. The reformation never took hold in Preston and so what you have there is the last vestige of old English Catholicism rather than the Irish import variety which the rest of us have. There are a huge amount of parishes, and the Friars pictured here are from the Chaplaincy to the University (Central Lancs) where they are doing some awesome work (after replacing the bloke who came to be my boss at Castlerigg, incidentally!)

I think this is interesting in a few ways. Firstly, as an idea and secondly as a sort of metaphor.

The metaphor is that Jesus was brought into the midst of normal life: some kneeled, some stood in quiet reverence, some sneered, some probably didn't have a clue what was going on. A parallel to so many things.

As an idea, I love the notion of bringing overtly holy things into public spaces and just seeing how people react. Even if it has a profound effect on just one person, it's worth it. Of course, there are dangers and problems to be sidestepped, but generally I love it!

As an idea, I love the notion of bringing overtly holy things into public spaces and just seeing how people react. Even if it has a profound effect on just one person, it's worth it. Of course, there are dangers and problems to be sidestepped, but generally I love it!

Working at Spirit in the City a few years ago, I popped into the prayer tent and was somewhat flabberghasted to have Jesus sitting there on the altar... it was lovely, beautiful and very prayerful, but just not what I was expecting. I think I kind of fell on the floor (because I hadn't walked in prepared to genuflect, let alone kneel!) but it was a lovely experience, and a lot of people had quite powerful experiences in there

Can I play devil's advocate for a moment?

Arguments that could be raised against this might be:

• Is it appropriate? There are times when we bring the Blessed Sacrament out 'in public' - Blessed Sacrament Processions and open air masses are two examples. Usually they are surrounded by other things such as liturgical/para-liturgical rites, canopies etc. Should we be 'exposing' the Blessed Sacrament in this way?
• Is it fair to Catholics? Those Catholics passing by might (perhaps rightly) suspect a hoax, or that their faith is being mocked in some way. Indeed, the flashmob might be from the Anglo-Catholic parish down the road! How can Catholics be reassured that this is not the case? Is this a weakness of this kind of statement?
• Is it fair to non-Catholics/Christians? Some may think this is what we usually do with the Blessed Sacrament i.e. there is more that we do to venerate the host than simply kneeling before it.
• Does it say what we want it to say? Flashmobs are usually, and often intentionally, ambiguous. They are generally one-off events too. How does this sit with our understanding of the Eucharist and does this cultural phenomenon provide the right platform for communicating what our Catholic faith is about?

Just some thoughts. 

I think that's fair, Jack.

By the way, has anyone here been involved in a Blessed Sacrament Procession. This seems to be the closest para-liturgical practice to the video above, and perhaps might be something that can be done with a little more frequency. I know in many places they have died out - not sure about Preston. I guess that the flashmob was done to coincide with Corpus Christi.

So what about it? Are Blessed Sacrament Processions a good idea/or even possible in todays climate? Would it be seen as stirring up racial or religious tension? Have they a place in Catholic or English cultural life?

I see that the article from the Tablet does not contain a direct quote, yet if the piece captures the intentions of the organisers, then I think that's interesting. On that basis, there are a few issues that I have with the rationale.

At the outset let me say clearly that Eucharistic Adoration is good and expounding scripture in public is good!

However, flashmobbing as a strategy for public reverence of the Eucharist is, for me, a flawed one for a number of reasons. The main point I want to make is that flashmobs don't engage the passer-by - they are not designed to get people involved - but adoration requires something by nature of what it is. When I was in community I remember going down to the local town to do a drama on a street corner - we did our thing and went, hoping that someone might have noticed us. Whether it touched anyone I don't know, but we only did it once in the three years I was in community. There-in lies the weakness of what I call 'hit-and-run evangelisation' - it does not respect the person or engage them at the level of worship, not initially at any rate. To engage folks it requires space, time and dedication which is something that can't be achieved with a flashmob.

The connection made with the 'New Evangelisation' is, I think, unfortunate. If they were to make this event a regular one so that people can pay due respect then it ceases to be a flashmob, by definition! On that basis a Eucharistic Flashmob can't be a part of the 'New Evangelisation' in the way that Brs Coleman and Ferguson describe - perhaps if public adoration was part of a larger 'event' then maybe it could be. So, for all the wonderful sentiments this video inspires (and it did move me) I don't see the Eucharistic flashmob becoming the ordinary way Catholics adore Christ in public.

Peace.

Shockingly enough, I dont like this at all 

I LOVE the text read out, I LOVE the concept of Jesus being in and amongst us, but I believe this is such a special and sacred thing and it upsets me to see people walking past, or sneering or laughing.

Just my personal opinion. I think a tent is different and I like that idea. Then people come because they are curious and they are free to leave again without causing offence. But this, I am not comfortable with.