Ecce Homo

I couldn't decide whether to title this post "Worst Mass Ever" or "Why the Orthodox Will Never Reunite With Us," so I went for the Latin instead. From the Diocese of Orange County (where else?):

The featured speaker was Father Fred Bailey, pastor of Corpus Christi church in Aliso Viejo. ... "I encourage the parishioners to come in costume to the Halloween Mass. Why shouldn't the family" -- he gestured around to all of us -- "enjoy themselves when they gather together? And don't be afraid of Halloween! It's only a pumpkin! It can't hurt you! Anyway, last year, I wore a Superman costume under my vestments. When the Mass was over I took them off and showed the costume -- with its fake chest I looked far better than I ever really did. This year, I wore one of those inflatable costumes, a pumpkin. Just before I took off my vestments at the end of Mass, I started inflating, and got some really funny looks as the vestments expanded. Then I took them off and revealed the costume."

The mental image isn't helped by the article's description of Father Bailey as "heavyset." God only knows what the parishioners thought was happening to him.

Via Amy Welborn, who as always has good things to say.