Guess what the Archbishop said in church

[dorisdvu]

I attended mass this past Saturday. The Archbishop was in attendance as there were confirmations being made during mass. While he, 2 other priests and 3 deacons were on the altar the Archbishop was introducing everyone and he said and I brought Deacon so and so to keep us from killing ourselves up here. Well I was dumbfounded. I thought well maybe this was just a mistake--slip up. After the gospel was read, he was talking about the confirmation letters that he had received and said he was going to read a few---you all would kill me if I read them all. I was livid. My great nephew (5 yrs) was at school and he was playing with another kid and said something like I'm going to kill you. The teacher called my niece to discuss this with him. A friend of my SIL child said something similar and was expelled. I have written a letter to the Archdiocese and the parish (haven't mailed yet). Am I making too much out of this?

 

[AirForceRocks]

JMO, but yes, I think you are.

 

[dorisdvu]

Originally posted by AirForceRocks
JMO, but yes, I think you are.

Maybe it just hit me wrong. Thanks for your input.

 

[OhMari]

In a way, ya, but I work for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and I would still send my letter. Our new Archbishop, Timothy Dolan is so down to earth, he would appreciate the letter he wouldn't snicker at it.

Sometimes the figure of speech that is made, is because he was unprepared, so he makes a comment and doesn't even realize it.

These men are highly educated individuals, and sometimes a gentle word or message to them is a wake up call to there figure of speech.

I know our principal at our school would have gotten teary eyed immediately if she heard that. She just lost her son in a accident, he was 19 and got hit by a car.

 

[mus muris asinus]

Originally posted by OhMari
In a way, ya, but I work for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and I would still send my letter. Our new Archbishop, Timothy Dolan is so down to earth, he would appreciate the letter he wouldn't snicker at it.

Sometimes the figure of speech that is made, is because he was unprepared, so he makes a comment and doesn't even realize it.

These men are highly educated individuals, and sometimes a gentle word or message to them is a wake up call to there figure of speech.

I know our principal at our school would have gotten teary eyed immediately if she heard that. She just lost her son in a accident, he was 19 and got hit by a car.

Why would the woman get teary-eyed? Because of the mere mention of the word "kill" in an off the cuff remark? It would be different if the Archbishop joked that the deacon drove them all there so that they didn't kill anyone on the road on the way there, but there seems to be no correlation to the Archbishop's comments and the woman's unfortunate tragedy.

A figure of speech is a figure of speech -- I can't imagine the Archbishop said it with any malice intended, simply as a joke.

 

[Shannon G]

I guess my only question is whether the children who were punished for saying something similar were attending a school which is affiliated with the church. Then I would see it as a problem if the Church, through its school, is punishing kids for saying it, while the Archbishop is saying it in church.

Otherwise, I agree that it is usually used simply as a figure of speech, not meant literally. In fact, unless the children who were punished actually said it in a malicious manner, I think the schools you mentioned were overreacting.

I would, however, still send the letter, but would try to send it more as an FYI - "I know you were just using a figure of speech, but I thought you might be interested to know that schools (likely due to fear of liability) are punishing children for saying such things, and we are therefore trying to teach our children that it is inappropriate." Or something similar.

 

[thinkerbell]

This is just an opinion---but, I don't see the two sayings as similar. I have said before, something like "My husband would kill me if I spent that much money." I wasn't threatening anyone. I was just using it as a figure of speech and of course, he really wouldn't kill me.
If I was talking to someone and said,"I'll kill you if you do that again" then that would be in a threatening way. I see it as totally different.
And then again, maybe I am way off base here.

 

[gemmie214]

The child using the world "kill" in a sentence was using it as a "threat" (not that I believe he really meant it). He was saying that he intended to do bodily harm. In most schools regardless, what the age, there is a zero tolerance party for threatening speech.
The Archbishop was using the word"kill" in a different way. The adults on the alter needed someone to help them from killing each other, it sounds to me like the Archbishop did not use the word kill as in murder. Maybe he meant it as in they would be tripping over each other without the Deacons organizational help. As for the 2nd example, again, I highly doubt the word "kill" was being used to convey the meaning that the whole congregation was going to uprise and murder him. It was used as a figure of speech showing that The Archbishop assumed the crowed would not be pleased to sit through many many long letters.
So, I guess I am saying, Yes, I also think you are over reacting.

 

[Disney Doll]

It's a figure of speech and yes, you are overreacting.

 

[Keli]

I too, think of this as a figure of speech and I would not be upset about it's use.