Archbishop Welby Tells the Pope a Good Liturgy Joke

As you’ve perhaps read, Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury got a laugh out of Pope Francis by telling him this old joke:

What’s the difference between a liturgist and a terrorist?
You can negotiate with a terrorist.

Harummph! That’s not funny. We liturgists are not like that. I deeply resent any insinuation that we take ourselves too seriously. I for one am offended by your laughter.

A monk once said in chapter here, “Liturgists are people who think that if we put the credence table in just the right spot, then they’ll come.”

Again, not funny. Stop laughing. Now.

awr

 

 

 

Anthony Ruff, OSB

Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB, is a monk of St. John's Abbey. He teaches liturgy, liturgical music, and Gregorian chant at St. John's University School of Theology-Seminary. He is widely published and frequently presents across the country on liturgy and music. He is the author of Sacred Music and Liturgical Reform: Treasures and Transformations, and of Responsorial Psalms for Weekday Mass: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter. He does priestly ministry at the neighboring community of Benedictine sisters in St. Joseph.

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Comments

17 responses to “Archbishop Welby Tells the Pope a Good Liturgy Joke”

  1. Christian McConnell

    Alternate punchline: A terrorist has supporters.

    Reply
  2. Elisabeth Ahn

    For some reason, the Welby side is now saying the story is not true:

    https://twitter.com/lambethpalace/status/784327980893908992

    Guess somebody over there didn’t find it funny, either (lol).

    Reply
  3. Frank Agnoli

    “A liturgist is a plague, sent by God to where the Church is not suffering active persecution so that nobody will be denied the privilege of suffering for the faith.”

    Reply
    1. Rita Ferrone Avatar
      Rita Ferrone

      @Frank Agnoli:
      No, no, that’s what liturgy COMMITTEES are for!

      Reply
  4. Alan Hommerding

    A surgeon, an engineer, and a liturgist were discussing which of them had the oldest profession.
    Surgeon: God created Eve out of Adam’s rib, so God was the first surgeon.
    Engineer: But before that, God structured everything out of chaos; God was the first engineer.
    Liturgist: And who do you think created the chaos?

    Reply
    1. Paul H Colloton, OSFS

      It’s helpful to be able to laugh at ourselves. Chaos, how else would we invite God to restore order and remind us that God is in charge.

      Reply
  5. Liborius Lumma

    It is funny when a liturgist makes that joke, but not when a non-liturgist does…

    Reply
  6. John Swencki

    Msgr. Marini veritably chortled.

    Reply
  7. Fergus Ryan

    The difference? A terrorist is always wrong.

    Reply
  8. Jacquelyn Graham

    Quit using that joke about 15 years ago. You can’t negotiate with terrorists anymore.

    Reply
  9. Reyanna Rice

    It would be great if there was video of this for viewing…

    Reply
  10. Abe Rosenzweig

    I heard Harvey Graham tell this same joke about 10 years ago, but it was tenured faculty instead of liturgists.

    Reply
  11. Tony Barr

    I thought the difference between a liturgist and a terrorist is that a liturgist never has a weekend free…

    Reply
  12. Felix Kryzanowski

    Pope John Paul II once asked an Archbishop from Canada, I think it was in a liturgical context, why do you North Americans call native people Indians. The reply was that it was Columbus’s fault, and that it’s fortunate that he wasn’t searching for Turkey.

    Reply
  13. Rudolf Pacik

    This joke about liturgists is very old. I heard it many years ago in Austria. – Some truth is in it: Among theologians, liturgists are often reputed to be know-it-alls, kill-joys, and pedants…

    Reply
  14. Padre Dave the Lutheran

    I originally read it in a Martin Marty newsletter in the early ’80’s.

    Reply
    1. Robert Addington

      @Padre Dave the Lutheran:

      Your Dr Marty is a distinguished Lutheran scholar and, I beliee, one of the few surviving Protestant observers at Vatican II.

      Reply

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