Invisible Students Pose Problem for Local Church

TNS News Service

Atchison
A local Catholic Church has been overrun with what some describe as an infestation of invisible college students.

St. Benedict’s Parish in Atchison, Kansas, has had a few unwelcome guests at their local Sunday Masses at 10:30 in the morning. One parishioner, Lenny Madison describes the Church’s new visitors as “unwelcome.”

“They take up all the parking spots, all of the pews, and they sing way too softly. They shouldn’t be there.”

Yesterday, according to some parishioners, the invisible students parked in the small parking lot right in front of the church, forcing parishioners to walk to Mass from a block away. This, as well as the number of students participating in the Mass, prompted many parishioners to skip Mass.

“Why do I need to go to a Church filled with invisible people? If they are not going to be hospitable and allow me to park where I want to, why should I go to Mass?” Mr. Madison commented.

Peggy Crist suggests that maybe the college do something about the number of invisible people at the 10:30 Mass.

“They wrote a letter for the visible students, explaining that they were taking up parking spaces and pew space, and we didn’t have that problem anymore. Now, I think they should do the same for the invisible students.”

It is a fact that the student population at the parish Masses has decreased significantly at the parish Masses, and that only a small handful are driving the “half-block commute” to park in the parish parking lot. However, the number of invisible students has remained steady.

“They have their own Mass and we have ours,” Mr. Madison commented. “It’s just like the Jews in Biblical times. They worshipped in Jerusalem, while the Samaritans worshipped somewhere else. That’s how it should be.”

The Benedictine College Ministry has said that they are planning on posting an invisible letter on the invisible billboard in the Church to the invisible students as to where would be the most acceptable place to worship.

© TNS News Service