An Unusual but Very Special Roman Catholic Mass...in Antarctica

Chaplain Laura and Mary, Catholic Eucharistic Minister

I really wanted to tell this story on my blog when I was deployed to Antarctica in 2010, but was asked to wait awhile, as "Rome (the Vatican) might become upset!". 

Hmmm.  (Yes, I am really concerned about the Vatican becoming upset.  I am a female priest, Episcopal priest that is!) 

But, in the spirit of respect and collegiality, I have waited a few years before now sharing this story on my blog.

So here was the situation.  While I was serving as the "Protestant" Chaplain at the Chapel of the Snows in McMurdo Station, my Roman Catholic colleague, Fr. Ron, a civilian priest from New Zealand, was to rotate back to New Zealand after serving 4 weeks in Antarctica.  His replacement was to come down and serve for 4 weeks.  Us Protestant Chaplains were in the Air National Guard, and served for 8 weeks. So during my 8 week tour, I would serve with two different Roman Catholic priests. 

About the last week or so Fr. Ron 's 4 week tour of duty, we found out that his replacement was not able to come down to Antarctica due to health issues.  No substitute could be found.  So, basically in a few days, we would have no Roman Catholic priest.

The Catholic mass was held every Sunday at 9 am, and the Protestant service at 10:30 am, which I led.   We tried to think of a way to still hold a Catholic service for the Catholics serving at McMurdo Station. And this is what we came up with....

Fr. Ron asked a young lady, (Mary, in the photo above) if she would like to be a lay Eucharistic minister and lead the service.  She wanted to, but was a bit nervous as she had not done anything like this before.    I offered to give a homily for the Catholic mass, as I used the lectionary for my homilies too, and we were on the same schedule for scripture readings as the Roman Catholics.

And so, Fr. Ron gave Mary a crash course in leading a lay Eucharist Catholic service. 

As for music, another Catholic laywoman played guitar and sang and was very, very good.  Mary seemed a bit more relaxed knowing we would all be doing this together.  

Before each little "mass" we led, all three of us would pray together, and then go and lead the Catholic service.

And so, for two or three Sundays, three women led the Roman Catholic mass there in McMurdo Station.  Me, the "Protestant" Chaplain giving the homily, Mary as the Lay Eucharistic Minister, and the other lady leading the music! 

And all were happy at the Chapel of the Snows, Catholic and Protestant alike!

And all was good!



(And I would be willing to bet, the Vatican would be happy about this too!)