I have just come back from Holy Day mass and witnessed to the most horrifying example of Catholicism gone nuttier. The priest got up at the end of mass,and told the congregation, which was composed of perhaps 1/3 to 1/2 Mexican Americans, that they were not to stay and pray their Virgin of Guadalupe novena because the Mass took care of any prayers. Well, so what if it was redundant..and he did not say so take the night off..he said this is a stern warning and on and on. They were not not to stay and do the novena. Everyone knows how important this devotion is to them. And what inthe world is a priest telling people not to stay and pray for whatever reason. It was so insulting to all of us. They stayed in a cluster after Mass. Some were crying..perhaps over something else..I don't know. It was rude and totally unnecessary and I am going to inform someone of this. I might write to the local paper. mg