Why nose scratching and thurables don't mix.

Sorry I haven't been writing much lately. I've been pretty busy which schoolwork and other boring things. But finally, the great moment has arrived!
Sunday before last, Gemma and her family were so kind as to transport me to the Bishop's Lenten Youth Pilgrimage. We left after mass and had a lovely drive to the Catholic College where the pilgrimage was. We got there and met up with a bunch of people we know, two of whom, Evan and Dennis, were our buddies from church, who are Sacred Music majors at the local Lutheran College. We got our seats of some delightful wooden bleachers, and proceeded to sit, unenthusiastically to several hours of praise and worship music. Let's put this in perspective, Gemma has been attending Latin mass for as long as Fr. B has been saying it, Evan, Dennis, and I are resent converts to Catholicism, Even and Dennis are sacred Music Majors; What is wrong with this picture? According to Dennis, the best part was when Gemma leaned over to him and said,
"I love Latin Mass."
After the staff had tried, without success, to calm everyone down, we all went over to the Basilica (on campus)for adoration. By the time we got there all the seats were filled, so we, including Drew, had to sit in front of the first pew. We had a great view of course, but that didn't really help...
As we were kneeling there I noticed the Thurifer, whom I knew. I just kept on attempting to pray (it's not so easy in a church packed with teenagers). Of course, I had to look up at the wrong time. I glanced up, just in time to see the thurifer scratch his nose. It might not sound that funny, but he did it mid-swing, and he was so tall he had to hoist the thurable up a ways. I wouldn't have lost it had Dennis, who was next to me, not snickered. I don't normally lose it, but when I lose it, I lose it. So there I was, in a packed church giggling really hard at an inappropriate time, and to make matters worse, cracking up Gemma, who was on my other side. We had a Eucharistic procession around campus which wentr off pretty well until the end. I was walking along, somewhere in the middle of the procession when I noticed a young, hispanic girl in front of me. She was holding a bundle wrapped in a pink blanket, which, I could only assume was a baby. As there weren't any adults around, I came top the conclusion that this girl was an out of wed-lock mother. We processed back into the church, and my group managed to get a pew behind this girl. about 75% of the church was silent when suddenly, there came a bizarre, automated wail. It was issuing from the bundle in the girls arms. I looked at Gemma, agast. This couldn't be one of those baby doll they give middle-schoolers to teach them why being a parent is something you can wait for? Well, low and behold it was, and the thing went off about twice. Yeah, it was bad.
After the adoration and the Eiucharistic procession around campus, I was free to howl. I was hanging off the railing on the church steps laughing until I thought I would pop. Holding in laughter for an hour and a half is not as easy as it looks. While Gemma and I were still doubled up, the thurifer came up to me and said,
"what in the name of all thing funny, did I do that was so funny?"
Gemma and I looked at each other a burst out laughing. The Puzzled thurifer said,
"Again, I ask you, what in the names of all things funny, did I do that was so funny?"
Gemma and I just said,
"Uuuuuuuhhhhhh....." And looked at each other.
Finally one of us blurted out, "It was the baby doll."
"Uh, yeah."
Then, we had to go pick up Brandon from Fr. B's. We stayed for dinner, and Gemma and I amused the company by finally getting the hand motions from all the praise and worships music. So, It was a good, but very bizarre day.