Polish tradition assumes that around Christmas and New Year, the priest performs a carol service. This means he visits parishioners in their homes, theoretically to talk and bless them and their homes. In Poland, the priest dictates the dates for the carol service by going from house to house every day (or on specific days of the week). This means that the priest provides the order of the carol service on a given day (or on specific streets), for example, on a website or in church display cases, where we can find information: what time the carol service begins on a given day and on which street, sometimes with house numbers, from such-and-such to such-and-such. Sometimes a single carol service is an entire block, if there are about 100 apartments there. Sometimes the streets are divided, and sometimes there are even several streets in a single carol service. In short, we know when the priest begins, but we have no idea what time he will arrive.
It’s different abroad. Most often, there’s nothing like this. For example, in the United States, a priest arranges for dinner or coffee with parishioners year-round, if they invite him because they want to talk about something calmly, or to have their house blessed. Personally, I think this option is better.
In Polish tradition, the entire family should be waiting for the priest at home, the table should be covered with a white tablecloth. The table should include a cross, two candles on either side, a Bible, a religion notebook if the child attends school and has one, and the most controversial element: an envelope with an offering for the church. Some people give nothing (a minority), while others put several thousand in the envelope.
I believe that the Polish form of caroling is not good for anyone. The priest goes door-to-door, never knowing what awaits him, how he will be received, the temperature fluctuations are significant, which promotes infection, and there is no time for a longer conversation if one is truly needed. As for parishioners, it’s forcing them to stay home, disrespecting them, for example, by publishing the Christmas carol service schedule the day before (and why should people take time off work at this point?) – and I assure you, such situations do exist. There are also places where the priest attends mornings and afternoons, and others where the priest only attends in the afternoon. There are also expectations about how the home should look, but they themselves (priests and altar boys) will enter and trample everything (which can be especially bothersome where they go from house to house, and the streets are winter, snow, salt, slush, mud…). For many elderly or sick people, cleaning up after such a service can be quite a challenge. And that’s okay. Parishioners are forced to sit and wait for them for who knows how long, sometimes even into the night. And there are no exceptions, whether it’s a small child or an elderly person who has trouble sitting for that long, or someone who is sick or healthy. Everyone is the same, because the priest has to go through and collect the envelopes. Yes, collect the envelopes. Very often, it comes down to this.
He’ll come, say a prayer, sprinkle holy water (or not), ask how things are going (but don’t talk too much), sometimes ask what people think about what’s happening in the Church, and move on, because there are still so many houses to visit, but of course, he practically always takes an offering. I personally know of only three cases where a priest didn’t take an envelope after the Christmas carol service. It’s worth mentioning that in some places, people donate several envelopes for housing (for the priest, for the church, for the organist). This is a considerable income, which they don’t brag about, and I’m not at all convinced it goes to the church.
What are the consequences of not accepting the Christmas carol? Problems with funerals, problems with First Communion if a child is scheduled to receive it in a given year or in a given preparation cycle. The same applies to confirmation, baptism, or marriage. The problem with becoming a godmother/godfather for a child or a witness for confirmation. In short, if there’s no carol service, there’s a problem with the sacraments in church. Is this approach fair?
What I see in carol service: a lack of respect for the faithful, a lack of time for a proper heart-to-heart if someone needs it, rushing, money for the priest, and scrutinizing parishioners’ lives. I don’t see God in it, nor a true encounter. Unless, of course, they pray the Our Father or something else at home (because where two or three people gather in My Name, there I am). But after the prayer, I don’t see any encouragement to faith. It’s tiring and unnecessary for both parties. I’m sorry, but if there weren’t carol services, priests would have smaller bank accounts. What are your thoughts on this?