Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Survivor Liturgy Island - Part One


Eight Catholics…

Two teams…

One Island…

Ten days of dubious liturgy…

But there can be only one survivor of Liturgy Island!



Day One:
The contestants of Survivor Liturgy Island are dropped off on the island by a boat, or so they think. En route the boat is stopped, and all the participants are assembled on the stern of the boat and instructed on their first challenge.

They must exit the boat and swim to Liturgy Island. Upon reaching the island they must retrieve the Gather Hymnal, which is buried in a bucket of cheese on the beach, and then use it to break the secret of the Hass code.

The participants waste no time in exiting the boat and swimming to the island.

Tom from Arkansas is first to reach the island, but he struggles to find the Gather Hymnal – which has been buried in a bucket of cheese. Tom thought he had it but then realised he was actually holding a block of mouldy old cheese, although it’s easy to understand how he confused the two.

First to retrieve the Gather Hymnal is Jan from Ohio, and after much frantic searching she realises that the secret of the Hass code is that there is no secret! After just ten minutes of comparing Hass’ music Jan realises that it is simply too simple to be musically appealing, let alone contain any secret code.

Jan announces her discovery and she is crowned winner of the first challenge on Survivor Liturgy Island, meanwhile Dave from Texas is trying to figure out why his Gather Hymnal won’t open; until one of the other contestants points out that, just like Tom from Arkansas, he has also found a block of mouldy old cheese.

As winner of the first challenge Jan is allowed is given her Immunity Rosary to wear until the next challenge is complete. The Immunity Rosary means that Jan gets immunity from the first round of Survivor Liturgy Island evictions.

As the participants listen intently, the rules of Liturgy Island are read aloud and they are then split into two teams – Team Gregorian and Team Tridentine.

The two teams are sent to different sides of Liturgy Island and told to erect their temporary shelters and then to make their way to the Liturgy Island Chapel in the middle of the island for the second challenge.

Four hours later both teams are gathered in the chapel, waiting for instructions.

Things get interesting when both teams are given the details of the next challenge – to make a team sacred space using only items growing on the island. The teams are warned that they must follow the strict rules of sacred space building by not including any overtly religious symbolism. Each team has two hours to complete the challenge; with the wining team being allowed to return to their camp, while the losing team will have to vote one of their fellow team members off Liturgy Island.

Tom from Arkansas immediately suggests that his team, Team Tridentine, votes on who should be appointed as chief liturgist for the team challenge. After much discussion the team appoints John from New York to the role of chief liturgist. Unfortunately this has taken them almost 115 minutes, leaving them only five minutes to complete the actual challenge. The team scatters and grabs several smooth stones, some palm branches, and a shrubbery. They return to the chapel and place their items on top of the altar in a random configuration.

The horn sounds to signal that the time is up and that each team must stop what they are doing to wait for the judge’s decision on their completed sacred spaces.

The judges are impressed by Team Tridentine’s creation and announce that they are the winners. Team Tridentine returns to their shelter while Team Gregorian is asked to report to the Parish Council area to decide who will be first to leave Liturgy Island.

The vote doesn’t take long, and Team Gregorian votes Karl from Los Angles off the island because he was the one who placed the one branch haphazardly on top of another one – which meant that their sacred space had a centre piece that almost looked like a cross – something that is frowned upon in the rules of sacred space construction.

The remaining members of Team Gregorian return to their side of the island, feeling dejected, and facing the daunting prospect of the coming challenges with a team member short.


To be continued…
Team Gregorian's overtly religious sacred space:

2 comments:

Brian Michael Page said...

Hilarious! Can't wait to see the next episode already! hehehe!
BMP

KaleJ said...

Any truth to the rumor that the theme song is the Ode to Fr. Vosko