Saturday, July 16, 2011

More Liturgical Abuse Chat

Can't we all just get along?

Sure, if you SAY THE BLACK AND DO THE RED!

Sorry, Father Z, I had to borrow your catch-phrase, but I tell you, I've had it.  I want to go to Mass and hear what I'm supposed to hear and see what I'm supposed to see.

I already carried on about the Mass on Monday where the priest completely ad-libbed the entire Mass.  On Tuesday, thankfully, I was at the Shrine of Our Lady of Czesthochowa with Father Frank Pavone and no liturgical abuse took place, aside from the clapping.

Wednesday, the priest did not lift the chalice for the consecration.  He left it sitting on the altar while he said the words.  He also did not add water to the chalice after  Holy Communion, which, although it did not contain enough to drink on its own, still held the Precious Blood.  Rather than purify the vessel, the priest stuffed a purificator in it and left it on the altar.

Next day, my bad luck to get the same priest.  This time he lifted the chalice, but he did not bother to properly see to the remnants of Precious Blood after communion, same as the day before.

Unbelievably, though I went to another Mass, thinking I knew this priest's schedule and could avoid him,  I got him again, and once more, the chalice sat neglected.   I know he's already been told about this.  I have no desire to dime on a priest, but Our Lord is being neglected and I cannot continue to watch it happen.

This same priest often ad-libs parts of the Mass. He makes up his own prayers for the English version of the Kyrie.  He always leaves the line "and the love of God" out of the introductory rite.  And he came out for Mass all three days in shorts, which his alb and chasuble were  not long enough to disguise. I blame the pastor for this because this is a recently ordained priest who obviously needs a little more supervision.  But the pastor can't be bothered to stick to the rubrics either, so what do I expect?  The pastor can't be bothered to lift the Host more than 2 seconds during the consecration. Yet there are other very fine and orthodox priests at this parish who know and do the right thing.  One wonders how much, if any, they have spoken up.

I have concluded that if this is my only option certain days for daily Mass, it would be better to miss and go to Adoration instead.  I don't want to be part of this kind of  outright laziness and neglect for Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

10 comments:

  1. I'd recommend against missing Mass and going to adoration. Painful though the actions of these priest may be, your patience and reception of Our Lord will give you far more grace than adoration will.

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  2. But Joyce, think what a consolation you are to Jesus at this Mass where He is not treated with the respect and adoration He deserves. Besides, would His Heart not break if you went elsewhere rather than where He could experience the love He thirsts for in you, at least?

    If you were absent, would He not be even less honored and adored in that place?

    Adoration is wonderful, but a lifetime of Eucharistic Adoration cannot replace even one Holy Communion.

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  3. Daniel and Patricia, thank you for your advice, you are of course right. I have written to the pastor for whatever good it will do. At least I can say I tried.

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  4. Joyce

    I have been struggling also--w/ noise, screaming children, priests that refuse to advise people that Church is the holy house of God, you know, the usual. I agree w/ Daniel. We have to persevere. I was just mentioning this to another person on a blog who stopped going for similar reasons. As I told her, I think that this is exactly what the enemy wants. He wants us to give up. I persevere because I believe it is reparation for my sins and sins of all mankind. Lord knows it is reparation for these abuses you describe.

    I have started speaking up, as I have told you, to the folks making noise before, during and after Mass. They don't like it; however, I think that it is our responsibility. I wrote to my Monsignor about the noise level w/ suggestions—along letter. The National Shrine. He blew me off. His response? Thank you for your note. If we don't care, who will? You, me, this other woman –we are not alone....we just can't give up. Say something to your Pastor. The other thing is --I think, for me, when I am reverent and respectful in Church I can set an example for others--not that I am some sort of paragon of virtue, but you know what I mean. We have lived so long w/ abuse that I forget that there is, by now, probably two generations that are so acclimated to it, they don't even know that this abuse exists. I didn't, at one time.

    Keep fighting the good fight. We have to encourage one another and be Christ to each other when we are discouraged. Some days you are up and some days I am down. We either work toward heaven together or we hurry to hell together, as St. Catherine of Sienna would say.

    Maria

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  5. Thanks Maria, but just to clarify - this stuff never happens at my own parish - I wish I could get to my own church for Mass each morning but it's too late for work-day mornings and sometimes a little too early for days when I'm off! Today, I made the effort to get to my own parish to take a break from watching Mass a la Anything Goes. My pastor would never let anything let this happen at our parish.

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  6. Some of those lapses are quite serious Joyce. I'm with Maria. You should write to the his Monsignor or to his Bishop. He's playing with fire. And if he takes his job so lackadaisically then I would question if his calling to be a priest is serious. In my past two years of going to mass regularly, the only times I've seen a similar procedural error is because of a new music director playing the music at the wrong time and screwing things up.

    What does "SAY THE BLACK AND DO THE RED" mean? I don't get it.

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  7. Manny
    In the Missal, the words that are to be said are in black, and the rubrics which direct the gestures and postures adopted by the priest and congregation during the Mass are in red. So if the priests says what's in black and does what's in red, you should have a liturgically correct and valid Mass, not Sunday morning at the Improv. Hope that helps.
    Joyce

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  8. I just want to offer my prayers and encouragement. I agree that your presence there must be a consolation to our Lord.

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  9. Thank you Mindy, both are much appreciated
    Joyce

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  10. Thanks for the explanation Joyce.

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