Article on Beautiful Changes that Come to a California Parish

[KingTheoden]

Incoming Missal
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
J. Peter Nixon

**Get ready for changes to your Sunday Mass. **

*When Father Jeff Keyes arrived at St. Edward’s Parish in the summer of 2004, he found a thriving, multiethnic parish of 5,400 families on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay. Keyes’ religious order, the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, had sent him to become pastor of one of the order’s two remaining parishes in California.

While pleased with many aspects of his new assignment, there were certain things that bothered him. Passionate about the liturgy, Keyes felt that the parish’s approach to the celebration of the Eucharist conveyed a somewhat casual attitude toward this central mystery of the Christian faith.

It was an accumulation of small things, notes Keyes, who recalls, for example, that the parish **was using a loose-leaf lectionary rather than a bound copy. Keyes was troubled by the idea of having a “throwaway Word of God,” as he puts it. **

A trained musician with a number of published compositions to his credit, Keyes was particularly disturbed by the parish’s musical repertoire. At his first Mass, for example, the choir sang “Gather Us In,” whose third verse begins, “Not in the dark of buildings confining ??, not in **some **heaven light years away!.” Keyes was frustrated that a Catholic hymn would appear to dismiss our desire for heaven. "I said to people at the parish, ‘**That’s not what we believe!’ " says Keyes. ***

I encourage everyone to read the full article. It is fair and weighs the broader shift within the Church toward a more traditional, older style of worship.

What strikes me about this instance is that unlike much of the ‘usual’ cases, this does not seem driven by the 20-35 year old demographic. Rather, it appears that there is a general change across the Church not bound by age or conversion status (my unscientific research suggests that Protestant converts tend to be particularly given to Latin and tradition).

I am truly thankful have had the ability to attend daily mass at this parish in June while away for a seminar. Father Keyes has a commanding presence and deep reverence for the Eucharist.

Due to my schedule and move, I can’t make it to mass each morning, though I aim for twice during the week. This morning we did the Agnus Dei in Latin and though I feel silly having forgotten part of it, it was truly fitting for the beautiful and instructive mass (our pastor talked about exorcism, the importance of Holy Angels).

 

[Corki]

Sister Joyce Ann Zimmerman, a former seminary professor and director of the Institute for Liturgical Ministry in Dayton, Ohio, worries that these changes would make it harder for the assembly to participate actively in the liturgy. “There is a risk of returning to a very privatized religion with a large rift between the ordained minister and the people, where the priest is celebrating for us rather than with us. That’s not what Vatican II was about.”

And they wonder why a review of the orders of women’s religious was ordered. :banghead::banghead:

Great article. Thanks.

 

[diggerdomer]

Incoming Missal
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
J. Peter Nixon

**Get ready for changes to your Sunday Mass. **

*When Father Jeff Keyes arrived at St. Edward’s Parish in the summer of 2004, he found a thriving, multiethnic parish of 5,400 families on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay. Keyes’ religious order, the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, had sent him to become pastor of one of the order’s two remaining parishes in California.

While pleased with many aspects of his new assignment, there were certain things that bothered him. Passionate about the liturgy, Keyes felt that the parish’s approach to the celebration of the Eucharist conveyed a somewhat casual attitude toward this central mystery of the Christian faith.

It was an accumulation of small things, notes Keyes, who recalls, for example, that the parish **was using a loose-leaf lectionary rather than a bound copy. Keyes was troubled by the idea of having a “throwaway Word of God,” as he puts it. ***

A trained musician with a number of published compositions to his credit, Keyes was particularly disturbed by the parish’s musical repertoire. At his first Mass, for example, the choir sang “Gather Us In,” whose third verse begins, “Not in the dark of buildings confining ??, not in **some **heaven light years away!.” Keyes was frustrated that a Catholic hymn would appear to dismiss our desire for heaven. "I said to people at the parish, ‘**That’s not what we believe!’ " says Keyes. **

I encourage everyone to read the full article. It is fair and weighs the broader shift within the Church toward a more traditional, older style of worship.

What strikes me about this instance is that unlike much of the ‘usual’ cases, this does not seem driven by the 20-35 year old demographic. Rather, it appears that there is a general change across the Church not bound by age or conversion status (my unscientific research suggests that Protestant converts tend to be particularly given to Latin and tradition).

I am truly thankful have had the ability to attend daily mass at this parish in June while away for a seminar. Father Keyes has a commanding presence and deep reverence for the Eucharist.

Due to my schedule and move, I can’t make it to mass each morning, though I aim for twice during the week. This morning we did the Agnus Dei in Latin and though I feel silly having forgotten part of it, it was truly fitting for the beautiful and instructive mass (our pastor talked about exorcism, the importance of Holy Angels).

It struck me as a priest imposing his view of Catholic spirituality and worship on a faithful community without really getting to know and understand the people. Sure, one can impose rubrics and rules, but if you don’t meet people where they are I am not sure what the benefit is.,

 

[Eucharisted]

I am glad he is making the Liturgy more holy, but he is also breaking Church law regarding the homily. I will be contacting the parish about this.

Redemptionis Sacramentum
[67.] Particular care is to be taken so that the homily is firmly based upon the mysteries of salvation, expounding the mysteries of the Faith and the norms of Christian life from the biblical readings and liturgical texts throughout the course of the liturgical year and providing commentary on the texts of the Ordinary or the Proper of the Mass, or of some other rite of the Church.[147] It is clear that all interpretations of Sacred Scripture are to be referred back to Christ himself as the one upon whom the entire economy of salvation hinges, though this should be done in light of the specific context of the liturgical celebration. In the homily to be given, care is to be taken so that the light of Christ may shine upon life’s events. Even so, this is to be done so as not to obscure the true and unadulterated word of God: for instance, treating only of politics or profane subjects, or drawing upon notions derived from contemporary pseudo-religious currents as a source.

 

[Elizabeth502]

^Did I miss something? I read most of the article. I don’t remember anything about homily procedures. Could you enlighten?

 

[Silverburg]

5,400 families? By at least one measure the parish was already doing pretty well.

Loose-leaf Lectionary? Who cares? Leaflet Missals have their place. Anyone bringing this up as a “concern” would be suspect to me.

I do appreciate he canned some music with questionable lyrics.

I know where “plastic oil lamp candles” are used so that the flame remains visible and to reduce the ongoing maintenance time. Their use is not all bad in all situations.

I’m not sure how introducing Latin into the Mass makes it in any way “better.” I’d rather understand what I was singing. If I had a great need for hearing Latin I would attend an Extraordinary Mass.

The got their “church back” because of this?

Why frustrate parishioners with chant? Are the 5,400 who were already attending the parish now somehow better nourished because they only drop out of singing the songs part of the time now?

More schmaltz than substance it would appear. The very sort of article that makes me wonder just legitimate some concerns and actions are.

 

[Silverburg]

It struck me as a priest imposing his view of Catholic spirituality and worship on a faithful community without really getting to know and understand the people. Sure, one can impose rubrics and rules, but if you don’t meet people where they are I am not sure what the benefit is.,

I think I would have been a great deal more impressed if a pastor had rejuivinated a parish with the changes he introduced. It doesn’t sound like much was accomplished here other than what you pointed you – a pastor “imposing his view of Catholic spirituality and worship on a faithful community (an apparently vibrant one at that) without really getting to know and understand the people.”

The very people applauding this pastor would be communicating extremely negative feelings if he had moved the parish in another direction even without the introduction of a single abuse or irregularity.

 

[KingTheoden]

^Did I miss something? I read most of the article. I don’t remember anything about homily procedures. Could you enlighten?

x2. I read the article and found nothing on the subject. Having heard two of his homilies, I have no idea what article of cannon law he could remotely be trampling.

I have heard other priests give homilies on, oh say, new age charlaton Deepok Chopra and his wonderful ‘spirituality.’ I kindly listened (hoping it would not frustrate the progress of any in the pews against continued conversion to Christ), shook father’s hand thanking him for saying mass, and went about my day. No need to make a federal (or should I say curia) case out of it.

Now, what I find interesting is that some apparently do object to progressives having ‘imposed’ a new style of worship on parishes across the world. Yet, when a more traditional style is re-introduced, suddenly the spirit of change evaporates and progressives become rabidly reactionary.

Of course I don’t live there so I cannot give anecdotal reports. However, when I was visiting, to see around 100 people at mass at 645AM was impressive.

 

[Silverburg]

Now, what I find interesting is that some apparently do object to progressives having ‘imposed’ a new style of worship on parishes across the world. Yet, when a more traditional style is re-introduced, suddenly the spirit of change evaporates and progressives become rabidly reactionary.

Let’s be honest. The great majority on these forums are extremely intolerant of a “progressive” flavor to the Mass even when it’s done 100% without irregularity or abuse. There have been no “reactionary” views to his changes on this thread, but views that do not automatically ink-stamp the enthusiasm of the OP.

The OP posted a story as if it was something good for everyone and it’s not. If there were any abuses or irregularities (bad lyrics for instance) then by all means get rid of them. But to unilaterally change a parish (a seemingly thriving parish at that) the way this priest did based largely on his personal taste no doubt legitimately bothered some people. Again, had he moved the parish in the opposite direction, even without abuse or irregularities he would have been vilified here.

We hear about the couple that thanked the pastor for giving them back their church Too bad we did not hear about the couples who just quietly stopped attending Mass due to his unilateral actions.

 

[Layman]

Priest moves to new parish, makes some changes: changes lectionary, changes some hymns.

Also from the article:

*"In the months after he became pastor, Keyes set about making changes. Many were small, such as the decision to purchase real candles for Advent rather than the plastic oil lamp candles that had been used previously. “The point of an Advent wreath is to mark the passage of time,” says Keyes. “You need real candles to do that.” Keyes also found craftsmen within the parish who refurbished the ambo, baptismal font, and tabernacle.

It was Keyes’ decision to radically reshape the parish’s music program, however, that generated the most controversy. Keyes essentially banned the use of a number of popular contemporary hymns, particularly “praise and worship” songs with lyrics that sometimes reflect a Protestant theology. “They are not appropriate for a Catholic Mass,” says Keyes. "*

And:

“Although some of his parishioners see him as a conservative, Keyes resists the label. “When I preach about immigration, people think I’m a liberal. When I seek to do what the church asks when we celebrate the liturgy, people think I’m a conservative. All I seek to be is Roman Catholic,” he says.”

Hardly controversial stuff, there.

 

[Breviarylover]

Thank you for the article.

 

[wisdomseeker]

Incoming Missal
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
J. Peter Nixon

**Get ready for changes to your Sunday Mass. **

*When Father Jeff Keyes arrived at St. Edward’s Parish in the summer of 2004, he found a thriving, multiethnic parish of 5,400 families on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay. Keyes’ religious order, the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, had sent him to become pastor of one of the order’s two remaining parishes in California.

While pleased with many aspects of his new assignment, there were certain things that bothered him. Passionate about the liturgy, Keyes felt that the parish’s approach to the celebration of the Eucharist conveyed a somewhat casual attitude toward this central mystery of the Christian faith.

It was an accumulation of small things, notes Keyes, who recalls, for example, that the parish **was using a loose-leaf lectionary rather than a bound copy. Keyes was troubled by the idea of having a “throwaway Word of God,” as he puts it. ***

A trained musician with a number of published compositions to his credit, Keyes was particularly disturbed by the parish’s musical repertoire. At his first Mass, for example, the choir sang “Gather Us In,” whose third verse begins, “Not in the dark of buildings confining ??, not in **some **heaven light years away!.” Keyes was frustrated that a Catholic hymn would appear to dismiss our desire for heaven. "I said to people at the parish, ‘**That’s not what we believe!’ " says Keyes. **

I encourage everyone to read the full article. It is fair and weighs the broader shift within the Church toward a more traditional, older style of worship.

What strikes me about this instance is that unlike much of the ‘usual’ cases, this does not seem driven by the 20-35 year old demographic. Rather, it appears that there is a general change across the Church not bound by age or conversion status (my unscientific research suggests that Protestant converts tend to be particularly given to Latin and tradition).

I am truly thankful have had the ability to attend daily mass at this parish in June while away for a seminar. Father Keyes has a commanding presence and deep reverence for the Eucharist.

Due to my schedule and move, I can’t make it to mass each morning, though I aim for twice during the week. This morning we did the Agnus Dei in Latin and though I feel silly having forgotten part of it, it was truly fitting for the beautiful and instructive mass (our pastor talked about exorcism, the importance of Holy Angels).

This is wonderful. i wish more priests like him would come forward.

 

[KingTheoden]

Let’s be honest. The great majority on these forums are extremely intolerant of a “progressive” flavor to the Mass even when it’s done 100% without irregularity or abuse. There have been no “reactionary” views to his changes on this thread, but views that do not automatically ink-stamp the enthusiasm of the OP.

The OP posted a story as if it was something good for everyone and it’s not. If there were any abuses or irregularities (bad lyrics for instance) then by all means get rid of them. But to unilaterally change a parish (a seemingly thriving parish at that) the way this priest did based largely on his personal taste no doubt legitimately bothered some people. Again, had he moved the parish in the opposite direction, even without abuse or irregularities he would have been vilified here.

We hear about the couple that thanked the pastor for giving them back their church Too bad we did not hear about the couples who just quietly stopped attending Mass due to his unilateral actions.

Thankfully, the Church is not a democracy. Of course a parish is at the core a cooperative effort between clergy and laity, it is the priest’s responsibility to lead his flock to salvation.

Unfortunately, some laity have adopted a very Protestant view that the flock is supposed to lead itself, something that defies all tradition from the beginning Israelites and fundamental God-Man relationship.

I think there is also the tendancy we all make in putting too much emphasis on numbers. Just because many do something does not mean they are in the right. Some estimates say 80% of Catholic couples are contracepting; as Paul VI wrote, this is seriously wrong and destructive.

You could have a parish packed to the brim and yet its people act in total defiance of the Church.

In this case, a priest made mostly basic changes like a more dignified lectionary and refurbished sactuary (provided by members of the parish according to the article). To elevate appreciation of the Real Presence and solemnity of the Mass, he changed the music program. None of these adjustments are remotely out of line.

As many have written, if someone is so upset with such changes that they refuse to come back to mass, one must take a hard look at just why he is leaving the Church.