Beginning the mass

[AnnaRose]

Our new pastor begins mass by saying, “We gather together with Our God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit”, instead of the usual, “In the name of the Father, and the Son, etc.”.

I prefer the old way better. Is this proper…should I say something to him?

 

[John_Lilburne]

The priest is doing the wrong thing. Perhaps say something to him. Perhaps write him a letter. Perhaps write to the bishop.

The 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum includes:
“[59.] The reprobated practice by which Priests, Deacons or the faithful here and there alter or vary at will the texts of the Sacred Liturgy that they are charged to pronounce, must cease. For in doing thus, they render the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy unstable, and not infrequently distort the authentic meaning of the Liturgy.”

Near the end it has:
“[183.] In an altogether particular manner, let everyone do all that is in their power to ensure that the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist will be protected from any and every irreverence or distortion and that all abuses be thoroughly corrected. This is a most serious duty incumbent upon each and every one, and all are bound to carry it out without any favouritism.”

 

[benedictgal]

Our new pastor begins mass by saying, “We gather together with Our God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit”, instead of the usual, “In the name of the Father, and the Son, etc.”.

I prefer the old way better. Is this proper…should I say something to him?

First of all, there is no “new way”, what your new pastor is doing is introducing his own idiosyncracy into the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. This is illicit and considerd a liturgical abuse. According to Redemptionis Sacramentum:

It must be lamented that, especially in the years following the post-Conciliar liturgical reform, as a result of a misguided sense of creativity and adaptation, there have been a number of abuses which have been a source of suffering for many".70

[31.] In keeping with the solemn promises that they have made in the rite of Sacred Ordination and renewed each year in the Mass of the Chrism, let Priests celebrate “devoutly and faithfully the mysteries of Christ for the praise of God and the sanctification of the Christian people, according to the tradition of the Church, especially in the Eucharistic Sacrifice and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation”.71 ***They ought not to detract from the profound meaning of their own ministry by corrupting the liturgical celebration either through alteration or omission, or through arbitrary additions.72 ***For as Saint Ambrose said, “It is not in herself … but in us that the Church is injured. Let us take care so that our own failure may not cause injury to the Church”.73 Let the Church of God not be injured, then, by Priests who have so solemnly dedicated themselves to the ministry. Indeed, under the Bishop’s authority let them faithfully seek to prevent others as well from committing this type of distortion.

Furthermore, this document also affirms that:

[11.] ***The Mystery of the Eucharist “is too great for anyone to permit himself to treat it according to his own whim, so that its sacredness and its universal ordering would be obscured”.27 On the contrary, anyone who acts thus by giving free rein to his own inclinations, even if he is a Priest, injures the substantial unity of the Roman Rite, which ought to be vigorously preserved,28 and becomes responsible for actions that are in no way consistent with the hunger and thirst for the living God that is experienced by the people today. Nor do such actions serve authentic pastoral care or proper liturgical renewal; instead, they deprive Christ’s faithful of their patrimony and their heritage. ***For arbitrary actions are not conducive to true renewal,29 but are detrimental to the right of Christ’s faithful to a liturgical celebration that is an expression of the Church’s life in accordance with her tradition and discipline. In the end, they introduce elements of distortion and disharmony into the very celebration of the Eucharist, which is oriented in its own lofty way and by its very nature to signifying and wondrously bringing about the communion of divine life and the unity of the People of God.30 The result is uncertainty in matters of doctrine, perplexity and scandal on the part of the People of God, and, almost as a necessary consequence, vigorous opposition, all of which greatly confuse and sadden many of Christ’s faithful in this age of ours when Christian life is often particularly difficult on account of the inroads of “secularization” as well.31

I hope this helps you.

 

[AnnaRose]

Yes, this definitely helps…THANK YOU!!! Now, all I have to do is pray that God shows me the way to correct him.

Last week I told him after mass that I’d hit him with “a wet noodle” because after receiving the Host (I was E.M.) he was joking with us and other E.M.'s about the music that was playing. We were taught by the nuns that you are to be “talking” to God after you receive Him. In other words he “interrupted” my conversation with Jesus!!!

He said later to me that we are to be joyful at mass. Which is true, but I think after mass would be more appropriate.

Before mass I was looking for him to ask a question and he was in front of the church smoking a cigarette!!! What kind of example is that to young people and others!!! (He’s 55 yrs. old)

Thank you for the opportunity to vent…and I continue to pray for him each day.

Any more helpful ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[japhy]

[A]fter receiving the Host (I was E.M.) he was joking with us and other E.M.'s about the music that was playing. We were taught by the nuns that you are to be “talking” to God after you receive Him. In other words he “interrupted” my conversation with Jesus!!! He said later to me that we are to be joyful at mass. Which is true, but I think after mass would be more appropriate.

Some people have different understandings of “joy”. They think it means frolicking, revelry, joking, and silliness. It is possible to be joyful and also be serious, solemn, and somber.