I hear that too but where were they in the 60’s when the old Mass was being said in the ICEL vernacular? Besides, most people today couldn’t really tell the difference between the OF in Latin and the EF.
Can you clarify this, please? It seems like you are reiterating what the person said but then wondering why people didn’t have a problem with ICEL vernacular Masses of the EF/Tridentine rubric. If I’m reading you correctly, you’re wondering why people are staying consistent with their claims? Besides, where was WHO in the 1960’s? Sheesh, man, that was 42ish years ago. Where were they? At church, getting pinched by their mom to stay quiet and quit squirming. Where are they now? Well, it seems they are occupying the pews of “traditional” parishes, or just going-along-to-get-along in the OF. I suppose actions speak louder than words.
Also, I can tell a marked difference in the procedures and symbolism of the OF and EF, just in my short and new exposure to both. The language has basically nothing to do with it. English, Latin, Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew, Klingon… whatever, as long as the understanding and reverence are there. I don’t see reverence, nor understanding, in the OF
as it is often conducted. Great potential, and I certainly can see the “vision” of whomever came up with the minutia. But then again, I can foresee great love and purity in the act of married couples having sex. I can also see it devolving into a cess pool of using and abusing. Same goes with the Mass. It just seems extremely hard to abuse the EF from what I can tell. Especially when the entire congregation is mouthing/whispering the Mass along with the priest. The OF seems much more loose. It also seems absolutely abused from everything I’ve seen.
I realize that as a new Catholic I’m walking on eggshells and toes, but, I can tell you as a former Protestant of no less than (3) denominational experience- the OF is indeed more “Protestant”. By that I mean- I can’t tell what the heck is specifically going on nor can I tell what anything actually means. It’s all just this hodge-podge of vague
blah. Furthermore, I cannot count on going to an OF Mass and not having the priest basically bungle it all up, nor the parishioners, in terms of displayed reverence.
I also cannot count on going to an OF Mass in X city and having it be the same in Y city or Z city. Even between parishes it seems to differ greatly in terms of how things are conducted. Not the rubric/procedure so much as the general aura of the priest and people.
What I can tell you is this, though: I CAN count on going to an EF Mass and outside of the homily (which would obvious vary priest to priest in terms of style, etc), from what I understand, I will know exactly what is going on, why, and what it represents.
Even worse, I may accidentally end up at one of these so-called “youth” Masses. Whatever the heck that actually is, besides a bastardization of worship, I have no idea.
Don’t they have Catholic youth groups? I dunno, I’m 28 and new to it, so I can’t say. But, if they want to play guitar, drums, etc they can feel free to do it some place other than the Mass. I could barely keep up with the wacky meter the band was doing- and they were playing WAY too fast. Focus on the melody and the place it puts you in regard to the message of the hymns. Entertainment is not between the time you walk in and walk out of the church. I dunno, maybe it is, if you want to make a spectacle of the Eucharist and everything leading up to it.
The priest at the FSSP parish I attend is very solemn and somber when conducting the Mass, but his homilies are exciting. I sense a deep respect and awe for the Mass and all things RCC in Fr. Dupre. Maybe I have just been exposed to an outstanding example of the FSSP roster. Maybe he is par for the course. I really have no idea and I don’t plan on driving to Denver for the specific reason of finding out.
Part 2 below.
