Catechesis on the Liturgy ib your parish?

[Br.Rich_SFO]

What are our parishes or diocese doing to TEACH about the Liturgy, GIRM, and new Instruction or about the Mass in general. How effective have they been?

 

[John_M]

As the chairman of our parish liturgy committee I began a weekly bulletin segment called the Liturgy Corner. It began as a walk through the Mass with quotes from the GIRM, the Catechism, and other sources. The weekend that Redemptionis Sacramentum was released I sent an e-mail with a link to the Vatican site to all members of the Liturgy Committee. Soon thereafter I received an e-mail from the parish music director saying that they were going to suspend printing the Liturgy Corner because they had “concerns” and they wanted to meet with me. That was 2 months ago. One meeting was scheduled and cancelled. Nothing since. Additionally, the two intervening meetings of the Liturgy Committee were cancelled. I await a call from the pastor.

To answer your question; I guess they have been effective, though not in the way you may mean.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I understand. For the life of me I do not understand what the Music director has to do with the Liturgy Commission (except being a member of it) or more so what the music director has to do with editing the weekly bulletin?

 

[Panis_Angelicas]

John M,

What a wonderful and devoted servant you’ve been to the Church and Her faithful.

I’m sorry that someone didn’t seem to appreciate your efforts to help educate and inform.

What has replaced your column? Catholic jokes? Comics?

I pray that your column will be restored to your parish bulletin, and I admire your patience and meekness in this situation. I’d be so frustrated, I’d likely blow my top.

Pax Christi. <><

 

[system]

Don’t rely on the bulletin - even if many take one it’s out of habit, most do not read it. GIRM issues require long sometimes technical explanations - again most people will not read or understand.

I am speaking here of “most people”, who simply are not interested. People who are truly interested probably get involved in committees and read the documents online.

In my opinion, the only way to announce and explain changes, with the proper degree of authority that people might actually listen to, is by the priest from the pulpit. People don’t want to hear about these things from the “liturgy director” - they want to hear it from the priest’s own mouth.

My two cents.

 

[CatholicNerd]

Br. Rich SFO:

I understand. For the life of me I do not understand what the Music director has to do with the Liturgy Commission (except being a member of it) or more so what the music director has to do with editing the weekly bulletin?

Sacrosanctum Concilium and Pope John Paul II call music “the handmaid of the sacred liturgy.” Next to the Pastor, Deacon, and sacristan, I’d argue that the music director is the most important person in a parish to be a member of the Liturgy Commission. Musicians have a lot of power, even though most don’t realize it. If we play irreverent music that is contrary to the guidelines set forth by the Church, it DOES have an effect on people, if only subconsciously. If we play reverent and CATHOLIC music, it does affect the way you behave at Mass at what you can tolerate and what you can’t as far as abuse goes. I WANT to be a better Catholic when I hear Catholic music. Usually I just get angry and frustrated when I hafta sit through a Mass with crappy music. The music director at the parish in question is probably very much aware of this and might have felt that his/her job was threatened by the parish actually becoming more Catholic in practice. It happens… The music director at my current parish has turned from a warm friend to a cold enemy since I’ve started pushing for genuine Catholic music to be played and sung there.

 

[DrCat]

Br. Rich SFO:

What are our parishes or diocese doing to TEACH about the Liturgy, GIRM, and new Instruction or about the Mass in general. How effective have they been?

As for the GIRM, unless it is being discussed in the classes offered at the Diocesan Institute, there has been little or no discussion of it in my parish. The one time I mentioned it to a few people, I just got blank looks in return. I guess the answer to your question would be, nobody here has heard of it.

The Instruction, however, has been discussed in out diocesan newspaper. I think most people what heard of it, but they don’t really know what it is.

John

 

[parishminister]

Many of the changes (or more aptly put, corrections) were addressed in my parish via the pulpit…some other things (such as the vessels used for the Precious Blood) were more subtle in nature (one week, crystal, the next week pewter). Most people I have spoken to are not knowledgeable about the liturgy and fewer really care, one way or the other. Since there are no blatant liturgical abuses going on, they wouldn’t know the difference unless we point it out.

Peace…

 

[deogratias]

“In my opinion, the only way to announce and explain changes, with the proper degree of authority that people might actually listen to, is by the priest from the pulpit. People don’t want to hear about these things from the “liturgy director” - they want to hear it from the priest’s own mouth.”

I quite agree but that is not where it comes from in our Parish - maybe the priests like it this way so that if the “liturgist” gives us the wrong information, then the priests can use that old Johnny Carson Line, “I did not know that” and be off the hook

 

[toutestgrace]

Our resident priest has been offering indepth monthly teaching sessions on the GIRM for several months. It’s publicized in the bulletin and announced from the pulpit. I have only been able to attend one meeting - only 8 parishioners attended. Father’s presentation is scholarly, but understandable, and he’s a personable speaker, inviting questions and discussion. What can the Church do to make adult education more attractive?

 

[cmom]

We have liturgy classes on the new document scheduled by the diocese in the month of July for anyone who want to attend.

However, I know of no litugical abuses going on. When a document comes out, Father says this is how it will be done and thats it.

 

[DrCat]

One of the EMHCs in my parish (one of my neighbors) told me today the out pastor has started holding what might be called “telling off” sessions with the EMHCs. The topic? “Communion services (and other paraliturgical celebrations” are to be serious and reverent, not dramas for the EMHC’s benefit.

What was my friend’s comment? “Great!” Apparently there are a few of the EMHCs who act as though communion services are dramas for them to act in, instead of services for the glory of God.

Then he dropped the bombshell - classes on the Instruction will soon begin - and will be voluntary for everybody except Readers, EMHCs and Choir directors. For those groups, it will be mandatory.

Of course, I’ll be at the parish office signing up for the class as soon as the office opens tomorrow morning.

John

 

[David_B]

DrCat:

One of the EMHCs in my parish (one of my neighbors) told me today the out pastor has started holding what might be called “telling off” sessions with the EMHCs. The topic? “Communion services (and other paraliturgical celebrations” are to be serious and reverent, not dramas for the EMHC’s benefit.

What was my friend’s comment? “Great!” Apparently there are a few of the EMHCs who act as though communion services are dramas for them to act in, instead of services for the glory of God.

Then he dropped the bombshell - classes on the Instruction will soon begin - and will be voluntary for everybody except Readers, EMHCs and Choir directors. For those groups, it will be mandatory.

Of course, I’ll be at the parish office signing up for the class as soon as the office opens tomorrow morning.

John

I wish my pastor had the strength to do that!

 

[Fortiterinre]

My cathedral parish has had parish-wide catechesis, although implementation has been slow and I still catch things that need to change. The Newman Center at my university has done an outstanding job (although sadly had much more to correct!).