Concerned about liturgical abuses

[alohamc]

I attended the 11 am Mass today, Sunday, Feb. 24,2008 at St. John Apostle & Evangelist Church and Fr. C., a visiting priest who was asked to do Lenten Mission, was the celebrant. I’m not sure if he did this at other Masses, but I am concerned. I’ve enumerated the issues below that I can recall and placed * next to them. I’ve also included resources that I’ve found to reference the texts from the General Instruction on the Roman Missal (GIRM). What would you advise a parishioner do?

*Fr. C. invited the congregation to join in prayers specified as the priest’s alone (Fr. C. asked the parishioners to recite the following peace prayer said by the priest prior to the “sign of peace”:

Priest says: "Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you. Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant “us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever.” davidmacd.com/catholic/catholic_mass_full_text.htm#gospel

*During the Eucharistic Prayer Fr. C. used improvised words. I can’t recall the exact words he used, but my husband was looking at his missal during this time and noticed several times where he improvised and used words that were not in the printed text of the missal.

*Fr. asked us all to sit during the Gospel because it was long and it would help us to hear the Gospel.

Everybody at Mass is supposed to be uniform in standing, sitting, and kneeling (GIRM 20)

The faithful should stand from the beginning of the Entrance chant, or while the priest approaches the altar, until the end of the Collect; for the Alleluia chant before the Gospel; while the Gospel itself is proclaimed (GIRM 43)

“With a view to a uniformity in gestures and postures during one and the same celebration, the faithful should follow the directions that the deacon, lay minister, or priest gives according to whatever is indicated in the Missal” (43, emphasis added). catholic.com/library/liturgy/cag_changes.asp

*Fr. left the sanctuary and walked down the middle isle of the church during the homily.
The priest may not leave the sanctuary during the homily (GIRM 97).

catholic.com/thisrock/1999/9901fea1.asp

*Fr. did not purify the vessels at the credence table after communion. As a result, the Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion brought the vessels to the Sacristy and did it for him.

“the sacred vessels are purified by the priest, the deacon, or an instituted acolyte after Communion or after Mass, insofar as possible at the credence table” (Committee on Divine Worship GIRM 279 usccb.org/liturgy/current/chapter4.shtml#sect4).

“In an atmosphere of free-form liturgy, it’s up to the laity to know the laws about texts, gestures, the sacred objects used, and the proper conduct of the Mass; to obey those laws; and to see that the clergy obeys them, too.” (“THE TEN MOST COMMON LITURGICAL ABUSES” catholic.com/thisrock/1999/9901fea1.asp)

See the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM): usccb.org/liturgy/current/revmissalisromanien.shtml

 

[benedictgal]

The really big red flag involves the Eucharistic Prayer. According to Redemptionis Sacramentum:

[51.] Only those Eucharistic Prayers are to be used which are found in the Roman Missal or are legitimately approved by the Apostolic See, and according to the manner and the terms set forth by it. "It is not to be tolerated that some Priests take upon themselves the right to compose their own Eucharistic Prayers"129 or to change the same texts approved by the Church, or to introduce others composed by private individuals.130

Regarding the other matters wherein the priest was inviting the people to join him in reciting those prayers that are proper to him alone, this section may be of help:

[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.

You can find the rest of Redemptionis Sacramentum in this link:

adoremus.org/RedemptionisSacramentum.html#anchor1186479

What you have described is most troubling. I would suggest that you put these things down in writing and request a friendly meeting with your pastor regarding these matters. By the way, the indult allowing non-clergy to purify the vessels died a quick death last year, as Pope Benedict XVI refused to grant an extension.

 

[Karl_M]

I don’t quite understand what you meant about reciting the prayer at the Sign of Peace, but I’ve never been a fan of the people reciting the priest’s prayers. Even when at a parish that does it, I stay silent with the “through him, with him, and in him” part.

It’s hard to make a statement about his taking liberties with the Eucharistic Prayer without knowing how he improvised except to say that he ins’t supposed to improvise it at all. (OK, I guess it was easy to make a statement about it).

This last week’s Gospel was quite long (possibly the longest outside of Palm Sunday). However, I’m not aware of any non-health related provisions that allow for sitting during the Gospel-although most parishes I know do it on Palm Sunday, I could go into a thing about having lay people read the whole Gospel and only have women read the part of Jesus, but I’ll wait until it gets closer.

I know of nothing that currently requires the homilist to remain at the ambo or in the sanctuary during the homily.

The purification does NOT need to be done immediately following Communion. It can be done immediately after Mass. However, only a bishop, priest, or deacon can do it. It was not proper to have an EMHC do it. At my church, the deacon does it right after Mass.

 

[baltobetsy]

If I understand correctly, these things were done by a visiting priest in the course of a mission. Some of these priests think they are making the mission more meaningful for you by “personalizing” the Mass.

Of course, all the things you mentioned were indeed wrong to do. But there’s not going to be much you can do about it, other than perhaps speaking with your pastor. You might tell him that you found the visitor’s playing fast and loose with the Mass rather disturbing, and that you hope it won’t happen again. Tell him you would find an obedient priest to be more inspiring for the next mission. Ask him if he thinks a word to the priest’s superior might help things at all.

Other than that, pray for the next parish he visits. He won’t be staying in one place long enough for much to catch up with him.

Betsy

 

[goofyjim]

I don’t spend my time worrying about liturgical form. Worship is worship. As long as I am worshipping Our Lord in the Eucharist the rest is human tradition and is inconsequential according to what He said Himself.

 

[Phemie]

I don’t quite understand what you meant about reciting the prayer at the Sign of Peace, but I’ve never been a fan of the people reciting the priest’s prayers.

I think he’s talking about "Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you… "

 

[benedictgal]

I don’t spend my time worrying about liturgical form. Worship is worship. As long as I am worshipping Our Lord in the Eucharist the rest is human tradition and is inconsequential according to what He said Himself.

There is a huge, huge problem with that statement. It is not a good way to look at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The Mass is not some experiment in do-it-yourself creativity. As Redemptionis Sacramentum notes:

[2.] The Church’s doctrine regarding the Most Holy Eucharist, in which the whole spiritual wealth of the Church is contained – namely Christ, our Paschal Lamb4 – the Eucharist which is the source and summit of the whole of Christian life,5 and which lies as a causative force behind the very origins of the Church,6 has been expounded with thoughtful care and with great authority over the course of the centuries in the writings of the Councils and the Supreme Pontiffs…

Yet the Eucharist “is too great a gift to tolerate ambiguity or depreciation”. It is therefore necessary that some things be corrected or more clearly delineated so that in this respect as well “the Eucharist will continue to shine forth in all its radiant mystery”.19

[9.] Finally, abuses are often based on ignorance, in that they involve a rejection of those elements whose deeper meaning is not understood and whose antiquity is not recognized. For “the liturgical prayers, orations and songs are pervaded by the inspiration and impulse” of the Sacred Scriptures themselves, “and it is from these that the actions and signs receive their meaning”.20 As for the visible signs “which the Sacred Liturgy uses in order to signify the invisible divine realities, they have been chosen by Christ or by the Church”.21 Finally, the structures and forms of the sacred celebrations according to each of the Rites of both East and West are in harmony with the practice of the universal Church also as regards practices received universally from apostolic and unbroken tradition,22 which it is the Church’s task to transmit faithfully and carefully to future generations. All these things are wisely safeguarded and protected by the liturgical norms.

[10.] ***The Church herself has no power over those things which were established by Christ Himself and which constitute an unchangeable part of the Liturgy.23 Indeed, if the bond were to be broken which the Sacraments have with Christ Himself who instituted them, and with the events of the Church’s founding,24 it would not be beneficial to the faithful but rather would do them grave harm. ***For the Sacred Liturgy is quite intimately connected with principles of doctrine,25 so that the use of unapproved texts and rites necessarily leads either to the attenuation or to the disappearance of that necessary link between the lex orandi and the lex credendi.26

[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

Therefore, the Mass, in its entirety, is intimately connected to Christ, Himself. To deny this and say that it is merely man-made is wrong.

 

[goofyjim]

There is a huge, huge problem with that statement. It is not a good way to look at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The Mass is not some experiment in do-it-yourself creativity. As Redemptionis Sacramentum notes:

Therefore, the Mass, in its entirety, is intimately connected to Christ, Himself. To deny this and say that it is merely man-made is wrong.

Look. I know I am worshipping Christ in the Eucharist so it doesn’t matter to me how the prayers are said. I don’t bother educating myself on the GIRM. It is only necessary fo those whose faith might be weak to begin with.

 

[benedictgal]

Look. I know I am worshipping Christ in the Eucharist so it doesn’t matter to me how the prayers are said. I don’t bother educating myself on the GIRM. It is only necessary fo those whose faith might be weak to begin with.

No, I respectfully disagree with you on that one. It would actually do all of us some good to know what we are worshipping. Remember what Jesus told the Samaritan woman. “You worship what you don’t understand. We worship what we do understand.”

Understanding what it is we are doing is very important. If your last statement were to have some validity, then you are saying that Pope John Paul II’s faith was weak because he had Redemptionis Sacramentum drawn up to help educate both clergy and the faithful on the proper way of celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. I think not.

Recall, too, that Pope Benedict XVI made proper celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass the chief cornerstone of his reign. He has made some good strides in leading us in that direction.

One of the early Church Fathers said that ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Christ. I would take that step further. Ignorance of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and its proper celebration also leads to ignorance of Christ.

 

[goofyjim]

No, I respectfully disagree with you on that one. It would actually do all of us some good to know what we are worshipping. Remember what Jesus told the Samaritan woman. “You worship what you don’t understand. We worship what we do understand.”

Understanding what it is we are doing is very important. If your last statement were to have some validity, then you are saying that Pope John Paul II’s faith was weak because he had Redemptionis Sacramentum drawn up to help educate both clergy and the faithful on the proper way of celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. I think not.

Recall, too, that Pope Benedict XVI made proper celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass the chief cornerstone of his reign. He has made some good strides in leading us in that direction.

One of the early Church Fathers said that ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Christ. I would take that step further. Ignorance of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and its proper celebration also leads to ignorance of Christ.

It doesn’t matter to me whether it is the novus ordo, the tlm, an eastern rite catholic mass or whatever. I already know I am worshipping Christ. The form of worship is not important and calling me ignorant of Christ is just wrong.

 

[benedictgal]

It doesn’t matter to me whether it is the novus ordo, the tlm, an eastern rite catholic mass or whatever. I already know I am worshipping Christ. The form of worship is not important and calling me ignorant of Christ is just wrong.

But, Christ is intimately connected to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Knowing the form helps you to participate better. Being familiar with what the Church requires is very important. That is something that the Church has stressed throughout her 2,000+ years.

Forms and rubrics are necessary for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. They don’t apply to the clergy alone. They are for all of us.

As Cardinal Arinze noted:

Liturgical celebrations have some elements which are of divine institution. Such are the essentials of the seven sacraments. There are elements which are of ecclesial institution. In deciding on these elements the Church takes great care to be faithful to Holy Scripture, to honor the tradition handed down through the centuries, to manifest her faith and rejoice in it, and to lead all the faithful to worship of God, following the example of Christ, and showing love and service of one’s neighbor. Between these two we can speak of a third: namely, those elements of the liturgy which are found from early days in all or almost all of the great liturgical traditions and which must therefore go back at the very least to a period close to the apostles, and perhaps even to Our Lord. While we may not have certain knowledge on the matter in a given case, it is a strong reason for avoiding hasty innovation or neglect. (cf Varietates Legitimae [VL] 26-27, General Instruction of the Roman Missal [GIRM] 397, Liturgiam authenticam [LA] 4-5, Redemptionis Sacramentum [RS] 9)

Liturgical celebrations should be experiences of the traditional faith that is confessed, celebrated and communicated, of hope that is expressed and confirmed and of charity that is sung and lived.

Since liturgical celebrations are public acts performed in the name of the universal Church, with Jesus Christ Himself as the Chief Priest, it follows that as the centuries roll by, the Church has necessarily developed norms according to which, her public worship is to be expressed. Liturgical norms protect this treasure which is Christian worship. They manifest the faith of the Church, promote it, celebrate it, and communicate it. They also manifest the nature of the Church as a hierarchically constituted family, a community of worship, love and service, and a body which promotes union with God and holiness of life and gives sinners hope of conversion, forgiveness and new life in Christ.

Furthermore, I never said that you were ignorant of Christ. I said that in my opinion, ignorance of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass leads to ignorance of Christ. It is incumbent on all of us to study the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass because the way we pray is the way we believe.

 

[goofyjim]

But, Christ is intimately connected to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Knowing the form helps you to participate better. Being familiar with what the Church requires is very important. That is something that the Church has stressed throughout her 2,000+ years.

Forms and rubrics are necessary for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. They don’t apply to the clergy alone. They are for all of us.

As Cardinal Arinze noted:

Furthermore, I never said that you were ignorant of Christ. I said that in my opinion, ignorance of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass leads to ignorance of Christ. It is incumbent on all of us to study the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass because the way we pray is the way we believe.

And your arguments are very often used by those opposed to the novus ordo. They claim that there is lack of faith in the eucharist and that everything started to decline when we dropped the tlm. Funny that they left and everyone else came in. My faith in the eucharist is not dependent on what form is used. My faith is in Christ Himself and not in the Church as the institution.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

What would you advise a parishioner do?

You’re never going to see this guy again so I wouldn’t put much effort into it. I agree with Baltobetsy that you might mention it to the pastor, but even then I would keep it low key. He was a visitor and he’s gone.

 

[benedictgal]

And your arguments are very often used by those opposed to the novus ordo. They claim that there is lack of faith in the eucharist and that everything started to decline when we dropped the tlm. Funny that they left and everyone else came in. My faith in the eucharist is not dependent on what form is used. My faith is in Christ Himself and not in the Church as the institution.

Your final statement, which I highlighted, is, unfortunately grave error. You must be in communion with the Church and in a state of grace to be able to receive Jesus. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot say that you have faith in Christ and not believe in what the Church professes. Jesus is the Head of the Church, which is His Body. He founded the Church on the rock of the Apostle St. Peter, who was his first Vicar. It is Peter who guides the Church and whom we follow. One cannot profess to have faith in Christ and deny the Church. The Church is a divine institution administered by man. But, Jesus, himself, is the Head of the Church. The Holy Father is his Vicar.

Furthermore, nowhere did I mention opposition to the Novus Ordo. You are the one who is pulling things out of the air to justify a position that is in square opposition to what the Church teaches.

Perhaps the worst abuse that any of us can commit regarding the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is to deny the Church. It is to her that Jesus entrusted the sacred mysteries of the Holy Eucharist. As his body and bride, the Church safeguards this most precious treasure. To have such a flippant disregard for this is indeed treading on dangerous ground.

 

[benedictgal]

You’re never going to see this guy again so I wouldn’t put much effort into it. I agree with Baltobetsy that you might mention it to the pastor, but even then I would keep it low key. He was a visitor and he’s gone.

But, someone’s got to take the wheels off the bus before this traveling road show goes any further. He needs to be stopped becasue he’s just going to keep doing this at every parish. I’d say nip it in the bud.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

But, someone’s got to take the wheels off the bus before this traveling road show goes any further. He needs to be stopped becasue he’s just going to keep doing this at every parish. I’d say nip it in the bud.

A low-key conversation with the pastor would be fine. More than that is overkill unless the pastor is somehow this person’s superior.

 

[benedictgal]

A low-key conversation with the pastor would be fine. More than that is overkill unless the pastor is somehow this person’s superior.

I didn’t infer that from the OP. However, the problem is that if this particular priest is spreading his kind of “goodwill” all over the place, it would be akin to Typhoid Mary. This does no one any good.

 

[PaixGioiaAmor]

It’s not your job to change the world and right every wrong.

From what the original poster said, I only see one or two things that bother me anyway.

You can quote documents and Cardinal Arinze until the cows come home on how not even one word should be changed, etc., but the fact is that the Church has not historically “laid the smack down”, so to speak, for very minor “abuses” or irregularities. By making a huge deal out of these minor issues, all you are doing is causing trouble and heartache for the local pastor and it is very likely you are not going to be heard at any higher level. You are in fact, changing nothing. You are only causing headaches for your own pastor, who you have to live with long after this guy leaves.

Please do not get me wrong; I know someone will quote the section of Redemptionis Sacramentum that states that the faithful have a RIGHT to a liturgy free of abuses. And YES, of course they DO. I emphatically agree with that. But as with anything, there is always a bigger picture to be looked at. Will complaining actually stop what’s going on? How big of a deal is each abuse by itself? Remember, jaywalking is a crime, but in many cities the police don’t even deal with it - they have too many bigger, violent crimes to deal with.

Also, as an endnote, please do not go to liturgy thinking you are the “liturgy police”. If an abuse is so flagrant it jumps out at you, fine. But some of the posts on this board leave me to believe that people are actively LOOKING. That is the only way such minor things could be perceptible to someone sitting in the pews in many cases.

 

[benedictgal]

It’s not your job to change the world and right every wrong.

From what the original poster said, I only see one or two things that bother me anyway.

You can quote documents and Cardinal Arinze until the cows come home on how not even one word should be changed, etc., but the fact is that the Church has not historically “laid the smack down”, so to speak, for very minor “abuses” or irregularities. By making a huge deal out of these minor issues, all you are doing is causing trouble and heartache for the local pastor and it is very likely you are not going to be heard at any higher level. You are in fact, changing nothing. You are only causing headaches for your own pastor, who you have to live with long after this guy leaves.

Please do not get me wrong; I know someone will quote the section of Redemptionis Sacramentum that states that the faithful have a RIGHT to a liturgy free of abuses. And YES, of course they DO. I emphatically agree with that. But as with anything, there is always a bigger picture to be looked at. Will complaining actually stop what’s going on? How big of a deal is each abuse by itself? Remember, jaywalking is a crime, but in many cities the police don’t even deal with it - they have too many bigger, violent crimes to deal with.

Also, as an endnote, please do not go to liturgy thinking you are the “liturgy police”. If an abuse is so flagrant it jumps out at you, fine. But some of the posts on this board leave me to believe that people are actively LOOKING. That is the only way such minor things could be perceptible to someone sitting in the pews in many cases.

I am not saying that we should go in as the liturgy police, however, it is our right. What the OP described was pretty serious stuff.

Furthermore, apathy, if that is what you might be advocating, is just as bad. Liturgical abuses are serious. We can’t be sticking our heads into the sand and hope that such things go away. This has been done too many times. The problem is that this kind of attitude of doing nothing and saying nothing is quite sad.

 

[PaixGioiaAmor]

I am not saying that we should go in as the liturgy police, however, it is our right. What the OP described was pretty serious stuff.

I saw MAYBE one or two things that struck me as “serious” - IF, in fact, that is what actually ocurred; and I’m not positive that it did occur. I wasn’t there - and the original poster hasn’t convinced me.

Furthermore, apathy, if that is what you might be advocating, is just as bad. Liturgical abuses are serious. We can’t be sticking our heads into the sand and hope that such things go away. This has been done too many times. The problem is that this kind of attitude of doing nothing and saying nothing is quite sad.

That’s not what I said at all. Please re-read my post. I didn’t advocate turning a blind eye at all. With all do respect to you, please re-read my post.