Describe the most liturgically abused Mass that you have ever been to

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Gearoidin:
While on holidays in the USA,one church I went to was Catholic, maybe! I had never seen anything quite like it and never hope to again. The priest changed the words of everything, even the sign of the Cross (In the name of the Father and Mother, and of the son, and of the love of the Holy Spirit). There was a lot of clapping throughout the Mass but I especially remember the Gloria where “Gloria, Clap, clap, clap. Gloria clap, clap clap. Gloria Clap Clap Clap” was repeated over and over again. At one stage, the woman next to me hugged me and asked me to forgive her. I was too stunned to say or do anything. Some people were walking in the aisle shaking hands during the “sign of peace”. The family in front of me ate snacks throughout the Mass and kindly offered them to everyone around them. Holy Communion was some kind of large cookie that the priest broke into pieces and gave to people. There were crumbs everywhere. There were dancers wearing skimpy white dresses that danced up the aisle before the priest, around the altar and again around the Bible before the reading of the Gospel, which was read by a woman. I could go on and on but I think you get the picture. I really will never forget the “experience”.
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Code: 
 Was it in the Diocese of Saginaw?
 Sounds soooo familiar.
 
Probably was the Saginaw Diocese - Please God let it heal under Bishop Carlson.

At one Mass (all had varying and multiple reasons to be either illicit and because of the matter used for the Eucharist - invalid) the Priest had used the slogan of the Ford Motor Co. as he held up the Host he said “Like Ford, He had a better idea”!
 
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chnchris:
Was it in the Diocese of Saginaw?
Sounds soooo familiar.
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I don’t know the name of the diocese but it was in Michigan.
Gearoidin
 
He mumbled and appeared to fall asleep again during the sermon occassionally too. He never gave a sermon and the whole Mass took about 30 minutes.
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A small correction. I was in a terrible rush when I typed this. I should have said “He sometimes didn’t give a sermon”. I actually think he used to forget which part of the Mass he was saying.

Gearoidin
 
The worst Mass I went to used leavened bread for the Eucharist. I am thankful to have now found a parish that I can count on to do things right.
 
While those wishing to contribute to the thread are free to do so, let us in charity edit out the names of particular dioceses and/or specific locations.
 
I can honestly say I’ve never been a witness to any liturgical abuses (knocking on wood as I type this 😉 )
 
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RoseMarie:
Outdoor Mass, which isn’t wrong. However, there were liturgical dancers with rainbow ribbons on poles, more EEMs than you could shake a rainbow stick at, nobody knelt at any time, the priest and his co-celebrants were not in vestments, but in albs and rainbow stoles… yeah, I could go on. I had made my first communion the day before and it was a bit nerve-wracking. I switched to a parish that had no affiliation with the parish I speak of.
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Me too but this mass was in a Sports Dome Arena. Women dressed in togas with bowls of incence danced around and dancers with multicolored streamers. AND THIS WAS A MASS WITH THE ARCHBISHOP CELEBRATING!!!
 
I was once at a mass where the priest used a glass desert bowl
instead of a ciborium. I was a bit shocked…

God bless,
Noel.
 
I happened to not be present at this mass–though it happened at the chapel where I normally assist at Mass when I’m home.

This was an accident–so, it wasn’t exactly an abuse, per se, but it was horrifying.

The priest offering the Mass was from the middle east. When it came time for the consecratition he said the words of consecration for the blood twice and skipped completely the words of consecration for the body. As such the consecration just didn’t occure and since communion was only under one kind, no one received the Eucharistic Lord.

Although not an abuse, per se, this is a case where the use of a particular rather than universal language lead to something which on a scale of horriby vs. beatific is almost at the top of horrible.
 
Probably the worst liturgical abuses I encountered were at some of the Masses for World Youth Day in Toronto. Even the Pope’s Mass had liturgical abuses in it; but those abuses can’t compare with those things which happened at some of the other Masses–the smaller ones with only 60,000 ;). Alot of it was much of the same stuff that has been already mentioned. I’d just like to comment that World Youth Day Masses were considered multi-cultural celebrations instead of the Sacrifice of the Alter, and as such one could have a hard time recognizing them as Masses.

IN addition certain abuses took place which at them which weren’t fault of the priests or ministers or the masters of ceremony. For example, everyone was eating during them, or holding eachother. During the Pope’s Mass, a guy was riding a bike around selling Ice Cream and ringing his bell to attract attention during the distribution of communion!!!
 
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nkelly:
I was once at a mass where the priest used a glass desert bowl
instead of a ciborium. I was a bit shocked…

God bless,
Noel.
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Happens every Sunday at my home parish. Glass salad bowls for the Body and glass Kool-Aid type pitchers to hold the Precious Blood (poured into glass chalices – after the consecration, of course).

The worst Mass I’ve ever been to seems pretty mild compared to some of these stories, but while I was experiencing it it was awful. It was a Lifeteen Mass at my home parish. The music was ALL loud praise and worship music (even after Communion), the priest invited everyone to “join him at the table” during the Eucharistic Prayer, the sign of peace took 6-8 minutes, I believe they completely omitted the Penitential Rite… 😦
 
Fasten your seatbelt:
  1. No Gloria (ordinary time)
  2. Altar boys/girls wore street clothes (not technically an abuse, but it bothered me).
  3. Deacon did not kiss the Altar. (But he does when there’s a visiting priest, so I’m thinking it was the Priest’s idea)
  4. No Profession of Faith (ordinary time)
  5. Pastoral Associate gave the homily.
  6. People took the collection up themselves, (to a basket in the sanctuary) but were told nothing about bowing in front of the Altar.
  7. Singing the “Blessed be God” part (without “forever”) at the wrong times.
  8. The priest going to a “front” row (fan shaped worship space) and holding hands with everyone else during the Lord’s prayer.
    8A. The priest not saying the “deliver us Lord, from every evil and grant us peace in our day…” part. (he didn’t do it at the end instead-he didn’t do it all).
  9. The priest shook hands with the congregation during the sign of peace
  10. The priest telling everyone to sing along and match his gestures during the Eucharistic Prayer
  11. Priest asked children to stand around the Altar during Eucharistic Prayer.
    12… Priest did not wash his hands.
  12. Priest did not add water to the wine.
  13. The entire congregation singing the “through him with him in him” part, but several times during the consecration, too many times, (after “this is my body, take and eat” then after “this is my blood, take and eat,” then when he bowed before both, then at the normal time).
  14. Priest took communion last, served by an EM.
OK, how’s that for a mass. I felt like going to confesssion afterward.

I didn’t even mention the glass chalices, the wrong type of bread, the rock-style music, the total lack of reverence, the lack of kneelers, the large holy water pool that was running loudly (although they did turn it off during the consecration). I also didn’t throw in the part about people not bowing before the Host, or the EM’s dressed in t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops and the fact the the Tabernacle is hidden in a side chapel, or the fact that leftover consecrated “wine” is left in the chalices and not consumed by anyone at that time. And I also didn’t mention the fact that there’s no crucifix, although there used to be a large statue of Jesus on the cross, then replaced by a screen print of the same thing. But none of that anymore.
(again, all the same mass as above)

Oh, by the way, now that we are in Lent, guess what?
That’s right, no holy water.

I did write the Bishop about the holy water and I’m awaiting word as we speak. However-he’s had a very bad week so my letter may get lost in the shuffle.
 
wow michcath I think is the winner here! that is pretty amazing! I can say I won’t be complaining about my own priest anytime soon!
 
MichCath - what you had there was your full blown protestant service in a “should be” Catholic Church. Are you sure you weren’t at the “should be” Catholic Church in my town? All that has gone on and most of it still is - there aren’t that many people there anymore and most time its the “None” no Priest - and when the same “retired” Priest is there he does very little at the altar - the abuse of invalid bread negates the Consecration - so guess it ends up the “very little” turns into nothing. They did stop with the people going to the front with their Offering - probably weren’t that many people and not enough money to show off so they quit that.
 
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grotto:
MichCath - what you had there was your full blown protestant service in a “should be” Catholic Church.
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And some mainstream Protestant churches say the profession of faith which was my first thought when I read the list.
 
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MichCath:
Oh, by the way, now that we are in Lent, guess what?
**That’s right, no holy water. **

I did write the Bishop about the holy water and I’m awaiting word as we speak. However-he’s had a very bad week so my letter may get lost in the shuffle.
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Ok,

How about this, go to another parish and get a good gallon or so of Holy Water.

Bring it back to your parish and fill up all the fonts.

When asked, explain that your became conscience of the many ways people journey towards God, and how experiencing the dryness of Lent would aid some, others might find the use of Holy Water more comforting on their Faith Journey.

So rather than appear to be devisive, you thought it would be a great idea to fill the fonts up. That way, all those who wanted to experience dryness could by foregoing the use of the fonts, while those who wanted to use Holy Water could still feel welcomed and cherished in their particular Faith Expression.

Then hug the person(s) and exclaim how thankful you are that they make you feel so empowered as a member of the Priesthood of the Laity that you felt comfortable taking this apostolate on by yourself.

If you can say all that with a straight face, your all set 👍
 
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Brendan:
Ok,

How about this, go to another parish and get a good gallon or so of Holy Water.

Bring it back to your parish and fill up all the fonts.

When asked, explain that your became conscience of the many ways people journey towards God, and how experiencing the dryness of Lent would aid some, others might find the use of Holy Water more comforting on their Faith Journey.

So rather than appear to be devisive, you thought it would be a great idea to fill the fonts up. That way, all those who wanted to experience dryness could by foregoing the use of the fonts, while those who wanted to use Holy Water could still feel welcomed and cherished in their particular Faith Expression.

Then hug the person(s) and exclaim how thankful you are that they make you feel so empowered as a member of the Priesthood of the Laity that you felt comfortable taking this apostolate on by yourself.

If you can say all that with a straight face, your all set 👍
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I’d love to, except that all of the churches in the diocese have removed holy water.
 
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Brendan:
Ok,

How about this, go to another parish and get a good gallon or so of Holy Water.

Bring it back to your parish and fill up all the fonts.

When asked, explain that your became conscience of the many ways people journey towards God, and how experiencing the dryness of Lent would aid some, others might find the use of Holy Water more comforting on their Faith Journey.

So rather than appear to be devisive, you thought it would be a great idea to fill the fonts up. That way, all those who wanted to experience dryness could by foregoing the use of the fonts, while those who wanted to use Holy Water could still feel welcomed and cherished in their particular Faith Expression.

Then hug the person(s) and exclaim how thankful you are that they make you feel so empowered as a member of the Priesthood of the Laity that you felt comfortable taking this apostolate on by yourself.

If you can say all that with a straight face, your all set 👍
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:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
 
Why the happy face beside this thread? Do people enjoy talking about how bad things get in the Church? Personally, I think liturgical abuses are most unfortunate, and are nothing to be happy about.
 
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