Disconcerting Experience at Mass This Evening

[FrDavid96]

No, this was December 4th. There was an optional memorial, St. John Damascus, I believe, but, this Mass was part of a novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe. However, the vestments were white and had her image on them. The readings, though, were proper to the day.

Correct me if I’m wrong, anybody, but, given the fact that we are in Advent, unless it’s a commemoration of a saint, aren’t there only two options? Wouldn’t these be for either the commemoration of the saint (or solemnity) or the actual season (Advent weekday)?

Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against a novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe, nor the Immaculate Concneption, but, wouldn’t it have been better just to wear purple instead? The color, though, was the very least, minuscle issue yesterday evening. The stuff in my initial post was serious, as Ming Ming from the Wonder Pets would say.

You’re right. Votive Masses or Special Needs and Occasions are not permitted on the weekdays of Advent. However, it might (I say might) be possible for the pastor to dispense from that for a very good reason.

Sacred Heart on first Friday is an exception because the first Friday commemoration is itself part of the “universal calendar” so it’s realy not a votive Mass, but a Mass from the calendar that might use the text provided for a votive Mass of the Sacred Heart. (I mention that part only because people will ask “what about SH at my parish this morning?”)

 

[Alethiaphile]

Part of me felt like Jesus with the moneychangers, as I wanted to grab my Kathy Van Zeeland bag and start cleaning house.

It is hard to think of a less apt identification. Your situation and Jesus’ are not remotely comparable.

 

[zab]

You’re right. Votive Masses or Special Needs and Occasions are not permitted on the weekdays of Advent. However, it might (I say might) be possible for the pastor to dispense from that for a very good reason.

Sacred Heart on first Friday is an exception because the first Friday commemoration is itself part of the “universal calendar” so it’s realy not a votive Mass, but a Mass from the calendar that might use the text provided for a votive Mass of the Sacred Heart. (I mention that part only because people will ask “what about SH at my parish this morning?”)

The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is December 12 and it is on the liturgical calendar.

 

[FrDavid96]

The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is December 12 and it is on the liturgical calendar.

Of course. But the fact that it is on the calendar means that it is not a votive Mass.

In my post, I said that a votive Mass might be possible (others have provided more details on that and there’s no need to repeat them).

 

[zab]

Of course. But the fact that it is on the calendar means that it is not a votive Mass.
In my post, I said that a votive Mass might be possible (others have provided more details on that and there’s no need to repeat them).

Didn’t mean to give you the impression that I was disagreeing with you. I was just pointing out that it was on the calendar. Others were writing about votive Masses.

 

[benedictgal]

Didn’t mean to give you the impression that I was disagreeing with you. I was just pointing out that it was on the calendar. Others were writing about votive Masses.

Actually, as the OP, I need to reiterate something. The Mass in question was part of a novena for Our Lady of Guadalupe. Of course, the celebrant should be using white on her feast day (December 12th); however, I was curious as to why purple wasn’t used, since, for all practical purposes, the Mass was celebrated on an Advent weekday and not on her feast day.

Update: This evening, I attended the city’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, sponsored by our Convention & Visitors Buruea (of which I am a board member and had to attend). Imbedded within the festivities was a Pastorela (a Mexican custom retelling the journey of St. Joseph and the Blessed Mother and how Satan tried to thwart them on their way to Bethlehem). I suspect that a divine hand must have guided the circumstances because my local Ordinary showed up. I asked him if he could spare at least a couple of minutes. He told me that he would be too busy meeting and greeting. My face fell. After he did his stint on the podium and mingled with the officials, he came up to me and suggested we briefly walk and talk. I explained to him, in a condensed version, what had happened. His eyes got big. I apologized for having dumped this on him during a festivity, but, he told me that he would have a talk with the priest. I was going to hang around for the pastorela, but, I already felt a migraine coming and had to make an early exit.

Even though I took my meds and started feeling better, I figured it was best to go home. Needless to say, I couldn’t give the bishop the full story because there were people wanting to shake his hand and greet him (I left a huge pair of red lips on his ring --I am the only one who does that), I was, at least, able to get my point accross.

It is not easy to do this. No one likes to point the finger, but, what transpired on Thursday was serious and needs to be addressed. I am hoping that the bishop will do so.

 

[zab]

Actually, as the OP, I need to reiterate something. The Mass in question was part of a novena for Our Lady of Guadalupe. Of course, the celebrant should be using white on her feast day (December 12th); however, I was curious as to why purple wasn’t used, since, for all practical purposes, the Mass was celebrated on an Advent weekday and not on her feast day.

Update: This evening, I attended the city’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, sponsored by our Convention & Visitors Buruea (of which I am a board member and had to attend). Imbedded within the festivities was a Pastorela (a Mexican custom retelling the journey of St. Joseph and the Blessed Mother and how Satan tried to thwart them on their way to Bethlehem). I suspect that a divine hand must have guided the circumstances because my local Ordinary showed up. I asked him if he could spare at least a couple of minutes. He told me that he would be too busy meeting and greeting. My face fell. After he did his stint on the podium and mingled with the officials, he came up to me and suggested we briefly walk and talk. I explained to him, in a condensed version, what had happened. His eyes got big. I apologized for having dumped this on him during a festivity, but, he told me that he would have a talk with the priest. I was going to hang around for the pastorela, but, I already felt a migraine coming and had to make an early exit.

Even though I took my meds and started feeling better, I figured it was best to go home. Needless to say, I couldn’t give the bishop the full story because there were people wanting to shake his hand and greet him (I left a huge pair of red lips on his ring --I am the only one who does that), I was, at least, able to get my point accross.

It is not easy to do this. No one likes to point the finger, but, what transpired on Thursday was serious and needs to be addressed. I am hoping that the bishop will do so.

I’m assuming that purple vestments would have been worn for the daily Masses , but white vestment were used for the 9 day novena of Masses in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. But I will submit to the experts.

 

[benedictgal]

I’m assuming that purple vestments would have been worn for the daily Masses , but white vestment were used for the 9 day novena of Masses in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. But I will submit to the experts.

Now, today would have been one of the Novena days; however,given the fact that we are, as of this writing, on the vigil of the Second Sunday of Advent, I would venture to say that the Sunday Mass would override the white vestments.

Should I hear anything regarding the bishop’s action concerning what transpired on Thursday, I will let you know. Like I said, I had to give him the “bumper sticker” version of what happened; nonetheless, he was concerned.