Do you think you are a Mass snob?

[lizaanne]

I was thinking about this today, reading everyone’s comments about Easter Mass at their own parish or perhaps one they visited.

I’m not talking about TLM vs. NO - but do you truly feel that your parish really knows how to do it right and most others (not all obviously) just don’t have a clue?

I’m afraid (and quite embarrassed actually) that I’m starting to fall into that trap myself. We attend a very traditional and orthodox (with a little “o”) parish - if anyone is familiar with Assumption Grotto in Detroit, you know what I’m talking about. I go to a lot of different parishes for various reasons, and most of the time I just can’t wait to get back to Grotto.

I don’t particularly WANT to feel this way, and I do feel badly about it actually. But I’m wondering if there are others out there who feel this way about their own parish - that anything else out there just pales in comparison.

Can’t believe I’m even posting this actually.

~Liza

 

[James0235]

I was thinking about this today, reading everyone’s comments about Easter Mass at their own parish or perhaps one they visited.

I’m not talking about TLM vs. NO - but do you truly feel that your parish really knows how to do it right and most others (not all obviously) just don’t have a clue?

I’m afraid (and quite embarrassed actually) that I’m starting to fall into that trap myself. We attend a very traditional and orthodox (with a little “o”) parish - if anyone is familiar with Assumption Grotto in Detroit, you know what I’m talking about. I go to a lot of different parishes for various reasons, and most of the time I just can’t wait to get back to Grotto.

I don’t particularly WANT to feel this way, and I do feel badly about it actually. But I’m wondering if there are others out there who feel this way about their own parish - that anything else out there just pales in comparison.

Can’t believe I’m even posting this actually.

~Liza

I know exactly what you are talking about. But, I don’t think it makes one a snob to want a Mass with a sense of reverence and respect for the rubrics.

Far too many parishes really don’t have a clue. It seems as though nearly an entire generation of priests were actually trained to view the Liturgy as their own private playground. Thankfully there are those priests who never let themselves be caught up with this mentality. And a lot of younger priests seem to be trained now to love and actually respect the Liturgy.

James

 

[kristie_m]

I was thinking about this today, reading everyone’s comments about Easter Mass at their own parish or perhaps one they visited.

I’m not talking about TLM vs. NO - but do you truly feel that your parish really knows how to do it right and most others (not all obviously) just don’t have a clue?

I’m afraid (and quite embarrassed actually) that I’m starting to fall into that trap myself. We attend a very traditional and orthodox (with a little “o”) parish - if anyone is familiar with Assumption Grotto in Detroit, you know what I’m talking about. I go to a lot of different parishes for various reasons, and most of the time I just can’t wait to get back to Grotto.

I don’t particularly WANT to feel this way, and I do feel badly about it actually. But I’m wondering if there are others out there who feel this way about their own parish - that anything else out there just pales in comparison.

Can’t believe I’m even posting this actually.

~Liza

It’s funny…there are a few things about my parish that make me uncomfortable, but it’s home. I don’t know that I’d classify myself as a “snob” per se, but we have been blessed with excellent priests, both as orators and as people. I’ve been to some other churches where the priest will give a really good homily, but be a complete cad as a person…and those where the priests are really good as far as one on one with people, but couldn’t give a coherent homily to save their lives. Then there are the styles of liturgy, and sooooooooo much variety, just in this diocese. But when it comes right down to it, my parish is my home and that’s why I can’t wait to get back to it.

 

[Potato1]

There is not reallly a correct mass around. I just go to the least grotesque mass I can find( I know the mass itself is never grotesque) just the ridiculous things that go on these days.
What a shame, but I would rather stay in my parish and work to change the wrongs than abandon it. I pray a lot. I work in parish organizations and generally make my face and opinions seen.

 

[surfinpure]

I do feel this way about my parish, but, as James already said, I don’t believe it makes one a snob to wish to worship in a reverent and orthodox parish. Whenever I am tempted to feel somehow wrong for wanting this, I read the lives and writings of the saints who valued orthodoxy. St. Padre Pio, for example, would not allow a woman improperly dressed to enter his confessional. His brother priests even posted a sign on the door for him advising women who wish to confess to observe the rules of propriety. What flak he would get today from our modernists!!

I listen to Mother Angelica on EWTN. I think of the holiness and piety of the worship at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. And I remind myself that we are amongst a society that is tainted with the heresies of modernism and moral relativism. It would be a great mistake to allow ourselves to be made to feel scrupulous for wanting to be holy, yet that is what some would have us feel.

My church, praise God, is incredibly orthodox. Our Mass is very reverent. And I find it a safe haven from all the noise and confusion of the world. May it always be so, and may I never lose my gratitude!

 

[Freshman88]

I know my parish has abuses, but this is just the norm in my area. My parish is actually one of the best. At the end of the day I know the pastor, I’ve gone to this parish my whole life, received all my Sacraments there. I know the pastor and know he’s a holy man, it’'s not his fault that this is the culture of the liturgy in our area. This is also the parish my family goes.

So, I simply bow my head, pray, and focus on the Eucharist. No need to make a stink. I go to the Traditional mass when I can, try to lead by example and study, study, study. I hope to get involved in Liturgical theology after completing my undergraduate so I can make a difference in that way - if I am not called to the priesthood.

 

[lizaanne]

I do feel this way about my parish, but, as James already said, I don’t believe it makes one a snob to wish to worship in a reverent and orthodox parish. Whenever I am tempted to feel somehow wrong for wanting this, I read the lives and writings of the saints who valued orthodoxy. St. Padre Pio, for example, would not allow a woman improperly dressed to enter his confessional. His brother priests even posted a sign on the door for him advising women who wish to confess to observe the rules of propriety. What flak he would get today from our modernists!!

I listen to Mother Angelica on EWTN. I think of the holiness and piety of the worship at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. And I remind myself that we are amongst a society that is tainted with the heresies of modernism and moral relativism. It would be a great mistake to allow ourselves to be made to feel scrupulous for wanting to be holy, yet that is what some would have us feel.

My church, praise God, is incredibly orthodox. Our Mass is very reverent. And I find it a safe haven from all the noise and confusion of the world. May it always be so, and may I never lose my gratitude!

Thank you for this post! It does help me put what I’m feeling in a better context.

~Liza

 

[japhy]

I admit I am a bit of a stickler for a properly celebrated Mass. I don’t understand why priests (or liturgists) insist on doing things differently than the Church instructs. The most grievous thing for me recently was at Mass on Holy Thursday and the Easter Vigil when the visiting concelebrating priests did nothing more than process in, stand around the altar during the Eucharistic Prayer, self-communicate, sit back down, and recess out. On Holy Thursday, we had my pastor and five concelebrants; the concelebrants sat down after they had communicated and seven EMHCs took their place. I knew this was coming when I got my “Holy Week packet” (since I’m a lay reader), but it was made more evident when my pastor said at the beginning of Mass that on Holy Thursday we celebrate “the institution of the Eucharist, the priesthood, and the call to lay-ministry”.

I hope to soon be able to speak to my pastor about some of the problems that come about from changing the Mass and ignoring the regulations of the Church. I don’t know how long it’s been since a priest purified the sacred vessels… we might be dumping the Precious Blood down the drain for all I know.

Sigh.

 

[rpp]

Unfortunately, I think I also am becoming that way. I am trying to resist it, but still It hits me now and then.

Over the last 6 or 8 months, I have been transitioning out of the parish I was confirmed at and into another parish across town. The reasons I left there are two-fold. As I learned more about the Church, I began to notice more and more carelessness that had always existed there. The “carelessness” became a creeping sort of lack of reverence. I wanted a more faithful and obedient parish.

 

[peregrinus_WA]

I was thinking about this today, reading everyone’s comments about Easter Mass at their own parish or perhaps one they visited.

I’m not talking about TLM vs. NO - but do you truly feel that your parish really knows how to do it right and most others (not all obviously) just don’t have a clue?

I’m afraid (and quite embarrassed actually) that I’m starting to fall into that trap myself. We attend a very traditional and orthodox (with a little “o”) parish - if anyone is familiar with Assumption Grotto in Detroit, you know what I’m talking about. I go to a lot of different parishes for various reasons, and most of the time I just can’t wait to get back to Grotto.

I don’t particularly WANT to feel this way, and I do feel badly about it actually. But I’m wondering if there are others out there who feel this way about their own parish - that anything else out there just pales in comparison.

Can’t believe I’m even posting this actually.

~Liza

I know how Liza feels because we go to the same parish and ours can be considered almost unique (at least in this area) when it come to the Ordinary Form of the Mass.

I am close to the point of being a snob, but it more about bigger abuses (i.e. Mass Settings and Non-Ordained giving homilies) than the smaller ones.

 

[rpp]

Unfortunately, I think I also am becoming that way. I am trying to resist it, but still It hits me now and then.

Over the last 6 or 8 months, I have been transitioning out of the parish I was confirmed at and into another parish across town. The reasons I left there are two-fold. As I learned more about the Church, I began to notice more and more carelessness that had always existed there. The “carelessness” became a creeping sort of lack of reverence. I wanted a more faithful and obedient parish.

Let me amplify this post a bit.

Unfortunately, I think I also am becoming that way. I am trying to resist it, but still It hits me now and then.

Over the last 6 or 8 months, I have been transitioning out of the parish I was confirmed at and into another parish across town. The reasons I left there are two-fold. As I learned more about the Church, I began to notice more and more carelessness that had always existed there. The “carelessness” became a creeping sort of lack of reverence.

I became very nervous when a new director of Liturgy was appointed. That woman was my RCIA instructor. A former nun, she helped us all to to connect with our “animal spirit guides” and pray to the “spirits of the four winds”. .:whacky: (I knew at the time she was daffy and ignored this tripe.) I was horrified when she became the liturgist.

One of the priests habitually “forgot” the Creed, and just did not seem to behave in a reverent manner. Though I never heard him say anything questionable, it was simply the casualness he seemed to have regarding the sacraments that made me uncomfortable.

The final straw came at a Saturday vigil Mass where a guest “Catholic” band (with bongo drums!) played very inappropriate music, including secular songs, at Mass. They played accompaniment during Consecration. They had an ad lib “mini-concert” after communion and before the dismissal to which the afore-mentioned priest stood up and encouraged everyone to give them a standing ovation. After Mass, set up a table to sell their CDs next to the baptistery. (Okay, the pastor did get upset when he heard about them selling the music inside the Church. It was the Liturgist that brought them and gave them permission.)

Turns out this was the last Mass this priest ever said. The next day, he informed my pastor he was leaving the priesthood.

I did exchanged letters and had a very pleasant meeting with my (now former) pastor. But it was to know avail. The really disturbing thing was that prior to our I had spoken to at least a half-dozen people who had told me they asked him about having an Extraordinary Form Mass. When I asked him about it, he told me that no one had mentioned it to him. I guess these people asked him about it in the confessional.

Personally, I do not think the problem with the parish is a direct result the pastor or the lone remaining associate pastor. I think the problem is with the “hired help”. This lack of reverence comes from all the lay helpers that the parish calls on. Often these people mean well, but are not sufficiently trained, or even catechized for that matter. There are a couple whom I do believe know better and in their minds are being intentionally disobedient.

It is, in this case, a misguided sense of charity that leads the pastor to not correct people.

 

[I_Believe]

Am I a Mass snob ?

Absolutely! I picked #1 !

I feel everyone should move to Louisville and pitch in to build a church that seats at least 150,000 ! The superdome won’t have nothin on us baby !

With my game plan, they’ll get the best Mass possible and while we’re at it, we’ll show them there protestant mega churches what it means to do it right !

Thank you so much for letting me express myself !

Five stars ! (slams gavel)

 

[I_Believe]

I do feel this way about my parish, but, as James already said, I don’t believe it makes one a snob to wish to worship in a reverent and orthodox parish. Whenever I am tempted to feel somehow wrong for wanting this, I read the lives and writings of the saints who valued orthodoxy. St. Padre Pio, for example, would not allow a woman improperly dressed to enter his confessional. His brother priests even posted a sign on the door for him advising women who wish to confess to observe the rules of propriety. What flak he would get today from our modernists!!

I listen to Mother Angelica on EWTN. I think of the holiness and piety of the worship at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. And I remind myself that we are amongst a society that is tainted with the heresies of modernism and moral relativism. It would be a great mistake to allow ourselves to be made to feel scrupulous for wanting to be holy, yet that is what some would have us feel.

My church, praise God, is incredibly orthodox. Our Mass is very reverent. ** And I find it a safe haven from all the noise and confusion of the world. ** May it always be so, and may I never lose my gratitude!

My joking aside in my previous post, I hear you loud and clear

I may be a bit liberal in letting my imagination run wild, but I’d bet there was a time when some of the faithful wept, kneeling at the Communion rail.

The world indeed is a filthy place. I don’t even want to leave after Mass. I dread it. It doesn’t even have to be a Mass. I can walk into a Catholic church, especially an old one, and feel at ease. It’s hard to explain.

And you mentioned piety. It makes me so angry when someone posts a passionate testimony to their love of traditional Catholicism, just to have someone who doesn’t understand it, attempt to tell them they are wrong.

I’m going off topic, but anyhow, good post friend

 

[Freshman88]

Am I a Mass snob ?

Absolutely! I picked #1 !

I feel everyone should move to Louisville and pitch in to build a church that seats at least 150,000 ! The superdome won’t have nothin on us baby !

With my game plan, they’ll get the best Mass possible and while we’re at it, we’ll show them there protestant mega churches what it means to do it right !

Thank you so much for letting me express myself !

Five stars ! (slams gavel)

hahah, a mega-Basilica - I love it.

 

[I_Believe]

hahah, a mega-Basilica - I love it.

lol, we could be on to something

 

[lizaanne]

I can walk into a Catholic church, especially an old one, and feel at ease. It’s hard to explain.

You know something - I used to feel this way as well (well, I still do actually), but I always wondered what was different about being in a Catholic Church, why did it just FEEL different, even in the most modern of parishes.

Then it dawned on me one day…Jesus is there!!! If you walk into any other faith community’s place of worship, He isn’t there. You could walk into a garage for all it’s worth. But walk into a Catholic Church, and Jesus is there in the Tabernacle!!! And if you just be still and know that He is God - you will know it.

How incredibly blessed we are.

~Liza

 

[ApologeticsGirl]

How about the opposite? I’ve moved to a different diocese than the one in which I grew up, and I feel like this one is so much more “liberal” (if Catholics can be liberal/conservative)! There was one church about 30 minutes away that I found to be truly great, with priests who actually wear their clericals and Dominican sisters who wear the habit and teach at the school. We finally decided that church was too far away, and since then we have become members of a much closer church. But I keep finding problems with this one and feel discouraged that I’ll never find a church that practices the traditional way that my mom raised me (I’m only 25, but I’m one of 10 kids and from a very very traditional devout Roman Catholic family). I’m so discouraged that I can’t find a church that is PROUD to be Catholic!

I considered becoming Regnum Christi, and am still contemplating. Anyone have any thoughts on this movement?

 

[Guitar]

I don’t get out much as I’m usually tied up with music at my own parish but when I do get out, I find I am a bit impatient with clutter and with sloppy logistics.

My parish has the logistics of the Triduum and particularly the Vigil absolutely nailed, yet other parishes regard it as unmanageable. All we did was produce a go-to-whoa running sheet (actually, the liturgist does this) for each major ceremony which includes absolutely every item in sequential order and who does what when, what has be on the credence table before the ceremony, when the altar servers or acolytes do X or Y, who is responsible for turning lights off and on and when, when the priest has to go from the sacramentary to the RCIA book and what page, etc etc. It’s all there and everyone has a copy including the acolyte MC. We have a full dry run the week before with the priests and altar servers and acolytes and the candidates, etc. People practice lighting incense and handling the thurifer. They practice getting from here to there and back again so they know where to walk and aren’t falling over each other. Then we make sure the same people do the same roles for say three years running so it has the chance to sink in, and we don’t change things from one year to the next just for the sake of changing them.

We don’t put someone up to sing the Exultet who cannot do it properly or who drifts off or seizes up or loses the plot half way through. Same with the litany - how can people pray if the singing effort is squirmworthy?

As for clutter - we certainly would never dream of “punctuating” the Exultet or other prayers led by the celebrant with interspersed choruses of a hymn, as was done at the church I went to on my first “holiday” in over two decades. We don’t “mess around” with things in that way. We really sing the Mass and the psalms - hymns have their place but they are secondary to other singing. We are also very conscious of which things are congregational and which are not.

And so on and so forth. We were once taken to task by a new priest who was a bit of a cowboy - “we’re getting too caught up in organisation - prayer is the thing!” he said. To which I responded that I certainly can’t pray when something as complex as the Vigil starts to unravel and the servers are left milling about and looking blankly at the priest who is looking at the musicians who are blinking at the MC and nobody knows which way to jump next and the congregation is looking at their boots in embarassment. Getting organised beforehand frees us all to pray at the ceremony. And it isn’t rocket science, it just means you put your collective butt into gear and do some reading, some preparation and practice beforehand. And if it ain’t broke after last year, don’t fix it.

I wouldn’t say I’m intolerant of the way other parishes run their Masses but I do get disappointed sometimes - why do things badly (or not as well as they can be done) if you don’t have to?

 

[I_Believe]

You know something - I used to feel this way as well (well, I still do actually), but I always wondered what was different about being in a Catholic Church, why did it just FEEL different, even in the most modern of parishes.

Then it dawned on me one day…Jesus is there!!! If you walk into any other faith community’s place of worship, He isn’t there. You could walk into a garage for all it’s worth. But walk into a Catholic Church, and Jesus is there in the Tabernacle!!! And if you just be still and know that He is God - you will know it.

How incredibly blessed we are.

~Liza

Indeed we are blessed. And that is the obvious answer of course. His Real Presence is why we cross ourselves when we enter, and again, we pay due reverence by genuflecting before taking our place in the pew. Sometimes I just gaze at the tabernacle before Mass. Other times I gaze at the Crucifix. No thoughts at these times really, other than the awareness of how at ease I am at that moment.

Other times, it is a gaze of adoration, or a humbling moment.

But as far as just being in the older churches , many times I think of the countless prayers and Masses said there over the years. I’m a revert, and I feel so ashamed to dare enter those churches after staying away for so many years.

My parish has always been run by the Dominican Friars. The High Altar is still there, as is the communion rail. I’ve wept many times, wondering why the Friars aren’t bringing back the Dominican Rite in latin. Perhaps they are considering it, but I’ve never had the courage to ask. I can only pray they will. We have a diocean parish which has the OF on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Originally an indult Mass. The MP freed the TLM of 1962. No mention of the mendicant order Rites approved of by Pius V. Perhaps that is how I could initiate a discussion with one of the Friars, asking how the MP would apply to the Dominican Rite.

Enough rambling for now.

Good topic.

 

[I_Believe]

How about the opposite? I’ve moved to a different diocese than the one in which I grew up, and I feel like this one is so much more “liberal” (if Catholics can be liberal/conservative)! There was one church about 30 minutes away that I found to be truly great, with priests who actually wear their clericals and Dominican sisters who wear the habit and teach at the school. We finally decided that church was too far away, and since then we have become members of a much closer church. But I keep finding problems with this one and feel discouraged that I’ll never find a church that practices the traditional way that my mom raised me (I’m only 25, but I’m one of 10 kids and from a very very traditional devout Roman Catholic family). I’m so discouraged that I can’t find a church that is PROUD to be Catholic!

I considered becoming Regnum Christi, and am still contemplating. Anyone have any thoughts on this movement?

Hi. I’m not familiar with Regnum Christi, and certainly don’t want to steer you away, but since you mentioned the Dominican sisters, you may want to check out the lay Dominican Third Order as well (TOP). 3op.org/findachapter.php#6

There are two chapters in Cincy