Father Z's "Rules of Engagement" discussion

[HOPEFUL_IN_UK]

I am sorta new to Father Z’s blog, and I only just found this entry:

wdtprs.com/blog/fr-zs-5-rules-of-engagement-for-after-the-motu-proprio-is-released/

1. Rejoice because our liturgical life has been enriched, not because “we win”. Everyone wins when the Church’s life is enriched. This is not a “zero sum game”.

1. Do not strut. Let us be gracious to those who have in the past not been gracious in regard to our “legitimate aspirations”.

1. Show genuine Christian joy. If you want to attract people to what gives you so much consolation and happiness, be inviting and be joyful. Avoid the sourness some of the more traditional stamp have sadly worn for so long.

1. Be engaged in the whole life of your parishes, especially in works of mercy organized by the same. If you want the whole Church to benefit from the use of the older liturgy, then you who are shaped by the older form of Mass should be of benefit to the whole Church in concrete terms.

1. If the document doesn’t say everything we might hope for, don’t ***** about it like a whiner. Speak less of our rights and what we deserve, or what it ought to have been, as if we were our own little popes, and more about our gratitude, gratitude, gratitude for what God gives us.

(One of those words will be edited out, but it’s a priest saying it, so I’m not going to apologize for it.)

Anyway, this has really struck me. My husband and I have been searching for a parish community, and at the same time we’ve been looking for good liturgy. There is one Latin Mass in Glasgow, and it’s convenient enough to us to get to on Sundays. We feel like we should put our energy into the parish, overall. But, I don’t think that that is the norm for those who attend EF masses. I think perhaps some people have gotten used to feeling marginalized, or they’re so focused on what they’re getting from the liturgy that they have little interest in the parish community.

I also think of these rules when I see people talking about petitioning or trying to form “a stable group” to request a Latin Mass. Beyond money in the collection plate, what are you willing to offer a parish priest that isn’t at your own parish when you ask for the Latin Mass?

 

[HOPEFUL_IN_UK]

OK… maybe my post was too vague.

I’ll ask a direct question: if you attend Mass in the EF, are you involved in the parish? Or, is it more about getting the liturgy you want. Like, if you drive an hour to attend this Mass, does that mean that you don’t stick around and work with the parish?

 

[universalindult]

OK… maybe my post was too vague.

I’ll ask a direct question: if you attend Mass in the EF, are you involved in the parish? Or, is it more about getting the liturgy you want. Like, if you drive an hour to attend this Mass, does that mean that you don’t stick around and work with the parish?

Once we found a priest willing to offer the TLM, we joined his parish, and volunteered to teach CCD. My wife is teaching 8th grade, I’m teaching 9th grade, my two sons are serving the TLM, I’m in the schola, we have envelopes, and contribute as much as possible. Its 35 miles one way, CCD goes from 8:30 to 10:30 every other Sunday, and the pastor offers a private TLM every Sunday at 1:00pm. Its a terribly long day, but its worth it.

 

[HOPEFUL_IN_UK]

Once we found a priest willing to offer the TLM, we joined his parish, and volunteered to teach CCD. My wife is teaching 8th grade, I’m teaching 9th grade, my two sons are serving the TLM, I’m in the schola, we have envelopes, and contribute as much as possible. Its 35 miles one way, CCD goes from 8:30 to 10:30 every other Sunday, and the pastor offers a private TLM every Sunday at 1:00pm. Its a terribly long day, but its worth it.

That sounds great! I’m glad you found a priest who will do this. How many people attend the private Mass?

We have made a point of joining this parish (the one that has the TLM), but the priest who says it is not the pastor. The Mass used to be the indult Mass. It makes me very sad to see about 30 people there each Sunday.

We’re the only ones with children. We hope that maybe another family will peek in, someday, see us there, and feel comfortable going. A lot of people are intimidated by the TLM and think small children won’t be welcome. But, we keep them in the very back. By happenstance, there is a large part of the back of the nave that is blocked off by some screens and there is a table and chair, there. I put my 3yo there with crayons and then walk with the baby in the back. Everybody compliments on how quiet they are. I have my 3yo sit in a pew when we go to NO Mass on weekdays so he’s getting practice at it. Right now, though, the younger one refuses to sit. He will scream. So, it’s walking and bouncing. My husband and I take turns being the one who gets to sit in the pews and pay attention.

 

[Brennan_Doherty]

OK… maybe my post was too vague.

I’ll ask a direct question: if you attend Mass in the EF, are you involved in the parish? Or, is it more about getting the liturgy you want. Like, if you drive an hour to attend this Mass, does that mean that you don’t stick around and work with the parish?

I think part of the answer to this question might have to do with whether or not it is an actual traditional parish or an indult. For instance, where I live, the indult is about 20 miles outside of town past an industrial area. The TLM is offered at 8 am on Sunday and I think that’s it. Now, thank God for that.

However, I think when the TLM is offered in a location far away from any population center it makes it difficult for people to even make it to the TLM, let alone get actively involved in the parish (but there may be traditionalists involved in the parish–I don’t know, I haven’t been able to make it out there in a while). This also goes for when the TLM offerings are irregular.

This is one reason I hope traditional parishes are founded so people can feel like this is their own parish and not just a place that offers the TLM once a week or less (and sometimes at irregular days or times).

 

[universalindult]

That sounds great! I’m glad you found a priest who will do this. How many people attend the private Mass?

We are averaging 40-50 per week since he started offering a private TLM every Sunday back in September. We had our first high mass on Laetare Sunday, with about 135 in attendance total. That’s not bad for an unadvertised private TLM in a tiny town out in the middle of no where.

Also, the average age seems to be around ten years old, with all the young large families attending.

 

[Marysann]

Hopeful, I hope that you will continue to read Father Z’s blog. He has a lot of contacts in the UK and often posts items about what is going on there. He has many blogs from the UK on his list. You might be able to find out about what is going on near you from one of them. I also know that Father Z is very interested in who is going to be the next Archbishop of Westminster. He has had several interesting posts about that.

 

[HOPEFUL_IN_UK]

Hopeful, I hope that you will continue to read Father Z’s blog. He has a lot of contacts in the UK and often posts items about what is going on there. He has many blogs from the UK on his list. You might be able to find out about what is going on near you from one of them. I also know that Father Z is very interested in who is going to be the next Archbishop of Westminster. He has had several interesting posts about that.

Yeah, he’s posted a few times about the Archbishop of Glasgow. I never miss reading it! I am also going back and reading older entries.