Funny business or Ok? Tell me

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StSteverino

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There is a liberal Catholic Church I visit sometimes. They have a 5:30 pm mass on Sunday which is convenient.

They have ripped out the kneelers, everyone stands during the consecration, they music minister keeps singing the Sanctus well into the Eucharistic Prayer. They use clear glass plates and chalices and at communion services they store the Blessed Sacrament in a crockpot that looks like a soup container. There are no holy water fonts, but you can dip your fingers into the baptismal font, which looks like a big glass fishbowl in the back of the church.

A mother was trying to teach her children how to bless themselves but they could not reach and it was so frustrating she left, murmering what I suspect was a promise to find a real Catholic Church.

TThe priest sometimes uses special audio visual effects and skit like presentations for homilies, interacting with someone off stage. In fact the Church feels like a circle in the round auditorium. During one mass he gave out handouts and explained that the mass was foremost a communal meal, an agape feast. The mass was explained in blow by blow detail, but sacrifice was not mentioned.

Also he hides part of the Host under a cloth and retrieves it after mass, when everyone is gone, which I find weird.

All this is troubling to me as a returning Catholic. Please explain if you get whats going on.

Oh yeah, one other thing. A woman who did a Eucharistic Communion service it turns out was an Episcopal Priest and she preached a Homily. She fills in when the priest is out of town. Lay people also preach during communion services. And the Gospel is read.

Is this allowed?
 
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StSteverino:
Is this allowed?
Um, which part??

Most of what you mention **is **verboten, but I leave the specifics to a poster more knowledgeable than I.

Run, don’t walk, to a real Catholic Church, and consider a letter to the bishop about the liturgical abuses taking place at the liberal church you describe.
 
Obviously what you observed is not allowed (for the most part) by the Church. Let’s hope you can find a Catholic parish you can be happy in…
 
If you have the chance, I would drop a line to the diocese…direct it to their Office of Divine Liturgy. Go with your gut instinct…it certainly sounds peculiar to me as well. Not having kneelers is unfortunate, but not exclusive to this parish…but the combination of all the other things is bizarre. As far as the Communion service, a Eucharistic minister may perform it. Scriptural readings are always included, and a reflection is permissible…it is not a homily. That can only be done by a priest or a deacon. Good luck. However, I think you will be better fed by a different parish, but still drop a line to the diocese.
 
As far as the Communion service, a Eucharistic minister may perform it.
I do not mean to be nit picking but this is an incorrect term - only priests and Bishops are Eucharistic Ministers because only they can confect the Eucharist. This was recently addressed in Redemptionis Sacramentum and emphasis made that this term was not to be used to describe lay persons.

Priests, Bishops, and Deacons who distribute communion are referred to as Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.

All others granted permission to assist in the distribution of communion are referred to as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.

I would not ordinarily post a correction on this except that the thread was started by someone who stated they had recently returned to the Church and I felt it important that they be given the most accurate information.

Source Document - Redemptionis Sacramentum

ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CDWRDSAC.HTM#Chapter%20VII

See paragraphs 154 through 160 for discussion of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.
 
Definitely irregular, and not one bit funny. :nope:
And I know funny. :tiphat:
 
“…There are no holy water fonts, but you can dip your fingers into the baptismal font, which looks like a big glass fishbowl in the back of the church…”
*Nothing abusive about this, but very faddish. I walked into a Catholic church one day and had to walk around what amounted to a fiberglass spa almost blocking the entrance to the building. The chlorene smell was a bit oppressive too.
 
this sounds almost exactly like the Newman Center i go to on campus.
 
I have seen many of the things you have mentioned and was always horified at the disobedience that these priests have. Find another parish and pray pray pray for all churches to be united with the Holy Father.
 
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StSteverino:
. . .and at communion services they store the Blessed Sacrament in a crockpot that looks like a soup container.
Also he hides part of the Host under a cloth and retrieves it after mass, when everyone is gone, which I find weird.
Is the crockpot intended to take the place of a ciborium, or heaven forbid, the tabernacle?

And what does he do with the part of the consecrated Host that remains after Mass?
 
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StSteverino:
There is a liberal Catholic Church I visit sometimes. They have a 5:30 pm mass on Sunday which is convenient.

They have ripped out the kneelers, everyone stands during the consecration, they music minister keeps singing the Sanctus well into the Eucharistic Prayer. They use clear glass plates and chalices and at communion services they store the Blessed Sacrament in a crockpot that looks like a soup container. There are no holy water fonts, but you can dip your fingers into the baptismal font, which looks like a big glass fishbowl in the back of the church.

A mother was trying to teach her children how to bless themselves but they could not reach and it was so frustrating she left, murmering what I suspect was a promise to find a real Catholic Church.

TThe priest sometimes uses special audio visual effects and skit like presentations for homilies, interacting with someone off stage. In fact the Church feels like a circle in the round auditorium. During one mass he gave out handouts and explained that the mass was foremost a communal meal, an agape feast. The mass was explained in blow by blow detail, but sacrifice was not mentioned.

Also he hides part of the Host under a cloth and retrieves it after mass, when everyone is gone, which I find weird.

All this is troubling to me as a returning Catholic. Please explain if you get whats going on.

Oh yeah, one other thing. A woman who did a Eucharistic Communion service it turns out was an Episcopal Priest and she preached a Homily. She fills in when the priest is out of town. Lay people also preach during communion services. And the Gospel is read.

Is this allowed?
NO WAY!!! NONE OF IT IS ALLOWED!!! NOT EVER!!! THAT IS NO CATHOLIC CHURCH!!! WHY WOULD SOMEONE FROM A DIFFERENT RELIGION BE PART OF A CATHOLIC CHURCH??? Sorry, just can’t beleive it…
 
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khkhk:
NO WAY!!! NONE OF IT IS ALLOWED!!! NOT EVER!!! THAT IS NO CATHOLIC CHURCH!!! WHY WOULD SOMEONE FROM A DIFFERENT RELIGION BE PART OF A CATHOLIC CHURCH??? Sorry, just can’t beleive it…
That’s not true…

It’s not MANDATORY that all Roman Rite churches have kneelers.

Holy water fonts are not MANDATORY.

The baptismal font can look like a big glass fishbowl

Communion services are allowed…
 
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Crusader:
That’s not true…

It’s not MANDATORY that all Roman Rite churches have kneelers.

Holy water fonts are not MANDATORY.

The baptismal font can look like a big glass fishbowl

Communion services are allowed…
“It’s not MANDATORY that all Roman Rite churches have kneelers.”
I suppose that you could say that, however! there must be a floor because “Kneeling” IS mandatory (for those who are able to) during certain parts of the Mass.
 
Br. Rich SFO said:
“It’s not MANDATORY that all Roman Rite churches have kneelers.”

I suppose that you could say that, however! there must be a floor because “Kneeling” IS mandatory (for those who are able to) during certain parts of the Mass.

That’s axiomatic.

I attended a Mass a few months ago and the entire congregation kneeled except four people who were obviously together. These four had looks of defiance on their faces. Concern for their safety after the Mass did cross my mind for a brief moment…
 
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Crusader:
That’s axiomatic.

I attended a Mass a few months ago and the entire congregation kneeled except four people who were obviously together. These four had looks of defiance on their faces. Concern for their safety after the Mass did cross my mind for a brief moment…
I suppose that Biblical language about “every knee will bend” doesn’t apply to them.

God loves defiant people. Ask Moses…
 
The church I grew up in had no kneelers…BUT everyone just kneeled on the floor! i’m still not over the kneelers in my new church…LOL
 
Wow! It sounds like they took RS and said let’s see if we can do everything in here listed as an abuse. There are a couple of things that don’t qualify but you’ve definitely got a rebellious pastor there. Does he actually say “This is my body”?
 
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Crusader:
…Communion services are allowed…
But not when conducted by an Episcopalian priestess as the first poster mentioned.
 
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