Going to Mass does not feel like going to Mass anymore

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Thank you for your kind words.

I am I guess the older style Catholic, I am not a traditionalist, but not liberal neither.

I was always taught that before mass starts there should be silence to prepare yourself for mass, quietly in prayer.

During the mass its self should be awe-inspiring, with the mystery of the Holy Spirit, and at the end of mass one should reflect quietly for a few moments what has happened and been taught.

After that people should socialise and care for those in the community.

I really loved the old masses, but I do like the mass to be said in English, not Latin.

I used to go to Latin mass during the week with the Benedictine monks, and that was always a good start to the day.

Catholic is universal, it should not change the services to be like a protestant church, it should hold the sacred tradition up high and practise them like the Orthodox church.

Not hide them under the table so no one gets offended.

Catholic is Catholic, not Protestant, Baptist, not born again Christians or seven day Adventists, But CATHOLIC and should be proud of it.
jax123 said:
I think if I was on holiday in Greece and went to this service I would feel similar to the poster in some of the ways he did.
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jax123 said:
  • I like to hear the rosary prayed before the mass but I’m not sure I’d appreciate it over the microphone - more of a hum of voices together just seems more respectful, not of the prayer itself, just of the rest of the congregation who prefer to come in and have a quite prayer with the Lord before the service.
  • The use of mobile phones during the service I would find totally disrespectful as would I find the talking amongst the congregation.
  • With regards to the music - I personally find the traditional and the more modern hymns more pleasing to Gospel but I’m intrigued as I havent come across a Catholic church with Gospel/more Pop Music - am sure my teenage daughters would like that!
  • I would assume local culture and tradition would kick in regarding the protocol of going up to receive the Eucharist.
  • To a certain extent I guess local culture and tradition would kick in with regards to the etiquette of when is appropriate to leave the service - On a personal level I’m not sure I would be comfortable with a mass exodus before the priest has left the alter.

    I truly hope there is another church locally that you can go to which is more pleasing to you and your wife. My prayers and thoughts are with you, your wife and the congregation as a whole along with any visitors to the church who may feel the same as you.
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PiousTemplar said:
Although I agree with most of what you say, I think the Rosary Group which he said, ‘was so loud I couldn’t concentrate on praying’ should be a bit more considerate to the intentions of the other parishners.
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Well it is a public prayer group. Its like, “hey, this Mass is so loud I cannot say my rosary here quietly.” If someone is in the front on the microphone or whatever leading the prayers, then its a public group prayer sanctioned by the pastor of the church. Again, the church is meant to be a public gathering place for public prayers. I’d complain if people are in there doing karaoke. But they are praying! Why are we complaining about people praying in church?!?!?!?!?
 
PiousTemplar said:
Although I agree with most of what you say, I think the Rosary Group which he said, ‘was so loud I couldn’t concentrate on praying’ should be a bit more considerate to the intentions of the other parishners.
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I hear you. It does make it hard to say your Penance, if you just went to confession.
 
ProVobis said:
I hear you. It does make it hard to say your Penance, if you just went to confession.
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What if there was a Mass going on? Would you complain just the same? Its not as if this people are doing something that is not supposed to be happening in a church. I think people are just complaining for the sake of complaining. And too much of “I want this,” and “I want that.” The church wasn’t built for individual people and their individual preferences.
 
ConstantineTG said:
Thats called “mano” taken from the Spanish for “hand”. Thats how we give respect to elders. The elder will give their hand and we take it and bow down to place the back of the hand on our forehead. That is done with parents, uncles and aunts, grandparents, and of course the clergy.

I never do that here in North America unless the priest is Filipino. I’m just afraid that the non-Filipino priest would freak out when I grab his hand.
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Well, I’m glad you said that. I was going to add it to my list of pious things to do. 😃
 
TrueLight said:
Well, I’m glad you said that. I was going to add it to my list of pious things to do. 😃
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Well it is indeed pious. But I’m afraid that its meaning is tied heavily to a cultural context. Not sure how many non-Filipino priests will appreciate it. Although if a priest is used enough to such culture, he knows what it means.
 
Melchior said:
He’s also a Lutheran, so we shouldn’t use his music at Mass (or in a Church). Sorry mate, but thems the breaks!
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Where’s your ecumenical spirit? 🙂

Wrote music for a Catholic prince, who had hired him. He did need money to support his 20 kids, no? 🙂
 
ProVobis said:
Where’s your ecumenical spirit? 🙂

Wrote music for a Catholic prince, who had hired him. He did need money to support his 20 kids, no? 🙂
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I’m being sarcastic sir, you well know at this point my opinion about music. I’m just saying that people decry Protestant’s music at Mass, yet they have no problems with a Lutheran and a Mason 🙂
 
johnridgway said:
Going to Mass does not feel like going to Mass anymore…… Why?

This is why………
I walk into the cathedral in Athens Greece about 45 minutes before the Mass starts, there are quite a few Filipinos doing the rosary out loud over a microphone, there is nobody there to welcome anybody.
You go and get a seat and kneel to pray, but as the rosary is so loud, concentrating on pray is almost impossible.
Just before the Mass begins, a woman spokeswoman get up and gives announcements and Mass petitions. “That was always the deacon’s job”
The music starts, instead of sacred music it is more like Gospel music, as is the case all through the mass.
Hearing what is going on during the Mass is hard, as most of the time people are too busy chatting with each other, or even talking on the cell phones.
Or running around lighting candles or trying to look important.
During the Lord’s Prayer everybody is holding hands, “44c outside, everybody sweaty”
Time for the Eucharist, everybody jumps up and goes and gets it, no waiting, no organisation, first up, first served. During this time of chaos the so called choir is singing what sounds like a pop song from the charts.
Finally the priest says the Mass is finished, go in peace. As soon as the priest turns round to pray, even before the last song has started to be sung, there is a great mass of movement. The Cathedral is empty before the priest finishes praying at the Altar.

Is this Holly mass? It does not feel Holly to me…
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45 minutes before Mass sounds like a reasonable time for the rosary to be prayed. If the group is using the microphone, the probably have permission from the pastor. Is there a chapel where you could pray before Mass?

The woman giving the announcements is fine. Nice if the deacon can do it, but he may be preparing for Mass himself then.

There are forms of music that are more appropriate for Mass than others, but since we don’t know what these songs are it is hard to judge. Could just be a difference in taste between you and the music director.

People going up for communion when they are ready is actually the traditional way. Not everyone was always disposed to receive, so no one expected that entire pews would empty out in turn.

People going up to light candles or pray at a particular statue, etc. during Liturgy is traditional in Eastern and Orthodox churches. Since you are in Athens, I would assume that many folks may have roots in Eastern or Orthodox churches.

If people leave directly after the dismissal, they have stayed for the entire Mass. They do not need to wait for the end of the last hymn.

The only thing that I understand as a real problem is the talking and chatting on the phone during Mass. And in a Cathedral parish there is not much you can do about it. I assure you that the pastor is aware. Try sitting up closer to the altar. You will also be less distracted by people going up to communion “out of order” or leaving right after the dismissal.

Finally, I will also note that in a Cathedral there are usually plenty of tourists, people traveling etc. All of who are used to different practices (lower t traditions) in their home parish, which can make for more bustle than usual.
 
Will_S said:
So when a monsoon on the day of the wedding ruins the garden reception, the wind knocks over the tent, the cake disintegrates into a soggy pile of mush, and the bride falls face first into the mud after stepping in a puddle, you’d say to her:

But you did get married right? If so how could it possibly be a bad experience?
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YEP! I would. 😛 The marriage is what is important, the wedding not so much.

Yes, I also look for reverant liturgy. And I did have a beautiful wedding which I cherish. But most of what the OP talked about is not abusive and not necessarily irreverent. The talking is definately an issue, but not something that will not be easily controlled in a cathedral. The music could well be a problem, it regularly is, but we don’t know if it is just a bit more lively than he likes, or actually an issue.
 
Melchior said:
He’s also a Lutheran, so we shouldn’t use his music at Mass (or in a Church). Sorry mate, but thems the breaks!
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What kind of reasoning is that? Do you have some theological disagreement with the hymns that Bach writes? If not, what is the problem with playing his music at mass? That sounds a bit extreme.
 
hudson said:
That is where liberalism has lead the Church. Some people don’t think it has gone far enough yet. Luckily there are a few traditionalist still fighting.
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And we know what a traditionalist Jesus was. Nothing new for Him. No pushing of the boundaries. No challenging of ingrained paradigms. No commands to behave counter intuitively (eg. love those who hate you). Just maintaining the status quo and tradition was the hallmark of the man from Gallilee’s creed, right?
 
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