grave mass abuse by young adult group?

[YoungTradCath]

Ok anyway let’s stop talking about Vatican II for just a minute…

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Just to be clear: is the abuse by the “young adult group” per the thread title, or in fact by the presiding priest?

 

[PietroPaolo]

So the local Roman Catholic young adult group with dying membership (handful) decided to do once a month masses instead of social gatherings. It said on the flier for their first one they hoped each Sunday mass would present a unique experience.
Upon entering all chairs were in a circle. Maybe around 17 people at this mass.
There was a circular table in the center for an altar.
The priest started by saying be comfortable and feel free to laugh and participate in the mass.
They skipped the gloria.
There was no homily, just introductions by everyone in the circle.
They skipped the creed.
After consecration but before receiving himself took the Eucharist and gave everyone in the circle a piece and told us not to consume it yet. I refused.
He ate it. Then told everyone to eat it all at once. Then he took the chalice he put the piece of the Eucharist in and gave it to the person next to him to drink from. They proceeded down the circle each person passing it to the next. (Note: these are not EMHCs).
I believe all of these are very grave offenses. Can you confirm though? How should I go about addressing this? To the young adult leadership and priest, then go to the next to see if they fixed it? I’m pretty sure the priest should know better. He is the pastor and was the assistant to the bishop a number of years…

To focus on the “what to do” aspect, I’d either:

1. Let it go. Find a better Mass to attend (maybe even in the forma extraordinaria, the “TLM”). Forget about this dwindling group, let it die the death it has consigned itself to.
2. Talk to the priest. You probably wouldn’t like having someone complain to your boss at work without even talking to you first, priests don’t tend to like it either. Remember, Jesus Himself told us to take our complaints to the individual first (cf. Matt 18). If talking to father doesn’t resolve the issue, write a letter to the Bishop. Then move on. BTW, be super charitable in all of this. You might first thank father for being a priest.

Honestly, I’d recommend option one. You can’t solve all the liturgical abuses in the Church by yourself. It really isn’t our job as laymen to police the liturgy, that is up to the bishops, the Congregation for Divine Worship, and Pope Francis. Chances are complaining isn’t going to be effective anyhow. Maybe after you find a better Mass (did I mention the TLM?) to start attending you can poach members from this group and put them out of their misery entirely.

God bless.

 

[John_Lilburne]

FirstCalled asked: “How should I go about addressing this?”

From the 2004 Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum at vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html :

"[94.] It is not licit for the faithful “to take . . . by themselves . . . and, still less, to hand . . . from one to another” the sacred host or the sacred chalice. …

**5. The Apostolic See
**
[181.] Whenever the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments receives at least a plausible notice of a delict or an abuse concerning the Most Holy Eucharist, it informs the Ordinary so that he may investigate the matter. When the matter turns out to be serious, the Ordinary should send to the same Dicastery as quickly as possible a copy of the acts of the inquiry that has been undertaken, and where necessary, the penalty imposed.
[182.] In more difficult cases the Ordinary, for the sake of the good of the universal Church in the care for which he too has a part by virtue of his sacred Ordination, should not fail to handle the matter, having previously taken advice from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. For its part, this Congregation, on the strength of the faculties given to it by the Roman Pontiff, according to the nature of the case, will assist the Ordinary, granting him the necessary dispensations[289] or giving him instructions or prescriptions, which he is to follow diligently.

**6. Complaints Regarding Abuses in Liturgical Matters
**[183.] In an altogether particular manner, let everyone do all that is in their power to ensure that the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist will be protected from any and every irreverence or distortion and that all abuses be thoroughly corrected. This is a most serious duty incumbent upon each and every one, and all are bound to carry it out without any favouritism.
[184.] Any Catholic, whether Priest or Deacon or lay member of Christ’s faithful, has the right to lodge a complaint regarding a liturgical abuse to the diocesan Bishop or the competent Ordinary equivalent to him in law, or to the Apostolic See on account of the primacy of the Roman Pontiff.[290] It is fitting, however, insofar as possible, that the report or complaint be submitted first to the diocesan Bishop. This is naturally to be done in truth and charity.

 

[Caanan]

I believe you experienced something new and unfamiliar and are jumping to conclusions. Based on your descriptions, it sounds like it was a Neocatechumenal Way-type Mass. It may seem odd to you, but their way of celebrating Mass is legitimate. Second, what time did the Mass occur? I’m assuming that since this was aimed at youth, the Mass would have been probably after 5pm and possibly even later like 10pm. In that case, would it have been possible for the priest to omit the Gloria and the Creed due to pastoral considerations like time constraints? (Apparently, the answer is yes, according to Busted Halo.) Also, the true meaning of a “homily” is actually a “dialogue,” not necessarily a “lecture.” Sitting in silence meditating on the readings could have also taken place.

I found these words quite striking, and I hope they will help you too.

Sorry, but the Neocatechumenal Way is obliged to celebrate the Mass as per the liturgical books of the Roman Rite. This is made clear in that organisation’s Statutes (perhe.katolinen.fi/en_Statute2008.pdf Article 13 paying particular attention to footnote 49). The NCW has been granted a few concessions, again clearly described in the Statutes.

None of the abuses described by the OP have been given permission from the Holy See. In other words, whether practised by the Neocats or not, they remain abuses.

Just to be clear, the Neocatechumenal way does not have a different liturgy, or a liturgy of their own. They simply celebrate the Mass, more or less poorly. For example, Janeway529 quotes an anonymous poster claiming “The manner in which the “way” celebrates the Eucharist is a manifestation of conviviality in the Risen Christ, brotherhood in genuine charity and fraternity in diversity.”

Notice how he does not say Mass, but “Eucharist”? This is indicative of the substitution and distortion of Catholic meaning that is rife in the Way. There is a distinction to be made between the sacrament of the Eucharist and the Sacrifice of the Mass. Of course, if the Eucharist is merely a “manifestation of conviviality”, Then the “sacrifice”, the “real presence” and the “redemption” are all minimised.

When someone says “Yes, the liturgy is important, yet it is not the end goal of all.”, remember that the Sacrament of the Eucharist is the “source and summit” of the Faith, and there is no higher act of worship in which we can participate than in the Mass. Redemption was won for us in the cross, and the resurrection is the fruit of that redemption. In the Mass the self-same sacrifice of the cross is re-presented for all time and people.

There are major problems with the Neocatechumenal Way that only now are coming to the attention of ordinary non-lapsed Catholics. In my opinion, we should accept no justification for personal (or group) liturgical creativity, and be. very. wary. of the Neocatechumenal Way.