Gross liturgical abuse

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JDeL

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Here’s the situation:

I teach in a Catholic middle school(I know they are really down-graded here but …) and I do my best to follow teachings of the Mageristerium, and we have a new pastor(installed on July 1). We had a teacher’s Mass yesterday in preparation for the new school year, and I was shocked at the Eucharistic Prayer and consecration.

These astonishing things happened during the Liturgy of Eucharist(I am pretty sure they are all serious abuses):

1)Gross feminization of all God the Father terms in the prayer(“It is right to give God(rather than Him) thanks and praise”), even referring to the God as mother at one point
2) I had never heard this prayer used at all before. I really had a strange tone to it, peace and gender-sameness oriented.
3) This was the worst: we all came up to the altar(the teachers, the laity) and WE said the words of consecration while Father extended his hands over the gifts. I was absolutely flabbergasted by this.
4) The protestant ending to the Our Father(for thine is the kingdom etc …) I have never heard this before at a Catholic Mass.

I will leave it there. There was probably more that I missed as I was so flabbergasted. This priest wants to liberalize the Mass even more too; he talks of bringing the children on the altar during the consecration and probably doing what we did.

Further, I have taught religion for the past three years at this school, and now my principal has given the religion classes to another teacher, mostly because I teach the true teachings of the church, regarding contraception, dances, modesty, abortion, and other life issues and she takes offense to my traditional tendencies. Other teachers make comments about how these parents are having too many children etc… I other words, I feel like I am fighting the culture of death every day.

I have considered resigning, but I am the AD and basketball coach too and feel like I would be screwing the kids. Should I just write the Arch-bishop and report all of this and just tough it out? It is very difficult to find a teaching job these days, and I hesitate to abandon ship now. I could always know at the least the kids would get their orthodox Mass once a month, and now not even that.

Any insights as to how to proceed in this situation with charity?

JD
 
I’m pretty sure that wasn’t even a valid Mass if I’ve got it right that the teachers, not the priest said the Consecration. I’d take it directly to the Archbishop - tomorrow if possible. I might have missed something in all my training but I’m pretty positive that the PRIEST must say the Consecration. For him to suggest otherwise would seem heretical. I wouldn’t resign. I’d fight this. The kids won’t have an advocate if you quit.

If the Archbishop won’t see you, I’d had drop a letter at his office and make it clear that you want to know he received it. If for some reason he won’t do anything about it (even my old liberal bishop probably would have done something about this!) then videotape the next Mass you can and burn it onto a CD-ROM and send it to the Nuncio and the Vatican. We’ve used this tactic in our diocese and Pope Benedict, then Cardinal Ratzinger, actually got word to us that the CD was the most effective tactic and that anyone having trouble in their diocese should do this.
 
I agree that videotaping such a Mass is an excellent way of addressing the Liturgical Abuses you have reported. You may want to have the very first Mass of the school year recorded, as I imagine the heat is going to go up pretty quickly, once the new Pastor begins to see that you are one who actually likes the Mass done in the “conservative” manner.

And how will he figure this out? I suggest you begin by approaching him about the way the Mass was celebrated. Ask him to clarify for you why he did these things which were different from what you understand to be the correct manner of celebrating the Mass. You may want to have a copy of Redemptorus Sanctorium (is that the correct one, and the right spelling?) and the latest GIRM, along with the USCCB approved changes. I expect that you will not get what you want, but before approaching the Bishop / Archbishop, it only makes sense that you have first approached the Pastor himself and given him the opportunity to explain himself.

Then, you can include a synopsis of this conversation and the video on DVD in your communication with the Bishop. If you don’t get satisfaction there, I would recommend sending it on to Rome. In the meantime, it sounds like you may want to spend some time in front of the Blessed Sacrament in prayer to determine what you should be doing about continuing in your job. If there are other faithful Catholic families in the school, you may want to see if you can establish a rotation of Eucharistic Adoration for the Pastor and the School. It’s amazing what powerful things can be accomplished through Adoration.

Good luck and God Bless,

CARose
 
The concluding prayer after the Our Father ("For Thine is the kingdom, the power, the glory…etc.) is a Catholic prayer called the Doxology and is recited at every Mass, following the Our Father and the priest’s words, “Deliver us, Lord, from every evil and grant us peace in our day. In Your mercy keep us from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of Our Savior, Jesus Christ.” It is not a “protestant” prayer in terms of historical origin.

If speaking with the priest or writing to the bishop, it’s best to stick to the most severe problem and not muddle several issues into a single complaint.

If the priest had a group of laymen recite the Consecration prayers, that is a** serious abuse**. Only the ordained priest can consecrate the Sacred Species…

Only the ordained priest celebrating the Mass can act in persona Christi - as Christ Himself, the High Priest, in changing the bread and wine, as Christ first did at the Last Supper…(Sometimes there are several priests who may concelebrate, but again, that is a privilege and duty reserved for the ordained only.)
Who said the words, “This is My Body…This is the cup of My Blood…”? Was it the laity, or the priest celebrant?

There are numerous documents to thwart and correct such abuses, yet some disobedient priests persist!

If the priests haven’t listened to the pope(s), it’s doubtful they’ll listen to you, either…

[
Inaestimabile Donum: (promulgated April, 1980)The faithful have a right to a true Liturgy, which means the Liturgy desired and laid down by the Church**"No person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove or change anything in the Liturgy on his own authority."4. It is reserved to the priest, by virtue of his ordination, to proclaim the Eucharist Prayer, which of its nature is the high point of the whole celebration. It is therefore an abuse to have some parts of the Eucharist Prayer said by the deacon, by a lower minister, or by the faithful.(16) On the other hand the assembly does not remain passive and inert; it unites itself to the priest in faith and silence and shows its concurrence by the various interventions provided for in the course of the Eucharist Prayer: the responses to the Preface dialogue, the Sanctus, the acclamation after the Consecration, and the final Amen after the *Per IpsumPer Ipsum*5. Only the Eucharist Prayers included in the Roman Missal or those that the Apostolic See has by law admitted, in the manner and within the limits laid down by the Holy See, are to be used. To modify the Eucharist Prayers approved by the Church or to adopt others privately composed is a most serious abuse](http://www.adoremus.org/InaestimabileDonum.html)
Sorry, I don’t know why that’s all underlined, and I cannot undo it!
 
If the priest did not say the words of consecration, that was not a Mass.

Let us know if you make any headway with your bishop. My experience has been not to get too optimistic, particularly if the priest is a ‘nice guy’ and ‘loved by his people.’
 
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JDeL:
Here’s the situation:

. . .

Any insights as to how to proceed in this situation with charity?

JD
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Charity? The people are entitled to an authentic liturgy. Providing that is “charity.” Objecting to being deprived of it is not “uncharitable.”

Get it on video and send copies to the bishop and to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
 
This is very, very sad.

Please keep us informed as to any progress in resolving the matter.

I will certainly keep you in my prayers.
 
If the priest did not actualy say the words himself then it was invalid … very very sad. Also, the CDW has addressed gender neutral language and so has the CDF and both have strictly forbidden it.
 
Most of what you need is in Redemptionis Sacramentum, written in 2004 to address Liturgical abuses. This is at the end of the document:

Look at the index and go to the appropriate section for each of the things you mention:

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html

Also, I think we need good people, faithful to the Magisterium to stick it out and stick to their guns in these schools. Pray for strength and wisdom. Since this is employment, I would handle it with charity first by citing RS. However, be aware that some progressives feel that this is not necessary. If this job is really important to you then this could be a challenge. On the other hand, an abuse is taking place and if you can gain employment elsewhere consider writing to the local Bishop and sending a courtesy copy to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. You can read more here:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=55702&highlight=abuse

Maybe because you risk losing employment in order to deal with it, you might contact the St. Joseph Foundation for advice on how to proceed. Maybe they can do something without giving you away. Also, you may want to use the Ask an Apologist and ask if it would be appropriate to send a letter to the CDF, asking that your name be withheld in order to protect your employment. Maybe this is a legitimate reason to not approach the pastor, and bishop first.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=55702&highlight=abuse

oldforum.catholic.org/discussion/messages/41/850457.html?1116143167

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.
 
JDeL

I have had success when writing letters to our Bishop to send them marked “personal” and send them certified with a return receipt request. That way you know it has been received. Before I would send them regular mail and would never get a reply. We must understand that the Bishops gets tons of mail and are usually opened by his secretaries. If they are the liberal type, they may just pitch it and later make the claim that “I didnt see any letter”. Whenever I send them marked personal and certified with a return receipt, I always get a reply from our Bishop. Just a suggestion…Of course always keep a copy of your letter. Give him several weeks to respond.
 
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TobyLue:
JDeL

I have had success when writing letters to our Bishop to send them marked “personal” and send them certified with a return receipt request. That way you know it has been received. Before I would send them regular mail and would never get a reply. We must understand that the Bishops gets tons of mail and are usually opened by his secretaries. If they are the liberal type, they may just pitch it and later make the claim that “I didnt see any letter”. Whenever I send them marked personal and certified with a return receipt, I always get a reply from our Bishop. Just a suggestion…Of course always keep a copy of your letter. Give him several weeks to respond.
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That is very good advice.
 
You just think you went to a Catholic Mass. :crying: You must have stumbled into a protestant gathering. :bigyikes:
  • Kathie :bowdown:
 
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