O
otjm
Guest
There has been a good deal of commentary over reception in the hand. Some of the Eastern rite churches have had that continuosly since the time of Christ. It was done away with in the Roman rite, and has been allowed again. It is legitimately allowed, and one is free to receive on the tongue if one prefers. As to giving in to people, some things come form the top down, some from the bottom up. Just because it does not come from the top down does not per se make it illegitimate.
As to dress, this is the US, not Germany, or Italy, or Poland, or wlsewhere. Customs for them are just that - their customs. The US is by and large a melting pot; that is, those who have arrived on our shores (and the speed has picked up over the centuries, and over the decades) have generally found that within a generation or two or three, that previous “old country” customs have given way to a greater commonality. Whether that is good or bad I will leave to sociologists. But factully, people rapdily give way from their previous customs to whatever we have (or don’t have). The old phrase “when in Rome” applies to more than just Rome.
And within the US one will find differences; what is tolerated or accepted in the big city may not pass muster in the small town; what goes on in Atlanta is probably not what will go on in Fargo. New York City is more formal than many areas in the midwest if for no other reason than that people in the midwest may not have the salary level of many New Yorkers. And the West Coast is probably ;the most laid-back and informal. Grunge started in Seattle, if I recall my sartorial history.
As to kneeling, that relates more to our history of liturgical experimentation and the stubbornness of some liberals; and I will leave that one alone.
and as to leaving right after Communion, that was occuring prior to Vatican 2; that is nothing new. Poor form, but not new.
Some of that has to do with the explosion of dissent that occured with the release of Humanae Vitae. Some of that has to do with the fact that the US has never been a “Catholic” country. some of that has to do with the general level of education of the people sitting in the pews; one will find a more authoritarian model of pastor where one finds a lower general level of education. Some of that has to do with the fact that we are a pluralistic society and have moved away from the authoritartian model also; Ireland, for example, has been by and large Catholic, and has run for a longer time on “Father knows best” in far more issues than faith and morals. and not to be snotty, as I don’t intend to be “we’re better”, but attendance is far higher in the US than it is in many countries in Europe; many in Europe are at or near about 55 attendance on a regualr basis; in the US, depending on what poll one is referring to, it is about 25% ot 36%. It would be simplistic to presume that being laid back leaves more people attending on a weekly basis. There may be some correlation, but not necessarily strong correlation.
Agian, when in Rome… and coupled with the issue of the level of education, you may not be making a fair correlation in approach.
I would not disagree that priests could be a whole lot more explicit about moral issues beyone the “social orientation” (take care of the poor) bit. And interestingly, those priests who give authentic witness to the whole Gospel tend to attract even more people. However, one does not have to yell, or tell people off to accomplish this. Nor do they ahve to enforce a dress code; that bit will sort itself out on its own. It may not result in men wearing suits and ties to Mass out here in the West, but a general tone will be set.
Welcome to the US!