Lifeteen Mass

[Timfish30]

I’m sorry for probably ressurecting a dead topic, but after searching the forums and google for a while I haven’t been able to find an answer. At my parish, during the Lifeteen Mass, the teens (I am one of them) are still called to come up around the altar. We don’t enter the sanctuary though, we gather around the stairs of it, as it is raised. Would this still constitute a liturgical abuse? Also, if it does, how should I go about bringing this up to the pastor. He is my spiritual director and regular confessor, so he knows me pretty well and I have no nervousness about asking him about it. I am just wondering if there is any sort of resource I could bring to show him, as it doesn’t seem as reliable without something to backup a claim. Thanks for taking the time to answer, God bless.

 

[catholictiger]

I’m sorry for probably ressurecting a dead topic, but after searching the forums and google for a while I haven’t been able to find an answer. At my parish, during the Lifeteen Mass, the teens (I am one of them) are still called to come up around the altar. We don’t enter the sanctuary though, we gather around the stairs of it, as it is raised. Would this still constitute a liturgical abuse? Also, if it does, how should I go about bringing this up to the pastor. He is my spiritual director and regular confessor, so he knows me pretty well and I have no nervousness about asking him about it. I am just wondering if there is any sort of resource I could bring to show him, as it doesn’t seem as reliable without something to backup a claim. Thanks for taking the time to answer, God bless.

I’m not sure if it is a liturgical abuse but there is absolutely no reason for the kids to go up during there, plus one should be kneeling during the raising of the host and chalice during the eucharistic prayer. You are kneeling in adoration for our lord and everyone should be kneeling, only if you are sitting or standing for health reasons. If I were you I would go up to your pastor and say this makes me uneasy going up so close to the alter during the Eucharistic prayer. I feel like it may be a liturgical abuse. Hopefully the pastor is well educated enough in the liturgy to say oh its not or yes it is. Maybe he is hesitant to change this because none will approach him.

BTW if you know its a liturgical abuse go to the priest ASAP, and say out of respect for the priest that this shouldn’t happen. Don’t be demanding but rather go to him as someone who respects him but wants the mass to be reverent.

 

[catholictiger]

one other question, sorry to put it in another post, but do you know why they want the kids to do this? Knowing the reason behind it could help you out.

 

[Timfish30]

We do kneel when we gather at the foot of the Sanctuary, but it still jut doesn’t seem right. It is a Lifeteen thing that teens come up to gather around the altar, but according to this catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0404616.htm it should have stopped a while ago, that was from 2004. I will ask my pastor about it, I am just wondering if anyone who knows the GIRM well would know if the fact that we are not actually in the Sanctuary who change anything. Thanks for responding so quickly.

 

[CatholicLife]

Lifeteen was started in my diocese and I’m pretty sure that the original church where Lifeteen was founded does not practice the teens surrounding the sanctuary. We have been blessed to have a good bishop who has stopped a whole bunch of liturgical abuse since he came in 2005.

 

[Melchior_1]

Life Teen did issue a statement saying for this to stop. If your parish is still doing it, contact the Life Teen organization, and let them know about this.

 

[SMHW]

We do kneel when we gather at the foot of the Sanctuary, but it still jut doesn’t seem right. It is a Lifeteen thing that teens come up to gather around the altar, but according to this catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0404616.htm it should have stopped a while ago, that was from 2004. I will ask my pastor about it, I am just wondering if anyone who knows the GIRM well would know if the fact that we are not actually in the Sanctuary who change anything. Thanks for responding so quickly.

Is there something unusual about the set up of your parish church that would make coming up closer to the sanctuary preferable to staying in the regular seats? The article you reference is not really applicable if you are not entering the sanctuary. Is everyone who attends Mass invited to come closer to the sanctuary? Or are teens singled out?

As far as I know the main reason for having pews/chairs is to make things easier for the people to participate. Aisles are for ease of egress and would help to meet fire regulations. When there are large numbers of people those features contribute to the solemnity of of the Mass. But there is no liturgical reason for seats and aisles at a time when people are supposed to be kneeling. So I would think the location of people outside of the sanctuary would best be regulated by what best contributes to the solemnity of the Mass.

 

[Timfish30]

Is there something unusual about the set up of your parish church that would make coming up closer to the sanctuary preferable to staying in the regular seats? The article you reference is not really applicable if you are not entering the sanctuary. Is everyone who attends Mass invited to come closer to the sanctuary? Or are teens singled out?

There is really nothing that would make it preferable, and yes it is just the teens singled out to come forward. Also I forgot to mention though I bet it was assumed, this is just for the time of consecration.

 

[catholictiger]

We do kneel when we gather at the foot of the Sanctuary, but it still jut doesn’t seem right. It is a Lifeteen thing that teens come up to gather around the altar, but according to this catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0404616.htm it should have stopped a while ago, that was from 2004. I will ask my pastor about it, I am just wondering if anyone who knows the GIRM well would know if the fact that we are not actually in the Sanctuary who change anything. Thanks for responding so quickly.

It doesn’t seem right either, it seems like it would distract from the true meaning of the mass. I can’t put my finger on something canonical that would make this an abuse though.

 

[SMHW]

There is really nothing that would make it preferable, and yes it is just the teens singled out to come forward. Also I forgot to mention though I bet it was assumed, this is just for the time of consecration.

I would have my biggest issue with the bolded part.

If this was a very small, intimate setting I don’t really see an issue with EVERYONE coming forward. I know parishes that create something of a “chapel setup” for very small groups of people. But I do not like the idea of calling out a subset of all those attending Mass.