Liturgical abuse - attending another mass

[LeMat]

Hi there,

so this is going to be my first posting here, so please don’t be too angry if it’s not in the right area…

But for the real “problem”: I was attending mass today at my local parish (instead of going to one of the services offered at the nearby city, which I normally do for several reasons) and already felt in advance that it might not be as usual. The service scheduled was called a “family service” and I knew from before that this could involve some strange things.

What I saw then topped it all. In fact, the usage of not approved words of institution was the least problem. The “chairman” (a layman) of our local parish council (or pastoral council - not that sure on terminology) behaved like he was the director and writer of the whole “play” and the priest seemed just like an actor doing what he was told to do.

Although there were two ordained priests concelebrating and there weren’t too many people attending, an EMHC was wandering around, going to the tabernacle, distributing holy communion to the altar servers, etc.

The Our Father was said while children were kind of “dancing” around the altar, under the guidance of the EMHC (who happens to be the teacher for religious ed at the local school).

At the end of the mass, when the priest and the altar servers were beginning the recessional (lining up in front of the high altar, just before they bowed) the so-called chairman out of a sudden stood up and walked to the ambo, taking the mic and loudly announcing some kind of extra news not mentioned before. The organ music then stopped to allow him speaking and after he was finished he just nodded to the priest to signal him to “proceed”.

Afterwards I didn’t quite know what to do. I just didn’t feel that this celebration met the criteria for what I call a “sunday mass”. So I attended an evening mass at the monastery church where I go regularly during the week and, of course, received the Holy Eucharist there.

So my questions are - what do you think about:
1.) Should I - and if yes, what - do something about the irregularities I found at my local parish or is it just my personal opinion that something was “wrong” there?
2.) Was it ok for me to attend mass a second time a day and receive the Holy Eucharist there?

Would be very thankful to receive some answers and opinions,

yours,
LeMat

 

[Nigel7]

Are you sure that this was a true Roman Catholic parish? Or maybe it was some breakaway denomination that’s not in communion with the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church.

I say that because I had an acquaintance who recently attended “mass” with their childhood Catholic friend at the old friends “catholic” church. The priest was openly gay, bragged in his homily about scoping out another guy earlier that morning, and many other very strange occurrences and abuses throughout the mass. Turns out it was an ECC (Ecumenical) Catholic church.

 

[LeMat]

@Nigel - the parish, the priests, etc. are all 100% Roman Catholic. At least that’s what they call themselves, but as they’re listed in the official dioceses directory it is undoubted…

 

[Nigel7]

@Nigel - the parish, the priests, etc. are all 100% Roman Catholic. At least that’s what they call themselves, but as they’re listed in the official dioceses directory it is undoubted…

Then you might write a letter to your Bishop detailing what you witnessed in that parish if you feel there were abuses going on.

As far as attending and receiving at the 2nd Mass. That is fine. We may receive the Eucharist twice in a day, as long as it is received within Eucharistic celebrations (attending a 2nd Mass).
Not 3 times though, accept only in very extraordinary circumstances (i.e. danger of death and receiving sacrament of the anointing of the sick).

 

[Joannm]

The only problem I see are the words of institution (what did he say?) and the kids around the altar. The rest allowable.

 

[eternalstudent]

Hi there,

so this is going to be my first posting here, so please don’t be too angry if it’s not in the right area…

But for the real “problem”: I was attending mass today at my local parish (instead of going to one of the services offered at the nearby city, which I normally do for several reasons) and already felt in advance that it might not be as usual. The service scheduled was called a “family service” and I knew from before that this could involve some strange things.

What I saw then topped it all. In fact, the usage of not approved words of institution was the least problem. The “chairman” (a layman) of our local parish council (or pastoral council - not that sure on terminology) behaved like he was the director and writer of the whole “play” and the priest seemed just like an actor doing what he was told to do.

Although there were two ordained priests concelebrating and there weren’t too many people attending, an EMHC was wandering around, going to the tabernacle, distributing holy communion to the altar servers, etc.

The Our Father was said while children were kind of “dancing” around the altar, under the guidance of the EMHC (who happens to be the teacher for religious ed at the local school).

At the end of the mass, when the priest and the altar servers were beginning the recessional (lining up in front of the high altar, just before they bowed) the so-called chairman out of a sudden stood up and walked to the ambo, taking the mic and loudly announcing some kind of extra news not mentioned before. The organ music then stopped to allow him speaking and after he was finished he just nodded to the priest to signal him to “proceed”.

Afterwards I didn’t quite know what to do. I just didn’t feel that this celebration met the criteria for what I call a “sunday mass”. So I attended an evening mass at the monastery church where I go regularly during the week and, of course, received the Holy Eucharist there.

So my questions are - what do you think about:
1.) Should I - and if yes, what - do something about the irregularities I found at my local parish or is it just my personal opinion that something was “wrong” there?
2.) Was it ok for me to attend mass a second time a day and receive the Holy Eucharist there?

Would be very thankful to receive some answers and opinions,

yours,
LeMat

I get it - You are at mass and are trying to have a peaceful encounter - Commune with God and pray but everything is a distraction. I find that by following the advice of the eastern mystics I can transcend the environment around me. My method is to focus on the end of my nose and to keep my focus. I think that’s how the nuns that taught me used to get through the day. Sometimes they just seemed to look beyond all the nonsense and stare into space. I would complain !!

ES