Liturgical Abuse?

[CatholicLife]

On Wednesday 12 I went to a healing mass. I’m an altar server I had been to one of these before and it was just like a regular mass except that the priest added a part where he prayed over people. However this time it was a diffrenet priest.
Here are some things that I don’t think were right but I’m not sure:
After we got in the sanctuary he gave a short sppech then we did the sign of the cross
He later told the people to shake hands with the person next to them . He joined the people in this to. We didn’t say the Act of Penitence Gloria or the Excelsis Deo .Instead he just gave a speech.Things got worse because before the consecration he gave another sppeech on what it means. He refused to clean the sacred vessels after communion.Then he told us we were going to pray the Our Father in a diffrent way. He told the people to huddle up and hold hands and we said the Our Father. He told me to get down and join a group but I refused. Later during the healing part he waved his hands in the air like in many protestant churches and began to give another speech. I was sad after mass and though about writing to the Bishop . I want to ask if I’m taking this to far?

 

[benedictgal]

On Wednesday 12 I went to a healing mass. I’m an altar server I had been to one of these before and it was just like a regular mass except that the priest added a part where he prayed over people. However this time it was a diffrenet priest.
Here are some things that I don’t think were right but I’m not sure:
After we got in the sanctuary he gave a short sppech then we did the sign of the cross
He later told the people to shake hands with the person next to them . He joined the people in this to. We didn’t say the Act of Penitence Gloria or the Excelsis Deo .Instead he just gave a speech.Things got worse because before the consecration he gave another sppeech on what it means. He refused to clean the sacred vessels after communion.Then he told us we were going to pray the Our Father in a diffrent way. He told the people to huddle up and hold hands and we said the Our Father. He told me to get down and join a group but I refused. Later during the healing part he waved his hands in the air like in many protestant churches and began to give another speech. I was sad after mass and though about writing to the Bishop . I want to ask if I’m taking this to far?

I am afraid that you witnessed a classic example of liturgical abuse. The celebrant has no right to subtract (or add) anything to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Redemptionis Sacramentum notes that:

11.] The Mystery of the Eucharist “is too great for anyone to permit himself to treat it according to his own whim, so that its sacredness and its universal ordering would be obscured”.27 On the contrary, anyone who acts thus by giving free rein to his own inclinations, even if he is a Priest, injures the substantial unity of the Roman Rite, which ought to be vigorously preserved,28 and becomes responsible for actions that are in no way consistent with the hunger and thirst for the living God that is experienced by the people today. Nor do such actions serve authentic pastoral care or proper liturgical renewal; instead, they deprive Christ’s faithful of their patrimony and their heritage. For arbitrary actions are not conducive to true renewal,29 but are detrimental to the right of Christ’s faithful to a liturgical celebration that is an expression of the Church’s life in accordance with her tradition and discipline. In the end, they introduce elements of distortion and disharmony into the very celebration of the Eucharist, which is oriented in its own lofty way and by its very nature to signifying and wondrously bringing about the communion of divine life and the unity of the People of God.30 The result is uncertainty in matters of doctrine, perplexity and scandal on the part of the People of God, and, almost as a necessary consequence, vigorous opposition, all of which greatly confuse and sadden many of Christ’s faithful in this age of ours when Christian life is often particularly difficult on account of the inroads of “secularization” as well.31

Thus, he cannot subtract any part of the Mass nor add novelties to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

I would also direct you to a doctrinal statement made by the former Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger when he was Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In it he notes that:

II. DISCIPLINARY NORMS

Art. 1 – It is licit for every member of the faithful to pray to God for healing. When this is organized in a church or other sacred place, it is appropriate that such prayers be led by an ordained minister.

Art. 2 – Prayers for healing are considered to be liturgical if they are part of the liturgical books approved by the Church’s competent authority; otherwise, they are non-liturgical.

Art. 3 – § 1. Liturgical prayers for healing are celebrated according to the rite prescribed in the Ordo benedictionis infirmorum of the Rituale Romanum (28) and with the proper sacred vestments indicated therein.

§ 2. In conformity with what is stated in the Praenotanda, V., De aptationibus quae Conferentiae Episcoporum competunt (29) of the same Rituale Romanum, Conferences of Bishops may introduce those adaptations to the Rite of Blessings of the Sick which are held to be pastorally useful or possibly necessary, after prior review by the Apostolic See.

Art. 4 – § 1. The Diocesan Bishop has the right to issue norms for his particular Church regarding liturgical services of healing, following can. 838 § 4.

§ 2. Those who prepare liturgical services of healing must follow these norms in the celebration of such services.

§ 3. Permission to hold such services must be explicitly given, even if they are organized by Bishops or Cardinals, or include such as participants. Given a just and proportionate reason, the Diocesan Bishop has the right to forbid even the participation of an individual Bishop.

…Art. 7 – § 1. Without prejudice to what is established above in art. 3 or to the celebrations for the sick provided in the Church’s liturgical books, prayers for healing – whether liturgical or non-liturgical – must not be introduced into the celebration of the Holy Mass, the sacraments, or the Liturgy of the Hours.

You can read the entire document here:

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20001123_istruzione_en.html

He was not writing as Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, but, as Prefect of the CDF, and, as such, the document was approved for use by Pope John Paul II back in 2000. As Pope Benedict XVI, he is not likely to reverse what he stated as Cardinal Ratzinger.

 

[John_Lilburne]

On Wednesday 12 I went to a healing mass. I’m an altar server I had been to one of these before and it was just like a regular mass except that the priest added a part where he prayed over people. However this time it was a diffrenet priest.
Here are some things that I don’t think were right but I’m not sure:
After we got in the sanctuary he gave a short sppech then we did the sign of the cross
He later told the people to shake hands with the person next to them . He joined the people in this to. We didn’t say the Act of Penitence Gloria or the Excelsis Deo .Instead he just gave a speech.Things got worse because before the consecration he gave another sppeech on what it means. He refused to clean the sacred vessels after communion.Then he told us we were going to pray the Our Father in a diffrent way. He told the people to huddle up and hold hands and we said the Our Father. He told me to get down and join a group but I refused. Later during the healing part he waved his hands in the air like in many protestant churches and began to give another speech. I was sad after mass and though about writing to the Bishop . I want to ask if I’m taking this to far?

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“50. When the Entrance chant is concluded, the priest stands at the chair and, together with the
whole gathering, makes the Sign of the Cross. Then he signifies the presence of the Lord to the
community gathered there by means of the Greeting. By this Greeting and the people’s response,
the mystery of the Church gathered together is made manifest.
After the greeting of the people, the priest, the deacon, or a lay minister may very briefly
introduce the faithful to the Mass of the day.”
So his introduction was at the wrong time. But appreciate that the presiding priest can do introductions, from GIRM 31: “… In addition, he may give the faithful a very brief introduction to the Mass of the day (after the initial Greeting and before the Act of Penitence), to the Liturgy of the Word (before the readings), and to the Eucharistic Prayer (before the Preface), though never during the Eucharistic Prayer itself; …”.
Purifying the sacred vessels after Communion is optional. Instead they can be purified after Mass. From the GIRM: “163. Nevertheless, it is also permitted, especially if there are several vessels to be purified, to
leave them suitably covered on a corporal, either at the altar or at the credence table, and to
purify them immediately after Mass following the dismissal of the people.” So if he covered the vessels with a corporal, there was no problem with this.
With the Act of Penitence, appreciate that the priest can make up the lines before “Lord Have Mercy” or “Kyrie Elison”. Sprinkling with Holy Water means it does not take place. There are three versions of the Act of Penitence.

 

[benedictgal]

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“50. When the Entrance chant is concluded, the priest stands at the chair and, together with the
whole gathering, makes the Sign of the Cross. Then he signifies the presence of the Lord to the
community gathered there by means of the Greeting. By this Greeting and the people’s response,
the mystery of the Church gathered together is made manifest.
After the greeting of the people, the priest, the deacon, or a lay minister may very briefly
introduce the faithful to the Mass of the day.”
So his introduction was at the wrong time. But appreciate that the presiding priest can do introductions, from GIRM 31: “… In addition, he may give the faithful a very brief introduction to the Mass of the day (after the initial Greeting and before the Act of Penitence), to the Liturgy of the Word (before the readings), and to the Eucharistic Prayer (before the Preface), though never during the Eucharistic Prayer itself; …”.
Purifying the sacred vessels after Communion is optional. Instead they can be purified after Mass. From the GIRM: “163. Nevertheless, it is also permitted, especially if there are several vessels to be purified, to
leave them suitably covered on a corporal, either at the altar or at the credence table, and to
purify them immediately after Mass following the dismissal of the people.” So if he covered the vessels with a corporal, there was no problem with this.
With the Act of Penitence, appreciate that the priest can make up the lines before “Lord Have Mercy” or “Kyrie Elison”. Sprinkling with Holy Water means it does not take place. There are three versions of the Act of Penitence.

Actually, if you re-read the OP, you will note that the celebrant skipped the Penitential Rite altogether and had the faithful engage in some sort of hand-shaking exercise. I do not think that the celebrant was using any of the approved options for that Rite and was, as I read the OP, making up things as he went along. Unfortunately, I witnessed something dreadfully familiar down here. The celebrant, in my case, made up his own Collect and ad libbed a lot of the prayers of the Mass.

 

[Don9of11]

I think what you should do is write, email or visit the Bishop in your diocese and report these happenings. If you can get some others who attended this mass to corroborate your observations you could probably can keep this from happening again.

 

[bpbasilphx]

He joined the people in this to. We didn’t say the Act of Penitence Gloria or the Excelsis Deo

---

**What do you mean by “Gloria or the Excelcis Deo?”

There are certain forms of the Penetential rite in the Latin Church that include the Kyrie (if that’s what you mean) as part of it.

As far as the hymn Gloria in Excelsis, it is not always recited on weekdays or at a Votive Mass (as this could have been; there is a Votive Mass for the Sick).**

 

[JMJ_coder]

On Wednesday 12 I went to a healing mass. I’m an altar server I had been to one of these before and it was just like a regular mass except that the priest added a part where he prayed over people. However this time it was a diffrenet priest.
Here are some things that I don’t think were right but I’m not sure:
After we got in the sanctuary he gave a short sppech then we did the sign of the cross
He later told the people to shake hands with the person next to them . He joined the people in this to. We didn’t say the Act of Penitence Gloria or the Excelsis Deo .Instead he just gave a speech.Things got worse because before the consecration he gave another sppeech on what it means. He refused to clean the sacred vessels after communion.Then he told us we were going to pray the Our Father in a diffrent way. He told the people to huddle up and hold hands and we said the Our Father. He told me to get down and join a group but I refused. Later during the healing part he waved his hands in the air like in many protestant churches and began to give another speech. I was sad after mass and though about writing to the Bishop . I want to ask if I’m taking this to far?

The beginning speech was ok – the Mass hadn’t yet started and a Priest is allowed to make commentary on what is about to happen in the Mass before the Opening Rites.

Shaking hands exercise smells fishy.

Since it was Wednesday, a non-solemnity weekday, no Gloria would be normally said. But, not the time for a speech, either.

The posture for the Our Father is left fairly open by the Church, so huddling and holding hands can’t really be called abuse, even if annoying in the kumbaya sense.

A Priest has the option to not clean the sacred vessels immediately after Communion. He may put them aside, cover them with the linens, and then purify them immediately after Mass.

Aside from opening commentary/greeting and homily, all those other speeches would be non-legit.

 

[Bluegoat]

Actually, if you re-read the OP, you will note that the celebrant skipped the Penitential Rite altogether and had the faithful engage in some sort of hand-shaking exercise. I do not think that the celebrant was using any of the approved options for that Rite and was, as I read the OP, making up things as he went along. Unfortunately, I witnessed something dreadfully familiar down here. The celebrant, in my case, made up his own Collect and ad libbed a lot of the prayers of the Mass.

I have seen this done (grr) in Anglican churches. The so-called reasoning is that it represents reconciling ourselves with our neighbours, and those we have sinned against, and so can take the place of (in the Anglican church) the general confession. Some “scholars” feel that there is evidence this was done in the early church, though that is really quite controversial, and hardly the point, IMO.

It sounds like that may have been his line of thinking.

 

[benedictgal]

I have seen this done (grr) in Anglican churches. The so-called reasoning is that it represents reconciling ourselves with our neighbours, and those we have sinned against, and so can take the place of (in the Anglican church) the general confession. Some “scholars” feel that there is evidence this was done in the early church, though that is really quite controversial, and hardly the point, IMO.

It sounds like that may have been his line of thinking.

That may be fine for the Anglican ecclesial community, but, not for the Church. The Mass is not our own personal property where we can do with it what we please. The norms and rubrics are there to be followed, not to be amended at will.

 

[JMJ_coder]

That may be fine for the Anglican ecclesial community, but, not for the Church. The Mass is not our own personal property where we can do with it what we please. The norms and rubrics are there to be followed, not to be amended at will.

Although, I’ve often felt that the Sign of Peace should occur before the Offertory – but yes, until the Bishops change it, do what the current rubrics say.

 

[paperwight]

Although, I’ve often felt that the Sign of Peace should occur before the Offertory – but yes, until the Bishops change it, do what the current rubrics say.

For the past few weeks in this Archdiocese at least, it’s where we have been asked to have it because of Swine Flu - well, to be more precise, we have it immediately after the Kyrie/absolution.

 

[bpbasilphx]

For the past few weeks in this Archdiocese at least, it’s where we have been asked to have it because of Swine Flu - well, to be more precise, we have it immediately after the Kyrie/absolution.

And does that spot in the Liturgy somehow make the virus less catching?

 

[paperwight]

And does that spot in the Liturgy somehow make the virus less catching?

It does seem odd, doesn’t it .

It hasn’t been spelt out to us, but I’d imagine it’s something to do with germs drying out. If someone touched their nose/sneezed into their hand, germs would have a chance to dry and die before Holy Communion?

Euggh. just as well it wasn’t explained in detail.