Liturgical Abuse?

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Dpoc41

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For a few months now, I have been watching churchservices.tv/ everyday and enjoy watching Mass live from different churches in the UK and Ireland. But some Priests and Lectors dont seem to be following the correct order of Mass, for example - Today a priest said in the Introductory:** The Lord Is With You** instead of The Lord be with you, and again before the Gospel, and also at the Eucharistic Prayer.

Also a lot of the readers still say: This Is The Word of The Lord instead of: The Word of The Lord.

Should I drop the Priests an email regarding this?
 
These things are not liturgical abuse and are not worth getting upset about.
 
Dpoc41 said:
For a few months now, I have been watching churchservices.tv/ everyday and enjoy watching Mass live from different churches in the UK and Ireland. But some Priests and Lectors dont seem to be following the correct order of Mass, for example - Today a priest said in the Introductory:** The Lord Is With You** instead of The Lord be with you, and again before the Gospel, and also at the Eucharistic Prayer.

Also a lot of the readers still say: This Is The Word of The Lord instead of: The Word of The Lord.

Should I drop the Priests an email regarding this?
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No matter how they say it, it means the same thing.
 
I agree with others that it is not abuse and I wanted to thank you for bringing this website to our attention. It’s a source for televised Mass that I wasn’t aware of. 🙂 I’ve bookmarked it.
 
I would send the email. The priest is supposed to say certain things at the Mass and if it is changed even a little, it is a form of liturgical abuse. The Mass is a very formal prayer: a liturgical prayer and unlike personal prayer, the words cannot be changed at all unless this is formal decision of the Church.
 
Or, you could take the time you would otherwise have spent in composing and sending the email - and in perhaps worrying about the priest’s reaction - and just do a good deed for someone.
 
I don’t know the answer…but things like that really annoy me too - why some priests (and in this case, lectors) feel the need to add words to/change the prescribed ones, is beyond me. I don’t think it is over the top to send an e-mail, but I wouldn’t expect him to change it, unless you were somehow able to approach him in person, charitably, and tell him your concerns. At least ask the priest (and the lectors) why exactly they do not say what is written. I personally would be interested in hearing the reason! My gut instinct would be not to mess with the Liturgy that is given to us. (Which is one reason why I prefer the EF. But that is a whole 'nother discussion, I suppose!)

OK, well, I actually just now looked up “liturgical abuses” on google and came up with this:

catholic.com/documents/liturgical-abuses

It’s about a quarter of the way down (based on the scroll thing at the side at least…):
  1. **The Other Parts of the Mass
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I know that priests are permitted to adapt certain explanations that occur in the Mass (cf. GIRM 31), but my priest changes the wording of fixed texts in order to “keep the people paying attention,” he says. Is he allowed to do that?**
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The reprobated practice by which priests, deacons, or the faithful here and there alter or vary at will the texts of the sacred liturgy that they are charged to pronounce must cease. For in doing thus, they render the celebration of the sacred liturgy unstable and not infrequently distort the authentic meaning of the liturgy (59).
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It would appear, then, that changing the words of the Liturgy is forbidden.
 
Dpoc41 said:
For a few months now, I have been watching churchservices.tv/ everyday and enjoy watching Mass live from different churches in the UK and Ireland. But some Priests and Lectors dont seem to be following the correct order of Mass, for example - Today a priest said in the Introductory:** The Lord Is With You** instead of The Lord be with you, and again before the Gospel, and also at the Eucharistic Prayer.

Also a lot of the readers still say: This Is The Word of The Lord instead of: The Word of The Lord.

Should I drop the Priests an email regarding this?
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Sometimes it depends on the lectionary that is used, and the translation may be different. The area you mention actually covers 3? different episcopal conferences, which may have chosen to implement things differently in their areas.
 
ChibiViolet said:
I would send the email. The priest is supposed to say certain things at the Mass and if it is changed even a little, it is a form of liturgical abuse. The Mass is a very formal prayer: a liturgical prayer and unlike personal prayer, the words cannot be changed at all unless this is formal decision of the Church.
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I would say this, that if the priest felt strongly enough about what the English should be based on the Latin, he is always free to use the Latin itself. Therefore no liturgical abuse.

Though I’m sure he’ll get a bunch of emails on it anyway. 🙂
 
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