Mass Like I've Never Seen Before

[StAnastasia]

It was obviously a real treat in one regard, to have such an intimiate setting and be “right there” for the consecration. However, I also had an uneasy feeling as I felt I was involved in something illicit.

Some of the most beautiful Masses I have participated in were in the mountains, with a granite rock as an altar, we climbers as the congregation, and the birds and wind and the stream as the choir. Our back-packing priest is the greatest!

 

[damooster]

When Father came, the three other attendees sat down and asked me to join them. Confused, I asked if this was Bible study or mass.

I know you were asking a genuine question, but I find it funny because what they were doing was so unacceptable that your question should have made a point to them (and it didn’t).

 

[laszlo]

Well, the altar is much more of a powerful force in Catholic liturgy and imagery than in Protestantism. Afterall, in Catholicism, the altar actually has a sacrfice made present upon it.
Deacons who assist at Mass also kiss the altar. Priests and Deacons who read the Gospel kiss the book of Gospels (unless a bishop is present then its brought to him).
Its an ancient sign of reverence and not really a bride/bridegroom imagery. I agree that it was a nice and easy explanation to give to a young child, but not necessarily a correct one. .

Yes.

When the priest takes the vestment, his kisses the amice (at the middle where the cross is), the maniple (on the cross), the stole (at the middle). When he approaches the altar it is kissed for the words “by the merits of Thy Saints, (He kisses the sacred stone) whose relics are here”, the book for the Gospel, the Paten.

The servers kiss the spoon for the incense, the little vase for the wine, and so on.

The kiss is generic sign of reverence, no relationship for marriage.

 

[Califman831]

What I am gathering from your posts is that very few people attended the daily Mass. Rather than have you sit a distance away from the altar, Father had you move closer.
It may seem unrelated, but my thoughts went to Army field Masses. Those attending are as close to the makeshift altar as possible.
Remember that the Lord had his most intimate friends seated around the table with Him at the Last Supper.

You mean the Apostles who where chosen specifically by our Lord Christ, who were not random laity. The priest in the OP should be reported to the bishop for review. If the priest abused the altar then he should be quickly disposed of [edited]

 

[Tsuwano]

You mean the Apostles who where chosen specifically by our Lord Christ, who were not random laity. The priest in the OP should be reported to the bishop for review. If the priest abused the altar then he should be quickly disposed of [edited]

You mean, EXECUTED?

 

[StAnastasia]

You mean the Apostles who where chosen specifically by our Lord Christ, who were not random laity. The priest in the OP should be reported to the bishop for review. If the priest abused the altar then he should be quickly disposed of [edited]

I saw no abuse of the altar described.

 

[StAnastasia]

You mean, EXECUTED?

I think he means thrown out of the priesthood. Not a wise move considering how few priests we have.

 

[Contarini]

There seem to be a few people on this thread who wish to move it off topic through superfluous arguments in which I refuse to engage. There are other threads which specifically address the devotional gestures that we as Catholics use. While the Catholic Church refers to herself as the Bride of Christ, it is not a description that I have heard used by members of other denominations.

I grew up nondenominational Protestant, and it’s certainly an expression I was familiar with. Granted, one dispensationalist book my grandmother read claimed that the Bride is Israel, not the Church, but that stood out to me because it wasn’t what I was used to from other sources.

 

[Contarini]

You mean the Apostles who where chosen specifically by our Lord Christ, who were not random laity.

And this contempt for the baptismal priesthood is one of the reasons I find it hard to accept that your Communion has the “fullness of the Faith.”

There’s something you’re not getting here.

Edwin

 

[DebChris]

I grew up nondenominational Protestant, and it’s certainly an expression I was familiar with. Granted, one dispensationalist book my grandmother read claimed that the Bride is Israel, not the Church, but that stood out to me because it wasn’t what I was used to from other sources.

In the OT, Israel is God’s Bride. They are His chosen people, the people with whom He holds the covenant, “I will be your God and you shall be my people.” We, God’s Church, are members of the New Covenant. We are now God’s people and He is our God.

And this contempt for the baptismal priesthood is one of the reasons I find it hard to accept that your Communion has the “fullness of the Faith.”

There’s something you’re not getting here.

Edwin

God seeks intimacy with all His people, not merely a select few called to the religious life and ordained priesthood. We are indeed, by means of our baptism, members of a royal priesthood.
CCC1547…While the common priesthood of the faithful is exercised by the unfolding of baptismal grace–a life of faith, hope, and charity, a life according to the Spirit–, the ministerial priesthood is at the service of the common priesthood. It is directed at the unfolding of the baptismal grace of all Christians…

 

[Contarini]

In the OT, Israel is God’s Bride. They are His chosen people, the people with whom He holds the covenant, “I will be your God and you shall be my people.” We, God’s Church, are members of the New Covenant. We are now God’s people and He is our God.

Sorry, I wasn’t clear–the book claimed that Israel is the Bride and the Church is not–that Body and Bride refer to different groups of people instead of being different ways of describing the same mystical reality.

God seeks intimacy with all His people, not merely a select few called to the religious life and ordained priesthood. We are indeed, by means of our baptism, members of a royal priesthood.
CCC1547…While the common priesthood of the faithful is exercised by the unfolding of baptismal grace–a life of faith, hope, and charity, a life according to the Spirit–, the ministerial priesthood is at the service of the common priesthood. It is directed at the unfolding of the baptismal grace of all Christians…

I entirely agree with the quote from the CCC. That is why I have problems with the liturgical attitudes expressed in this thread. What is wrong with God’s holy people standing around His altar?

Edwin

 

[Califman831]

And this contempt for the baptismal priesthood is one of the reasons I find it hard to accept that your Communion has the “fullness of the Faith.”

There’s something you’re not getting here.

Edwin

On this thread I meant removal from the priesthood, not an execution. On the other hand I don’t personally object to the church’s right to execute heretics as it did during the inquisition and during the crusades. Let God’s will be done in all cases.

I get that the kingdom of God is set up as a hierarchy, with clear ranks, that modernists are trying to do away with in order to promote a new democratic church structure. Granted we are all called to evangelize the word but we must do so with a clear understanding of how that church is structured else those with an agenda will start introducing all sorts of silly notions (i.e. women priests, openly homosexual priests, married clergy, ecumenism, etc).

 

[StAnastasia]

On this thread I meant removal from the priesthood, not an execution. On the other hand I don’t personally object to the church’s right to execute heretics as it did during the inquisition and during the crusades. Let God’s will be done in all cases.

The Church has no more right to execute heretics than Islamic clerics have a right to stone women.