Must priests confess...?

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MarLee

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Must priests confess how their liturgal abuses at/of the Mass distract the people?

Example, while visiting family members I found myself attending a ‘very modern’ parish where the Mass celebrant, given a beautiful voice by God, actually SANG the words of consecration as if he was on stage in a broadway show and I expected the rest of the cast to come dancing out!
This was on top of all the other abuses I had aready noticed and was so distracted I couldn’t concentrate and didn’t even feel I was in a Catholic Church much less had attended Mass. I would have walked out except I didn’t know if I could have found another Mass to attend in the area that late on a Sunday morning.
 
Why do you think you allowed the non-conventional parts of the mass to distract you from worshipping God?

Maybe its a good thing to be shaken out of our routine sometimes.
 
I’m not talking about some simple word translation (or mistranslation) - these abuses were excessive and impossible to ignore!
 
I don’t know what the other abuses were, but I believe that it is permissible for the entire Eucharistic Prayer to be sung, including the consecration.

JimG
 
Yes the Eucharistic prayer including the Consecration can be sung. However it must follow the prescribed text.
 
I did not intend to get into a discussion of the particular abuses of this parish - many of which can be found in James Akin’s book “Mass Confusion.”

**My original question **which I would like to get back to was to ask whether a priest is considered sinning when his innovations, gestures, substitutions, omissions, ‘grandstanding’ etc. are contrary to the prescribed General Instructions leading the laity away from the worship of God. I am not referring to a laity with a checklist of ‘did he’ or ‘didn’t he’ ready to criticize every action. Rather, I am referring to those actions which he does himself or encourages the congregation to do which are so distracting that one wonders if one has actually attended a Mass.

*Please note: *I do not object to the ‘singing’ of the Consecration if it is done in a respectful manner which reflects the solemnity of what is actually taking place at the altar i.e. a simple chant, but I do object to a priest sounding like he auditioning for a part in an opera! His ‘prideful production’ only served to take one’s focus from the Consecration. He may have been a music major or even a former opera performer before becoming a priest - I don’t know since I’m not a member there. I have sung in choirs and my criticism would be the same if he had used country-western, rock, pop, or ‘rap’ etc. Even the Gregorian Chant sung in the manner he sang would have been unacceptable as it did not draw one’s eyes to the Eucharist but to the priest himself.
 
There must have been a change in the seminary rules. In my day it was the rule that no man who could carry a tune was allowed to be ordained.

Sorry, just a bit of humor. 🙂

JimG
 
I went to a mass once when I was visiting relatives in MI, and the priest sang parts of the mass and he sounded just like Bert from Sesame Street. I just tried to focus on God, even though it was very distracting.

Good thing you only went once, and you have another parish to go to regularly. Maybe it doesn’t distract other people as much as it distracts you.
 
I can understand what you are getting at, people should use their talents to honor and worship God, however it can be disrespectful when a person uses the Mass to try to attract attention to themselves, bringing glory to themselves, which can be distracting from Mass itself. Only that individual and God could know what is in that person’s heart. I have seen it all. An ordained brother sang a solo with his guitar during the offetory collection and it was totally appropriate and beautiful, but I have also been to a Mass where it seemed like the lady was trying out for American Idol. As a general rule, If parishoners start clapping after the performance, it may be a little inappropriate, and feel like a concert, rather than Mass. The next time you are distracted at Mass, do what I do and offer it up to Christ, There were pleanty of inappropriate things said and done while he was being crucified. All we can do is try not to let it take our peace and grace away by making us judgemental and angry, compounding the disrespect. Rather, use it as a burden to offer up in your prayer for change.
 
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MarLee:
Must priests confess how their liturgal abuses at/of the Mass distract the people?
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ALL Catholics, including the Pope, are required to confess their sins. If a priest deliberately abuses the liturgy then he is committing the sin of disobedience to the Church (which binds all Catholics) and of violating his own vow of obedience that he made in the process of his ordination. He does not have to confess about how they distract the people, just that he has sinned.
 
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