Opening greeting of Mass

[Dubay]

I said to think mass was wonderful, you can think mass was something less than that.

Anytime I am in mass and closer to God its a great day. I believe in forgiveness, take aways from the Gospel, listening to the homily, celebrating mass .

You carry on as you think most productive.

Were you at the same Mass as the OP? How do you know it was a “wonderful” celebration and not a liturgical mess?

Now, while I firmly believe words matter - all of them, I would not get bent out of shape pabout a one-word change in a non-essential part of the Mass. However, no one here has been “ridiculing” or “accusing” – at least not until this last post which seemed to be *accusing *some posters of being like the Pharisees. This is a place to ask legitimate questions. Many of these questions can be answered with Church documents.

No, changing words is not allowed. Sometimes this is a really big deal - like when the change is to the words of the consecration or to the Agnus Dei (as the Vatican recently affirmed). Sometimes, it’s a smaller change and that’s unfortunate but not tragic.

No, using a glass paten is not allowed. Ever. Glass is expressly forbidden for sacred vessels.

OP, Redemptionis Sacramentum is a good resource. Not only does it clearly spell out what is licit and illicit, it is very clear that some abuses are much more serious and deserve immediate action while others are not as critical.

 

[Dubay]

Again, as often repeated in this forum, individuals need to go to the source and get as much clarification as possible* before* any accusations are made.

Amen

 

[Ohana]

:banghead: No wonder our priests have problems! This would be enough to discourage a saint!

 

[superamazingman]

:banghead: No wonder our priests have problems! This would be enough to discourage a saint!

Actually, if they would simply read the books and follow them, they wouldn’t have to worry about any of this. Anyways, a saint would be obedient and follow the rubrics.

 

[buc_fan33]

Let me chime in here as a priest, and as a priest who committed a similar “crime” this morning. I am diligent, personally, to follow the books as closely as I can. I take seriously my responsibility to celebrate the liturgy exactly as the Church prescribes. However, this morning, I made a mistake and accidentally combined two forms of the greeting. A few weeks ago, I accidentally forgot the creed. Again, this was unintentional, but since we priests celebrate probably 90% of our Masses without a creed, after my homily, I went back to the presider’s chair, began the universal Prayer, and half way through, realized my error.

I am in a pretty “traditional” parish in terms of liturgy. The people who come to Mass there are more “traditional” Catholics. I’m sure someone thought I intentionally changed the liturgy in both cases, even though the truth was that I intentionally changed it in neither.

Now, the above mentioned Bishop Morlino is a wonderful man. I was educated with a number of the priests in his diocese. I met him on numerous occasions at our seminary. He is a man who loves and respects the liturgy. To be sure, he expects his priests to celebrate the liturgy in accord with the Church’s liturgical books, and I respect him for that. However, for lack of a better way of putting it, I do not think the above about the wording of the greeting would warrant a reprimand from His Excellency. (However, the glass paten may.)

The bottom line is this. I don’t know a single priest who is perfect. But, I also do not know a single priest who actively TRIES to subvert the authority of the Church. I’ve only been ordained for four months, and I realize that I do not see eye to eye on matters of ecclesiology, or sacramental theology with some of my older brothers in the priesthood. However, I respect that these men have given their lives in service to mother Church. I respect the fact that they were formed in the seminary at a time when the emphasis was, shall we say, different. I also recognize that they are trying their best, and that they stayed when many of their brothers sadly left priestly ministry. I can’t imagine the heartache some of these men went through to see classmate after classmate leave the priesthood. Yet, they stayed. Far from being criticized, they should be applauded.

Do the lay faithful have a right to expect a well-celebrated liturgy? Certainly! Without doubt! But, and I’ll stand up for myself and my brother priests here, I think we priests have a right to expect respect from the lay faithful. I’m not talking about a clerical respect either, sort of a “respect me simply because I’m a priest,” mentality. I’m talking about simply giving priests the benefit of the doubt on these matters, understanding where they are coming from, and having the courtesy to speak with someone face to face, as the Gospel calls us to do.

Maybe Father just got done talking someone out of committing suicide and is understandably a little flustered. Maybe he just found out his mother is dying. Maybe he has celebrated six Masses out of faithful service and is tired.

I’m sorry if this seems harsh or out of place. Again, as I said, I love the liturgy. However, I felt like I had to say something. Please forgive me if this seems out of place.

May God bless you!

 

[Wiseowl]

---

Let me chime in here as a priest, and as a priest who committed a similar “crime” this morning. I am diligent, personally, to follow the books as closely as I can. I take seriously my responsibility to celebrate the liturgy exactly as the Church prescribes. However, this morning, I made a mistake and accidentally combined two forms of the greeting. A few weeks ago, I accidentally forgot the creed. Again, this was unintentional, but since we priests celebrate probably 90% of our Masses without a creed, after my homily, I went back to the presider’s chair, began the universal Prayer, and half way through, realized my error.

I am in a pretty “traditional” parish in terms of liturgy. The people who come to Mass there are more “traditional” Catholics. I’m sure someone thought I intentionally changed the liturgy in both cases, even though the truth was that I intentionally changed it in neither.

Now, the above mentioned Bishop Morlino is a wonderful man. I was educated with a number of the priests in his diocese. I met him on numerous occasions at our seminary. He is a man who loves and respects the liturgy. To be sure, he expects his priests to celebrate the liturgy in accord with the Church’s liturgical books, and I respect him for that. However, for lack of a better way of putting it, I do not think the above about the wording of the greeting would warrant a reprimand from His Excellency. (However, the glass paten may.)

The bottom line is this. I don’t know a single priest who is perfect. But, I also do not know a single priest who actively TRIES to subvert the authority of the Church. I’ve only been ordained for four months, and I realize that I do not see eye to eye on matters of ecclesiology, or sacramental theology with some of my older brothers in the priesthood. However, I respect that these men have given their lives in service to mother Church. I respect the fact that they were formed in the seminary at a time when the emphasis was, shall we say, different. I also recognize that they are trying their best, and that they stayed when many of their brothers sadly left priestly ministry. I can’t imagine the heartache some of these men went through to see classmate after classmate leave the priesthood. Yet, they stayed. Far from being criticized, they should be applauded.

Do the lay faithful have a right to expect a well-celebrated liturgy? Certainly! Without doubt! But, and I’ll stand up for myself and my brother priests here, I think we priests have a right to expect respect from the lay faithful. I’m not talking about a clerical respect either, sort of a “respect me simply because I’m a priest,” mentality. I’m talking about simply giving priests the benefit of the doubt on these matters, understanding where they are coming from, and having the courtesy to speak with someone face to face, as the Gospel calls us to do.

Maybe Father just got done talking someone out of committing suicide and is understandably a little flustered. Maybe he just found out his mother is dying. Maybe he has celebrated six Masses out of faithful service and is tired.

I’m sorry if this seems harsh or out of place. Again, as I said, I love the liturgy. However, I felt like I had to say something. Please forgive me if this seems out of place.

May God bless you!

No crime committed, honest mistakes happen like any other profession.

God bless you.

 

[coachdennis]

Let me chime in here as a priest, and as a priest who committed a similar “crime” this morning. I am diligent, personally, to follow the books as closely as I can. I take seriously my responsibility to celebrate the liturgy exactly as the Church prescribes. However, this morning, I made a mistake and accidentally combined two forms of the greeting. A few weeks ago, I accidentally forgot the creed. Again, this was unintentional, but since we priests celebrate probably 90% of our Masses without a creed, after my homily, I went back to the presider’s chair, began the universal Prayer, and half way through, realized my error.

I am in a pretty “traditional” parish in terms of liturgy. The people who come to Mass there are more “traditional” Catholics. I’m sure someone thought I intentionally changed the liturgy in both cases, even though the truth was that I intentionally changed it in neither.

Now, the above mentioned Bishop Morlino is a wonderful man. I was educated with a number of the priests in his diocese. I met him on numerous occasions at our seminary. He is a man who loves and respects the liturgy. To be sure, he expects his priests to celebrate the liturgy in accord with the Church’s liturgical books, and I respect him for that. However, for lack of a better way of putting it, I do not think the above about the wording of the greeting would warrant a reprimand from His Excellency. (However, the glass paten may.)

The bottom line is this. I don’t know a single priest who is perfect. But, I also do not know a single priest who actively TRIES to subvert the authority of the Church. I’ve only been ordained for four months, and I realize that I do not see eye to eye on matters of ecclesiology, or sacramental theology with some of my older brothers in the priesthood. However, I respect that these men have given their lives in service to mother Church. I respect the fact that they were formed in the seminary at a time when the emphasis was, shall we say, different. I also recognize that they are trying their best, and that they stayed when many of their brothers sadly left priestly ministry. I can’t imagine the heartache some of these men went through to see classmate after classmate leave the priesthood. Yet, they stayed. Far from being criticized, they should be applauded.

Do the lay faithful have a right to expect a well-celebrated liturgy? Certainly! Without doubt! But, and I’ll stand up for myself and my brother priests here, I think we priests have a right to expect respect from the lay faithful. I’m not talking about a clerical respect either, sort of a “respect me simply because I’m a priest,” mentality. I’m talking about simply giving priests the benefit of the doubt on these matters, understanding where they are coming from, and having the courtesy to speak with someone face to face, as the Gospel calls us to do.

Maybe Father just got done talking someone out of committing suicide and is understandably a little flustered. Maybe he just found out his mother is dying. Maybe he has celebrated six Masses out of faithful service and is tired.

I’m sorry if this seems harsh or out of place. Again, as I said, I love the liturgy. However, I felt like I had to say something. Please forgive me if this seems out of place.

May God bless you!

Father,

These are beautiful words.

Unfortunately for some, your statement of humility and humanity will be seen as a weakness and they will accept no excuses.

My heart aches for our priests who must minister to congregants who are more than ready to play “gotcha” spirituality and “get the priest”

 

[Philotheatoo]

We must be careful not to be Pharisees ourselves. It is what comes out of our mouths, not what goes in it which makes the difference.

 

[johnnykins]

Let’s look again at what the priest said:

He said,
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the JOY of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.

Is there now, or has there ever been, an introduction with these words? Ans: NO.

Now let’s consider the last 45 years.

How many of us have heard the texts of the Mass manhandled repeatedly and deliberately by any number of priests?

How many of us have heard the words of consecration changed?

How many of us have seen all manner of deliberate silliness introduced under the claim that “we need to just be glad that we are at Mass?”

How many of us have seen liturgical dance?

How many of us have seen a milk and honey service…that’s really special!

Now, is it possible the priest was simply tired and made a mistake? Yes, but highly unlikely in that NO SUCH phrase is now, or has ever been, licitly approved. What we do know from history is that many priests have multiple times in their arrogance justified their own idiosyncratic way of saying Mass.

Do mistakes happen? Sure. Are those of us who have experienced the last 45 years skeptical that this is a mistake? Yep! Why? Because our experience has demonstrated that such “mistakes” are not mistakes at all.

Harsh? Well, perhaps the kindly folks who have trotted out various gospel stories might want to remember the cleansing of the Temple, too.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, saying the black and doing the red is the easy part. If priests simply did that, these discussions simply would never take place at all. The occasional mistake would be treated as a simple mistake. BUT, this has all the hallmarks of NOT being a mistake. It’s NOT forgetting the creed since the creed isn’t said on most days. It’s NOT conflating the old text with the new. It’s NOT mere inattention since these words never were, and are not now, approved.

There is so much that is difficult and unclear for the priest when ministering to people who are in pain and confused, why make this easy part so difficult? When the application of theology and morals in daily living is so murky, why can’t the words simply be said as prescribed at Mass in the normal course?

The priest is off base. He is wrong. He is the one causing the problem. He is the one who, in his hubris, has opened this door. It is the widespread prior abuse that leads people now to refuse to give the benefit of the doubt.

Trust once lost is hard to regain. Too many priests and bishops have squandered that trust. I’m sorry for the priests who try their best to say Mass reverently and in accordance with the texts and rubrics, but are tarred with the brush loaded by their confreres for 45 years. The problem is not with those of us who demand the Mass be said as HMC has prescribed. The problem lies at the feet of priests and bishops who have failed the faithful and the Church so often and over so long a period of time.

Harsh…well, sometimes truth is unpleasant.

 

[agnes_therese]

You don’t even know if this particular priest made a mistake or deliberately changed the words, and you accuse him of “hubris”?

I have some very bad news for you – the examples you gave are by no means universal experience. Sure, they have no doubt happened. But you make it sound as though there is barely a faithful priest to be found, and that is NOT true.

My sympathies to the priests at any parish you attend.

 

[paperwight66]

Let’s look again at what the priest said:

Is there now, or has there ever been, an introduction with these words? Ans: NO.

Now let’s consider the last 45 years.

How many of us have heard the texts of the Mass manhandled repeatedly and deliberately by any number of priests?

How many of us have heard the words of consecration changed?

How many of us have seen all manner of deliberate silliness introduced under the claim that “we need to just be glad that we are at Mass?”

How many of us have seen liturgical dance?

How many of us have seen a milk and honey service…that’s really special!

At first I thought these rhetorical questions were ironic and were to introduce a thought like’ ‘Be forgiving and realistic. Mistakes happen. It’s rare that the ‘abuses’ so often quoted on here actually happen, so that proves the vast majority of priests are faithful and trying to do their best’.

Then I realised to my horror that you were being serious!

So let me say it clearly. I have been around for the 45 years you specify. I have never, ever seen the abuses you list. I hadn’t even heard of them until going on CAF.

Perhaps we have been luckier in the UK.

But are you really claiming that the things you list have been common in the US?

 

[Ohana]

Do the lay faithful have a right to expect a well-celebrated liturgy? Certainly! Without doubt! But, and I’ll stand up for myself and my brother priests here, **I think we priests have a right to expect respect from the lay faithful. I’m not talking about a clerical respect either, sort of a “respect me simply because I’m a priest,” mentality. ** I’m talking about simply giving priests the benefit of the doubt on these matters, understanding where they are coming from, and having the courtesy to speak with someone face to face, as the Gospel calls us to do.

Maybe Father just got done talking someone out of committing suicide and is understandably a little flustered. Maybe he just found out his mother is dying. Maybe he has celebrated six Masses out of faithful service and is tired.

I’m sorry if this seems harsh or out of place. Again, as I said, I love the liturgy. However, I felt like I had to say something. Please forgive me if this seems out of place.

May God bless you!

Father, I truncated your post because it was repeated a few times.

First of all, you are not harsh or out of place. It needed to be said!

In fact, i do think we owe priests respect simply because of your priesthood. It is like respecting a doctor for his knowledge and experience, only more so. Priests have received that sacrament that confers upon them a special grace from God to do what they do. Yes (thankfully) you are human and a prey to all the effects of tireness etc. It is imcumbent upon the laity to not discourage you any more that life itself does from time to time!

I know I have made mistakes - you priests hear them, oh about once a month or so - so I am not sure what is going on with the OP to be able to be so critical.

What about it OP. What is it about little imperfections that disturb you so much. Be honest. Maybe we can help. I am serious, not being sarcastic.

 

[Corki]

Let me chime in here as a priest, and as a priest who committed a similar “crime” this morning. I am diligent, personally, to follow the books as closely as I can. I take seriously my responsibility to celebrate the liturgy exactly as the Church prescribes. However, this morning, I made a mistake and accidentally combined two forms of the greeting. A few weeks ago, I accidentally forgot the creed. Again, this was unintentional, but since we priests celebrate probably 90% of our Masses without a creed, after my homily, I went back to the presider’s chair, began the universal Prayer, and half way through, realized my error.

I am in a pretty “traditional” parish in terms of liturgy. The people who come to Mass there are more “traditional” Catholics. I’m sure someone thought I intentionally changed the liturgy in both cases, even though the truth was that I intentionally changed it in neither.

Now, the above mentioned Bishop Morlino is a wonderful man. I was educated with a number of the priests in his diocese. I met him on numerous occasions at our seminary. He is a man who loves and respects the liturgy. To be sure, he expects his priests to celebrate the liturgy in accord with the Church’s liturgical books, and I respect him for that. However, for lack of a better way of putting it, I do not think the above about the wording of the greeting would warrant a reprimand from His Excellency. (However, the glass paten may.)

The bottom line is this. I don’t know a single priest who is perfect. But, I also do not know a single priest who actively TRIES to subvert the authority of the Church. I’ve only been ordained for four months, and I realize that I do not see eye to eye on matters of ecclesiology, or sacramental theology with some of my older brothers in the priesthood. However, I respect that these men have given their lives in service to mother Church. I respect the fact that they were formed in the seminary at a time when the emphasis was, shall we say, different. I also recognize that they are trying their best, and that they stayed when many of their brothers sadly left priestly ministry. I can’t imagine the heartache some of these men went through to see classmate after classmate leave the priesthood. Yet, they stayed. Far from being criticized, they should be applauded.

Do the lay faithful have a right to expect a well-celebrated liturgy? Certainly! Without doubt! But, and I’ll stand up for myself and my brother priests here, I think we priests have a right to expect respect from the lay faithful. I’m not talking about a clerical respect either, sort of a “respect me simply because I’m a priest,” mentality. I’m talking about simply giving priests the benefit of the doubt on these matters, understanding where they are coming from, and having the courtesy to speak with someone face to face, as the Gospel calls us to do.

Maybe Father just got done talking someone out of committing suicide and is understandably a little flustered. Maybe he just found out his mother is dying. Maybe he has celebrated six Masses out of faithful service and is tired.

I’m sorry if this seems harsh or out of place. Again, as I said, I love the liturgy. However, I felt like I had to say something. Please forgive me if this seems out of place.

May God bless you!

First of all, THANK YOU for answering the call and for your service to the Church. I think almost everyone here thinks this was most likely an error and not an intential abuse (the greeting, that is. The paten is another story).

Some of us, however, have become a little over sensitive (myself included). I agree that most priests would never* intentially *try to subvert the authority of the Church. But some do intentionally push the envelope. We had a priest in this diocese that changed the words of EVERYTHING except the consecration. He would pull out pieces of paper where he had written his own prefaces instead of reading those in the Sacramentary. He even changed the words of the Our Father! Every Mass was different. While you can never be sure of intent, it would seem that he kept the consecration intact knowing that changing *those words *could invalidate the Mass but did not feel constrained by the Missal for the rest of the liturgy. Since then, I just cringe when a presiding priest goes “off book”.

BTW, we had a visiting priest make the same mistake you did about the Creed a few weeks ago. We are in a tiny parish and I am guessing that the 50 people there just made it “feel” like a daily Mass to him and that was the rhythm he was in.

The Mass allows for lots of variations and options. But sometimes an “option” just doesn’t feel right. I think it’s fine for people to come to someplace like CAF and ask about it. It could be a valid option; it could be an honest mistake or it could be a real problem (like the one example given of mixing up the two missals to create some kind of hybrid ).

 

[Angelsflight]

Let me chime in here as a priest, and as a priest who committed a similar “crime” this morning. I am diligent, personally, to follow the books as closely as I can. I take seriously my responsibility to celebrate the liturgy exactly as the Church prescribes. However, this morning, I made a mistake and accidentally combined two forms of the greeting. A few weeks ago, I accidentally forgot the creed. Again, this was unintentional, but since we priests celebrate probably 90% of our Masses without a creed, after my homily, I went back to the presider’s chair, began the universal Prayer, and half way through, realized my error.

I am in a pretty “traditional” parish in terms of liturgy. The people who come to Mass there are more “traditional” Catholics. I’m sure someone thought I intentionally changed the liturgy in both cases, even though the truth was that I intentionally changed it in neither.

Now, the above mentioned Bishop Morlino is a wonderful man. I was educated with a number of the priests in his diocese. I met him on numerous occasions at our seminary. He is a man who loves and respects the liturgy. To be sure, he expects his priests to celebrate the liturgy in accord with the Church’s liturgical books, and I respect him for that. However, for lack of a better way of putting it, I do not think the above about the wording of the greeting would warrant a reprimand from His Excellency. (However, the glass paten may.)

The bottom line is this. I don’t know a single priest who is perfect. But, I also do not know a single priest who actively TRIES to subvert the authority of the Church. I’ve only been ordained for four months, and I realize that I do not see eye to eye on matters of ecclesiology, or sacramental theology with some of my older brothers in the priesthood. However, I respect that these men have given their lives in service to mother Church. I respect the fact that they were formed in the seminary at a time when the emphasis was, shall we say, different. I also recognize that they are trying their best, and that they stayed when many of their brothers sadly left priestly ministry. I can’t imagine the heartache some of these men went through to see classmate after classmate leave the priesthood. Yet, they stayed. Far from being criticized, they should be applauded.

Do the lay faithful have a right to expect a well-celebrated liturgy? Certainly! Without doubt! But, and I’ll stand up for myself and my brother priests here, I think we priests have a right to expect respect from the lay faithful. I’m not talking about a clerical respect either, sort of a “respect me simply because I’m a priest,” mentality. I’m talking about simply giving priests the benefit of the doubt on these matters, understanding where they are coming from, and having the courtesy to speak with someone face to face, as the Gospel calls us to do.

Maybe Father just got done talking someone out of committing suicide and is understandably a little flustered. Maybe he just found out his mother is dying. Maybe he has celebrated six Masses out of faithful service and is tired.

I’m sorry if this seems harsh or out of place. Again, as I said, I love the liturgy. However, I felt like I had to say something. Please forgive me if this seems out of place.

May God bless you!

Wonderful post, Father. Priests are human too and they do deserve the utmost respect for all they do. Please be assured they have mine, no matter what mistake they make.

 

[Dubay]

Thank you Father, after 2000 yrs many times we are no better than the Pharisees in yesterdays Gospel.

Lesson learned by all.

God Bless.

 

[Angelsflight]

Amen. The priest actually talked about this in his homily today! We should be thinking about our Lord, not thinking about who should or should not be receiving communion, who isn’t dressed properly, who doesn’t kneel, etc., etc.

Yes! I totally agree.

I have enough problems of my own to worry about what others are doing, or if the priest forgot a word, or said something wrong. I just cannot judge that way. Ever.

 

[TimothyH]

I’ll bet that the glass paten is the fault of the sacristan. As a sacristan myself, I’d be willing to bet that the glass paten was put out by an inexperienced, rushed or just plain zombied sacristan.

The priest probably didn’t even realize that it was glass until the chalice set hit the altar, and stopping the Mass at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist to have the correct item brough to him isn’t exactly the most graceful way to handle the mistake. That’ wouldn’t have gone over too well.

Come on… It’s not as if the priest lifted the pall and found a Hostess fruit pie underneath. I’ll bet the sacristian got an ear full from the priest back in the vestry after Mass about it anyway.

Lets give the priests a break.

-Tim-

 

[LightBound]

Let’s look again at what the priest said:

Is there now, or has there ever been, an introduction with these words? Ans: NO.

Now let’s consider the last 45 years.

How many of us have heard the texts of the Mass manhandled repeatedly and deliberately by any number of priests?

How many of us have heard the words of consecration changed?

How many of us have seen all manner of deliberate silliness introduced under the claim that “we need to just be glad that we are at Mass?”

How many of us have seen liturgical dance?

How many of us have seen a milk and honey service…that’s really special!

Now, is it possible the priest was simply tired and made a mistake? Yes, but highly unlikely in that NO SUCH phrase is now, or has ever been, licitly approved. What we do know from history is that many priests have multiple times in their arrogance justified their own idiosyncratic way of saying Mass.

Do mistakes happen? Sure. Are those of us who have experienced the last 45 years skeptical that this is a mistake? Yep! Why? Because our experience has demonstrated that such “mistakes” are not mistakes at all.

Harsh? Well, perhaps the kindly folks who have trotted out various gospel stories might want to remember the cleansing of the Temple, too.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, saying the black and doing the red is the easy part. If priests simply did that, these discussions simply would never take place at all. The occasional mistake would be treated as a simple mistake. BUT, this has all the hallmarks of NOT being a mistake. It’s NOT forgetting the creed since the creed isn’t said on most days. It’s NOT conflating the old text with the new. It’s NOT mere inattention since these words never were, and are not now, approved.

There is so much that is difficult and unclear for the priest when ministering to people who are in pain and confused, why make this easy part so difficult? When the application of theology and morals in daily living is so murky, why can’t the words simply be said as prescribed at Mass in the normal course?

The priest is off base. He is wrong. He is the one causing the problem. He is the one who, in his hubris, has opened this door. It is the widespread prior abuse that leads people now to refuse to give the benefit of the doubt.

Trust once lost is hard to regain. Too many priests and bishops have squandered that trust. I’m sorry for the priests who try their best to say Mass reverently and in accordance with the texts and rubrics, but are tarred with the brush loaded by their confreres for 45 years. The problem is not with those of us who demand the Mass be said as HMC has prescribed. The problem lies at the feet of priests and bishops who have failed the faithful and the Church so often and over so long a period of time.

Harsh…well, sometimes truth is unpleasant.

Haven’t encountered any of these things here in the good ole USA. Haven’t encountered one of those fabled clown masses, monkey masses, or one with canine puppets in pink tutus, either.

 

[LightBound]

I’ll bet that the glass paten is the fault of the sacristan. As a sacristan myself, I’d be willing to bet that the glass paten was put out by an inexperienced, rushed or just plain zombied sacristan.

The priest probably didn’t even realize that it was glass until the chalice set hit the altar, and stopping the Mass at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist to have the correct item brough to him isn’t exactly the most graceful way to handle the mistake. That’ wouldn’t have gone over too well.

Come on… It’s not as if the priest lifted the pall and found a Hostess fruit pie underneath. I’ll bet the sacristian got an ear full from the priest back in the vestry after Mass about it anyway.

Lets give the priests a break.

-Tim-

 

[triumphguy]

Let me chime in here as a priest, and as a priest who committed a similar “crime” this morning. I am diligent, personally, to follow the books as closely as I can. I take seriously my responsibility to celebrate the liturgy exactly as the Church prescribes. However, this morning, I made a mistake and accidentally combined two forms of the greeting. A few weeks ago, I accidentally forgot the creed. Again, this was unintentional, but since we priests celebrate probably 90% of our Masses without a creed, after my homily, I went back to the presider’s chair, began the universal Prayer, and half way through, realized my error.

I am in a pretty “traditional” parish in terms of liturgy. The people who come to Mass there are more “traditional” Catholics. I’m sure someone thought I intentionally changed the liturgy in both cases, even though the truth was that I intentionally changed it in neither.

Now, the above mentioned Bishop Morlino is a wonderful man. I was educated with a number of the priests in his diocese. I met him on numerous occasions at our seminary. He is a man who loves and respects the liturgy. To be sure, he expects his priests to celebrate the liturgy in accord with the Church’s liturgical books, and I respect him for that. However, for lack of a better way of putting it, I do not think the above about the wording of the greeting would warrant a reprimand from His Excellency. (However, the glass paten may.)

The bottom line is this. I don’t know a single priest who is perfect. But, I also do not know a single priest who actively TRIES to subvert the authority of the Church. I’ve only been ordained for four months, and I realize that I do not see eye to eye on matters of ecclesiology, or sacramental theology with some of my older brothers in the priesthood. However, I respect that these men have given their lives in service to mother Church. I respect the fact that they were formed in the seminary at a time when the emphasis was, shall we say, different. I also recognize that they are trying their best, and that they stayed when many of their brothers sadly left priestly ministry. I can’t imagine the heartache some of these men went through to see classmate after classmate leave the priesthood. Yet, they stayed. Far from being criticized, they should be applauded.

Do the lay faithful have a right to expect a well-celebrated liturgy? Certainly! Without doubt! But, and I’ll stand up for myself and my brother priests here, I think we priests have a right to expect respect from the lay faithful. I’m not talking about a clerical respect either, sort of a “respect me simply because I’m a priest,” mentality. I’m talking about simply giving priests the benefit of the doubt on these matters, understanding where they are coming from, and having the courtesy to speak with someone face to face, as the Gospel calls us to do.

Maybe Father just got done talking someone out of committing suicide and is understandably a little flustered. Maybe he just found out his mother is dying. Maybe he has celebrated six Masses out of faithful service and is tired.

I’m sorry if this seems harsh or out of place. Again, as I said, I love the liturgy. However, I felt like I had to say something. Please forgive me if this seems out of place.

May God bless you!

A timely post and worth re, three and even four-“peating” just so it gets read and re-read.

Thank you for writing this post Father.