Priest Discourages Reading

[Crumpy]

If they want me to stop reading my Missal during the readings they’ll have to pry it from my cold dead hands…

This discussion is absurd. The GIRM is absurd on this point.

There’s lots of reasons to read along. One good reason is to overcome the accents of the readers.

Another is to overcome the lack of speaking ability and to project one’s voice. Some readers read along like this, then when they get to the punchline of the text, they talk like this.

There’s a Catholic bias, you know, of not emphasizing the location of a text in scripture. So, if you’re unfamiliar, you might not know what chapter a reading was from, if you want to look it up later.

A lot of homilies are not based on the scripture, which is a shame, in my opinion. I guess everybody’s supposed to know spontaneously what the passage means.

There’s an anti-protestant bias working here, of course. Many protestants carry their bible to worship, or they use a “pew” bible.

We wouldn’t want to be anything like THEM, would we!

 

[Pauli]

The Magnificat has wonderful readings for each day, is very well worth reading, there is not another magazine like it, and I don’t think the Priest meant you shouldn’t read it at all, but just don’t read it at Mass.

When we go to Mass, we are joining in the Liturgy as a group, and not just our own parish but the whole church, and we are supposed to be “one”. Jesus gave us His life for our salvation and it is at Mass that we join in this sacrifice, make it more present to this time and place and even to the world at large.
We might feel more holy ourselves to be saying the Rosary or reading something spiritual, but that is for other times.

 

[plh]

Trust in the Word of God to reach you by listening only. You will be amazed what will sink in.

So if one can’t hear it, then how does anything sink in?

 

[plh]

BTW, I’m only hard of hearing when the proclaimer of the first and/or second reading has the microphone pointed toward their forehead, or if they mumble. No problems with the Gospel reading

 

[chicago]

So, if you are hearing impaired, clearly a priest should never force you not to read from the missal. And, if you are one of the many posters here who seem only to be able to learn by holding a missal, who don’t know any scriptural passages ahead of time, who understand better by listening and reading, etc., then it is probably the case that they too should not be discouraged. But I figure that the Church assumes most adults have normal hearing and comprehension abilities so that they can listen without having to follow along in the missal.

You seem to be claiming that those who are naturally oriented to be more visual or kinetic in their manner of comprehension have a learning disability. Really, your argument reeks of the old idea which led to making left handed kids write with their right hands because they must be backward.

 

[estesbob]

You seem to be claiming that those who are naturally oriented to be more visual or kinetic in their manner of comprehension have a learning disability. Really, your argument reeks of the old idea which led to making left handed kids write with their right hands because they must be backward.

If you insist on reading your Missal during Mass:

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%between%

 

[CarolAnnSFO]

So if one can’t hear it, then how does anything sink in?

I guess we could try lip-reading if we can sit close enough. According to some here, those with hearing problems are lazy, so maybe we just need to get less lazy, and then we’ll suddenly hear better (it’s a miracle!)

Crumpy:

There’s an anti-protestant bias working here, of course. Many protestants carry their bible to worship, or they use a “pew” bible.

We wouldn’t want to be anything like THEM, would we!

I guarantee you, the day that missalettes are removed from the churches, I will start bringing my Bible to Mass.

chicago:

You seem to be claiming that those who are naturally oriented to be more visual or kinetic in their manner of comprehension have a learning disability. Really, your argument reeks of the old idea which led to making left handed kids write with their right hands because they must be backward.

We aren’t disabled, we’re visual learners. My comprehension is perfectly normal. As long as I can see it, as well as hear it. (By the way, I was one of those left-handed kids made to write right-handed, and my handwriting is incomprehensible to this day. )

Crazy Internet Junkies Society
Carrier of the Angelic Sparkles Sprinkle Bag
Pace e Bene

 

[Distressed]

This discussion is absurd. The GIRM is absurd on this point.

I agree and the GIRM in no way prohibits the use of missalettes or in fact disuades people to use them.

 

[Distressed]

Trust in the Word of God to reach you by listening only. You will be amazed what will sink in.

Deacon Greg Elsbernd, SST
Primitive Catholic - Personally looking across the Tiber.
Apostolic Succession + Eucharist = True Particular Church (Ratzinger/Benedict XVI - Dominus Iesus, Par. 17)

I am rather worried about you giving advice given your “signature” on your posts. Not only are you not a deacon in the Church, you are not a Catholic Christian in full communion with the Church. That could be very confusing to many who look to these forums for advice.

 

[jmcrae]

If this reasoning is to be believed, then the readers and priest ought not proclaim the Word by reading what is in the Lectionary, but from memory and interpretative paraphrase.

Actually, the proclaimer ideally should have the reading memorized before proclaiming it at Mass, although he certainly should not change any of the words.

 

[hilde_the_dog]

jmcrae

you can’t be serious that you expect anyone who reads to memorize the reading. This sunday that will be two readings for me as the other reader will not be there the readings on the vigil mass on OCt 31. Thanks goodness I don’t have to read at the 9am mass on sat or that would be other reading and the repsonsorial psalm. Hey why not make the cantors memorize the responsorial psalm and the priets must memorize the Gospel reading.

Hey and last week Sat 9am mass I messed up by accidentally moving the words around and the faithful never knew and I asked them. Maybe they should read along to make sure we are not changing the readings esp in some liberal churches.

 

[rayne89]

It is well known that some people have better cognitive skills when “seeing”, rather than hearing. Such a statement assumes that all have equal cognitive skills with hearing. It’s why the best educational programs blend visual and audio.

Case in point: If I need to get from point A to point B, you can explain to my friend in words, how to get there. He has no difficulty recalling it from memory throughout the ride, after one explanation. Give him a map and he’s all confused and needs someone to give him verbal directions based on the map. I on the other hand, cannot recall well what is told to me verbally. Give me a map and the directions are “burned” or “etched” into my memory. I can “see” it long after I’ve looked at the map.

I also retain info better if I can get a visual. I generally don’t have too much problem following along at the Mass as long as the person reading speaks clearly. My husband generally follows along with the missal provided in the front of one of our hymm books. It really does help him focus. I don’t think the recent advancements in understanding how people have different learning styles was taken in to account when this directive was made.

I think what they were trying to prevent was all mass attendees having their nose buried in a book during the readings.
My opinion is that most of us here take the GIRM quite seriously and generally argue against those who don’t follow it. So that puts us difficult position to say well in this case we don’t need to follow it because it makes no sense.

If it is truly mandated that we must not read the missal than I think we are obligated to follow it, but it’s not clear to me that it is. I have a hard time believing that it’s better to lapse into distraction because you are not a strong auditory learner then to read the missal.

I would like further clarification and until that comes I think using your best judgement or possibly posing the question to your confessor would be prudent.

 

[estesbob]

Actually, the proclaimer ideally should have the reading memorized before proclaiming it at Mass, although he certainly should not change any of the words.

Say what??? smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_33_7.gif

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[jmcrae]

jmcrae

you can’t be serious that you expect anyone who reads to memorize the reading.

I have memorized the shorter ones. I also memorized a lot of Scripture when I was a kid, and it comes right back to me when I’m doing those particular readings at Mass.

But no, I don’t seriously expect everyone to memorize all the readings - although our Deacon expects us to practice it several times during the week before, and he has warned us that he can tell when someone has not practiced ahead of time.

It’s surprising how much you actually can remember, even if you are not intentionally memorizing it, if you practice the readings frequently ahead of time.

 

[aimee]

Priests can get all too easily carried away with pride and promoting their own opinions as they are just as human as anyone else. The fact that he is a priest does not entitle him to require something of you that he has no right to require. The laity have rights, too. Just because he’s “father” doesn’t mean that he gets to push his weight around however he likes.

 

[lak611]

BTW, I’m only hard of hearing when the proclaimer of the first and/or second reading has the microphone pointed toward their forehead, or if they mumble. No problems with the Gospel reading

Same here. My hearing is fine, and the priests always speak clearly. However, many of the readers have the microphone pointed at their chest or forehead; or they mumble. I was a reader back in high school. In the school chapel, we did not use microphones. I learned how to project my voice so everyone in the congregation was able to understand me.

 

[Distressed]

Actually, the proclaimer ideally should have the reading memorized before proclaiming it at Mass, although he certainly should not change any of the words.

You are wrong. That’s the very reason they are called readers and not “proclaimers.”

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Actually, the proclaimer ideally should have the reading memorized before proclaiming it at Mass, although he certainly should not change any of the words.

I know a priest who does this for Gospel readings- gets up there and does it wihtout so much as a note on his cuff, word for word, right out of the NAB. It’s mighty effective.

 

[lak611]

I know a priest who does this for Gospel readings- gets up there and does it wihtout so much as a note on his cuff, word for word, right out of the NAB. It’s mighty effective.

Well, priests have much more training in this, since that is part of their official “jobs”, deacons too. Readers do not have a seminary education. Also, in many cases, the Old Testament readings are more difficult. I can remember some particularly difficult readings from 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles, with the names of the various kings of Israel and Judah. It would take much drilling/memorization to remember the names much less the rest of the text!

 

[chicago]

I think what they were trying to prevent was all mass attendees having their nose buried in a book during the readings.

I think you are being quite charitible. The USCCB directive, at least, reeks of people who have an idealized agenda to promote using that podium to be stronghanded.

My opinion is that most of us here take the GIRM quite seriously and generally argue against those who don’t follow it. So that puts us difficult position to say well in this case we don’t need to follow it because it makes no sense.

But the GIRM in no way argues against reading along. That is merely some people’s inferance of what they think it REALLY means, but emphasizing certain words in the norm that suit their position.

I would like further clarification and until that comes I think using your best judgement or possibly posing the question to your confessor would be prudent.

I wouldn’t even bother with making that big of a deal out of it, necessarily, unless it was truly a more serious issue for a person and maybe there was something more at play than just wanting to read along.