J
japhy
Guest
I was up at my (not-so) alma mater this weekend, to help the undergraduate brothers of my fraternity clean up and arrange their house, as part of a “work week” that they do before the semester begins.
I decided, partly for convenience, and partly out of curiosity, to attend Mass at the campus chapel. Convenience, because it’s not even half a mile from the fraternity house, and curiosity because… well… I rarely (if ever) went to Mass at college, so I hardly remembered what the liturgy was like there. (The last time I can remember going to Mass was when I sang in the choir, and I remember this because I led the “Lamb of God” and sang an extra “have mercy on us” verse…)
Anyway, I ended up being disappointed. Despite there being a chair for the priest in the sanctuary, he sat in the front row of chairs with the rest of the congregation for the whole Mass (except when standing at the altar). (The place fits a couple hundred people; about 50-75 people attended.) Most of the texts of the Mass had “God’s” in place of “His” (notably the Gloria and the “May the Lord accept this sacrifice…”). There was no Creed (and nothing in its place). There was a specially-composed Collect and Eucharistic Prayer, tied in to the theme of the Mass, which was found in the First Reading and the Gospel (welcoming the stranger)… probably because classes start there in a week and the new students are “strangers” to the campus; but I repeat, the priest (or someone else) invented his own Collect and Eucharistic Prayer. (I would have left if the words of consecration were changed… thankfully, they were not.) The priest shortened the Offertory, blessing both the bread and the wine at the same time (which is something I’ve seen somewhere else, too). The Precious Blood was consecrated in a metal pitcher (as well as the priest’s chalice) and poured into four smaller chalices after the consecration by a layman. The EMHCs (and musicians…) were given the Host before the priest (although they waited to consume it until the priest consumed his). I’m not sure, but I don’t think I saw a single person make a sign of reverence before the Host or Chalice. Some of the remaining Precious Blood was consumed while walking by some of the EMHCs; the priest consumed the remaining Hosts while walking and – though this is admittedly subjective – consumed the remainder of the Precious Blood as though “washing down” the Hosts.
I didn’t receive, not because I doubted the validity, but because I was very uncomfortable there. Part of me says there’s nothing I can do about it, but another part of me is distressed to see the Mass celebrated so contrary to what the Church has clearly expressed.
Those of you on this forum in college, or who attend Masses on a college campus… what is the “state of the liturgy” there? Does the resident priest seem to make it up as he goes along? Are many changes made to make the Mass seem more “community-friendly” or “inviting”? Or is the liturgy generally reverent and proper? I’m just curious. I’d also be interested in knowing if the college is Catholic or not. (My college is not Catholic.)
I decided, partly for convenience, and partly out of curiosity, to attend Mass at the campus chapel. Convenience, because it’s not even half a mile from the fraternity house, and curiosity because… well… I rarely (if ever) went to Mass at college, so I hardly remembered what the liturgy was like there. (The last time I can remember going to Mass was when I sang in the choir, and I remember this because I led the “Lamb of God” and sang an extra “have mercy on us” verse…)
Anyway, I ended up being disappointed. Despite there being a chair for the priest in the sanctuary, he sat in the front row of chairs with the rest of the congregation for the whole Mass (except when standing at the altar). (The place fits a couple hundred people; about 50-75 people attended.) Most of the texts of the Mass had “God’s” in place of “His” (notably the Gloria and the “May the Lord accept this sacrifice…”). There was no Creed (and nothing in its place). There was a specially-composed Collect and Eucharistic Prayer, tied in to the theme of the Mass, which was found in the First Reading and the Gospel (welcoming the stranger)… probably because classes start there in a week and the new students are “strangers” to the campus; but I repeat, the priest (or someone else) invented his own Collect and Eucharistic Prayer. (I would have left if the words of consecration were changed… thankfully, they were not.) The priest shortened the Offertory, blessing both the bread and the wine at the same time (which is something I’ve seen somewhere else, too). The Precious Blood was consecrated in a metal pitcher (as well as the priest’s chalice) and poured into four smaller chalices after the consecration by a layman. The EMHCs (and musicians…) were given the Host before the priest (although they waited to consume it until the priest consumed his). I’m not sure, but I don’t think I saw a single person make a sign of reverence before the Host or Chalice. Some of the remaining Precious Blood was consumed while walking by some of the EMHCs; the priest consumed the remaining Hosts while walking and – though this is admittedly subjective – consumed the remainder of the Precious Blood as though “washing down” the Hosts.
I didn’t receive, not because I doubted the validity, but because I was very uncomfortable there. Part of me says there’s nothing I can do about it, but another part of me is distressed to see the Mass celebrated so contrary to what the Church has clearly expressed.
Those of you on this forum in college, or who attend Masses on a college campus… what is the “state of the liturgy” there? Does the resident priest seem to make it up as he goes along? Are many changes made to make the Mass seem more “community-friendly” or “inviting”? Or is the liturgy generally reverent and proper? I’m just curious. I’d also be interested in knowing if the college is Catholic or not. (My college is not Catholic.)
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