Terrible thing happened at Mass

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rand_Al_Thor
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
R

Rand_Al_Thor

Guest
Peace be with you!

I went camping with my Newman club from Wednesday to Sunday over by Mt. Hood. We left Sunday afternoon and planned to go to Mass at 6:00 at a parish in Beaverton. We got there a few minutes late so I didn’t see the procession or opening prayer, but the rest of the Mass was inexcusable. It was a youth Mass and I felt like I was in a Protestant church (I have nothing against youth Masses as long as they’re done properly). None of them (the youths participating in the Mass) even made an attempt to dress up nice, even the two that were altar servers and EMs. One of the ushers was wearing some of those big round sunglasses. There was loud, upbeat music the whole time with a kid playing the drums…even for the Responsorial Psalm!!! I could not concentrate on the Mass, nor could any of my friends…we were all too shocked.
The first thing we all noticed was the absence of a crucifix over the altar–it was over to the side. About 10 minutes into Mass one of my friends from our group leaned over and asked my if I wanted to go with her to talk to Father after Mass. I told her to just let it go because the Consecration isn’t subjective (she had a concern about it being a valid Mass).
I recieved a weird look from the woman distributing communion when I went to recieve on my knees and my friend went up and genuflected, stood back up, and folded her hands to recieve on her tongue. She was almost “blessed” by the EM (which, of course, she shouldn’t be doing) and had to tell her twice that she was recieving. The woman didn’t even say “The body of Christ” when she gave her communion!!! I also got a weird look when I bowed before the chalice from the young lady there. It was like neither of them had seen someone do that before.
But, the end of Mass is what pushed me over the top. During the announcements they talked about some of the youths going off to college. One of the young ladies was introduced and the woman doing the announcements said that this young lady had recieved an internship to work for SENATOR RON WYDEN!!! (one of the biggest abortion and assisted suicide supporters in the country!) The entire congregation (minus my friends and I, who were wide-eyed and shocked) began to applaud…priests included. At this point I leaned over and told my girlfriend that that was it; I was going to talk to Father after Mass.
After Mass was over I went up to the priest (there were two; my friend went up to the other one) and told him that I was visiting the parish and I thought that the open support from the congregation for a Catholic going to work for Senator Ron Wyden was completely inappropriate. I even let everything else go (the music, even the adults swaying to it, applause earlier during the homily, the crucifix not above or on the altar) and just addressed that issue. I was basically dismissed with a this-21-year-old-doesn’t-know-what-he’s-talking-about-why-is-he-talking-to-a-priest-like-this attitude. He said that just because you don’t agree with someone’s political views it doesn’t mean you can’t become involved in politics…which was not even what I said. Well, come to find out from the friend who talked to the other priest about his “I want donations” homily with no reference to any of the readings, that this parish supported “No on 36”–Yes on 36 was “one man one woman” marriage. No on 36 is in support of gay marriage.
We were all concerned at first because my friend’s (the one that spoke with the other priest) boyfriend was with us and he’s Baptist. We didn’t know if he’d been to Mass before and were concerned about this being his first one. He told us afterwards that he had been to Mass at his grandma’s church before and knew how it was supposed to be, thank goodness. He also STRONGLY disagreed with the Ron Wyden thing.
This was the first time I’ve ever said something like that to a priest. I was a little uncomfortable because of the respect I have for the office, but Mass is too important to me to let it be abused and treated like a party.
I will be writing a letter to this priest and also speaking to the priests at my parish about this Mass. If writing the letter to him doesn’t work, I’ll be writing Archbishop Vlazny.

In Christ,
Rand
 
Welcome to the club.

BTW: Holy Rosary in Portland is the best parish in the Archdiocese of Portland plus it is closer to Mt. Hood than Beaverton.
 
I am so sorry you went through that:nope: Our Lord must be saddened by this disrespect:crying:
 
Let me guess; you went to St. Pius X up in Cedar Mills?

They’re altar girls drive me nuts; not wearing an alb and going in not-very-modest clothing.

One time as I walked into the parish, they had a big banner over the entryway saying, “I have no body nows but yours!”

I wrote a note saying, “If Christ has no body now but mine, why did I just spend 20 minutes worshiping a piece of bread?” And stuck it in the collection basket.

However, I happened to like the music at the mass :whistle:

Holy Rosary is heralded by many in our area as God’s gift of salvation to Oregon. I attend there sometimes, and was a parishoner there during my 4 years at University of Portland. They have just as many problems as any other parish. I find that sometimes they’re so busy reacting to the liberalism in other parishes they end up violating the girm on the other end. Don’t get me wrong, I love the traditional mass they do there, but some people have a “If its not HR, its a sin” atitude that really bugs me.

Josh
 
40.png
threej_lc:
Let me guess; you went to St. Pius X up in Cedar Mills?
Click to expand...
:confused: :ehh:
 
-There was loud, upbeat music the whole time with a kid playing the drums…even for the Responsorial Psalm!!! I-

Loud and upbeat? So what? If it’s a youth mass that sometimes happens. I don’t like praise and worship music in mass either but it’s not liturgucally incorrect given the setting.

-The first thing we all noticed was the absence of a crucifix over the altar–it was over to the side.-

At least it was there. Sadly it has gone absent in many parishes.
😦

-I recieved a weird look from the woman distributing communion when I went to recieve on my knees and my friend went up and genuflected, stood back up, and folded her hands to recieve on her tongue.-

Probaly because the norm in the US is STANDING. And the faithful are to make a bow of the head rather than genuflect. And why coul she not recieve in the hand? Is she somehow more pious than the rest of us?

As far as the senator goes, it is unacceptable because you disagree with his politics? From the sounds of it, I would disagree too, but that doesn’t mean that it is not a good oppertunity for a young person wanting to get invoilved with politics. And it certainly has no bearing on the mass you went to.

Beofre everyone jumps on me- I am about as orthodox as you will find. I strongly disagree with some of the liberties that parishes and priests have taken since Vatican II. I disagree with good friends on a regular basis because I err on the side of tradition. BUT I think the OP is being far to judgemental and critical of the mass he attended. If there was anything that sounded like a serious liturgical abuse I would be right on the wagon saying “write to the Bishop!”. But it sounds more like this parish has legitimate, albeit modern practices, which simply don’t suit the OP’s taste.
 
Affirmed said:
-

-I recieved a weird look from the woman distributing communion when I went to recieve on my knees and my friend went up and genuflected, stood back up, and folded her hands to recieve on her tongue.-

Probaly because the norm in the US is STANDING. And the faithful are to make a bow of the head rather than genuflect. And why coul she not recieve in the hand? Is she somehow more pious than the rest of us?
Click to expand...

More pious?
In the middle of a mass that is boarding on a Protestant evangelical service?
Who’d have thought?

I agree with you in this, if the poster didn’t like the mass, avoid it the next time. It seems to me, the more I read here, that Catholics try to see how far they can get around the law and it’s allowed. No one stops anything. People actually come in to encourage seeing how far you can push it, stating things like “its only a minor abuse”

I’m not sure this is for me. I want consistancy, not an anything goes religion.
As for applauding the student who got an internship with a Pro-Death legislator, that is encouraging that student to work toward the secular and against the religious. That should not be done in a mass
 
I guess I just fail to see how the mass was bordering on a protestant evangelical service. :confused: Even if it were a traditional mass, the norm in standing with recpetion in the hand.
 
The norm may be one thing, but the practice from receiving on the knees should always be allowed (ala Pope John Paul II) or genuflecting. I always make sure to genuflect right before the person in front of me leaves. Sometimes I bow, but it just depends. You kinda get the feeling that people look at ya funny when you genuflect (sometimes even when you bow!) Our youth is going to be addressing that in our Parish, about proper motions and recption of Holy Communion. We’re even gonna have a demonstration of what the options are!
Anyway, we should all pray for unity.
 
40.png
Affirmed:
I guess I just fail to see how the mass was bordering on a protestant evangelical service. :confused: Even if it were a traditional mass, the norm in standing with recpetion in the hand.
Click to expand...
The norm for receiving the Eucharist is on the tongue. Receiving in the hand is only an indult - it can be revoked at any time. No one can refuse to give a person the Eucharist on the tongue - it is our right to receive that way. The documents giving the indult for receiption on the hand made that very clear. Receiving on the tongue is not a superior holier than thou thing. It is a person’s right.
 
40.png
Affirmed:
Loud and upbeat? So what? If it’s a youth mass that sometimes happens. I don’t like praise and worship music in mass either but it’s not liturgucally incorrect given the setting.
**When the music is so loud you can hardly hear the Psalm being sung and the music is so distracting you can’t concentrate on the Mass, then it is liturgically incorrect. The communion music was also the type that causes distraction from what you’re about to do–recieve Christ.
Mass is not a “fun time” or “party time” and that’s exactly what this one was.
**
Probaly because the norm in the US is STANDING. And the faithful are to make a bow of the head rather than genuflect. And why coul she not recieve in the hand? Is she somehow more pious than the rest of us?
**With all due respect, I don’t care what the norm is in the US. Like Jim Caveziel said, “I’m recieving the Body of Christ. I won’t recieve anywhere but on my knees.” The faithful aren’t “supposed” to do it a certain way.
My point about her recieving on her toungue was that the woman began to bless her rather than give her communion because she didn’t realize she was going to recieve. It doesn’t mean she’s more “pius” than everyone else. It simply shows a different kind of respect for the Eucharist.
At my home parish of St. Matthew in Hillsboro, I recieved a near smile (sort of a look of approval) from the priests when I began to recieve on my knees. My whole point was that the EMs at this other church weren’t aware that people do this and they should be.
**
As far as the senator goes, it is unacceptable because you disagree with his politics? From the sounds of it, I would disagree too, but that doesn’t mean that it is not a good oppertunity for a young person wanting to get invoilved with politics. And it certainly has no bearing on the mass you went to.
The overwhelming support of a CATHOLIC congregation for a CATHOLIC girl going to work for a pro-death politician speaks for itself. And all this IN MASS. If someone wants to get involved in politics, fine, but get involved on the side the Church supports–the people that support a culture of LIFE.
Click to expand...
And yes, it was St. Pius X. I know about Holy Rosary (one of the friends with me–the girl that spoke with the other priest–goes there). We wanted to go to Mass there, but they had a 5:30 Mass and we knew we wouldn’t be back in time for it (we had to drop one of the women in our group off at home first).
 
40.png
threej_lc:
Let me guess; you went to St. Pius X up in Cedar Mills?

They’re altar girls drive me nuts; not wearing an alb and going in not-very-modest clothing.

One time as I walked into the parish, they had a big banner over the entryway saying, “I have no body nows but yours!”

I wrote a note saying, “If Christ has no body now but mine, why did I just spend 20 minutes worshiping a piece of bread?” And stuck it in the collection basket.

However, I happened to like the music at the mass :whistle:

Holy Rosary is heralded by many in our area as God’s gift of salvation to Oregon. I attend there sometimes, and was a parishoner there during my 4 years at University of Portland. They have just as many problems as any other parish. I find that sometimes they’re so busy reacting to the liberalism in other parishes they end up violating the girm on the other end. Don’t get me wrong, I love the traditional mass they do there, but some people have a “If its not HR, its a sin” atitude that really bugs me.

Josh
Click to expand...
No place is perfect but I made a decision that I would deal with the problems at Holy Rosary for many reasons instead of dealing with the other parishes in the Archdiocese of Portland.
 
Wow, It’s funny when you stumble over local information on a national board… I had been considering “checking out” St. Pius X, AND Holy Rosary.

I live in St. John the Apostle Parish in Gladstone…but I like try to go to diferent parrish’s in the City to find a community I feel most comfortable with… So far my Favorite is St. Birgitta’s It’s just a few miles North of the St. John’s Bridge {West side on Hwy 30}.
 
I am beginning to conclude that the only way to approach these blatant abuses of OUR parishes is to arrive at mass 30-35 minutes before it begins and sit in the front rows and recite a Rosary aloud!

To remove these abuses we need more Christ and Mary.

Lead the lost by our examples. I am convinced that “we must be forgiven for we know not what we do!”
 
40.png
josiecoe:
I am beginning to conclude that the only way to approach these blatant abuses of OUR parishes is to arrive at mass 30-35 minutes before it begins and sit in the front rows and recite a Rosary aloud!

To remove these abuses we need more Christ and Mary.

Lead the lost by our examples. I am convinced that “we must be forgiven for we know not what we do!”
Click to expand...
This is possibly the most constructive and positive suggestion for a solution I have heard yet…the only drawback I can think of is that since people may start arriving to Church early it may allow time for confession to be available before Mass…oh wait!!..that would be a GOOD thing…😉
 
We can address the preists after mass. Open the discussion with a prayer (between you & the preist & God) the preist will then know of your reasoning & sincerity.

We are the body! We are going to be held accountable for these abuses if we do not speak now! Leaving a parish is rarely the answer, the preists are moved from parishes yet the people should stay, it is ours to lose (or gain).

I realize that the original poster was just visiting. I believe that she (or he) handled her contact and approach responsibly. The rest of us that simmer in these abuses are struggling and we have the power to take the church back!

You have heard the story of the frog that was put into a pot of lukewarm water placed on a burner. The frog would not jump out of the water as it was escalating in tempature. He could not really tell that he was soon going to boil to death. The change was gradual, whereas if he was put into a boiling pot he would have immediately have leaped out and saved himself.

We have to be very, very careful for our body will soon boil to death and we will not even know how this happened.

God bless
 
"I agree with you in this, if the poster didn’t like the mass, avoid it the next time. "

That doesn’t seem fair at all. My impression was that the poster had never been to that church before and was simply going to that church because they had mass at a time that they could make it. How can a person avoid something that they don’t know exists?

Oh, and Good luck talking to Archbishop Vlazny, my parish in Eugene, St. Mary’s is a pretty decent church, but we have a lifeteen mass on sunday evenings. The music is basically Christian rock and all the teens are encouraged to do all these hand signals, they go up behind the alter during the consecration and most people show up in jeans and t-shirts. Even the other masses have to deal with it. we had ( i don’t know if they are still there) projectors set up and one time after mass we had to sit and watch this video with christian rock music for 10 or 15 minutes. They’ll have teens from the mass dance in front of everyone, it really bothers me. I understand that there is nothing wrong with having contemperary music at a teen mass, but it shouldn’t be brought into the other masses. We also had a priest from the hospital come in a give homiles, both were terrible, as in he was telling people that if you’re ok, I’m ok (in short, relativism) then he cam back and gave a sermon on how racism is around, he was racist, we are all racist and by the way, he was a liberal. Ok, I’ve ranted enough. My point is that I doubt Archbishop Vlazny will be of any help to you.
 
What if a saint like Mother Teresa joined your parish? would the expectations be any different? WE have to demand orthodoxy! The preists and bishops are important to the equation, however, WE are more important! We are all called to be saints! (my/our collective (name removed by moderator)ut makes us MORE important).

We are not fighting the devil when we are fighting each other!

God bless
 
40.png
lyoncoeur:
Wow, It’s funny when you stumble over local information on a national board… I had been considering “checking out” St. Pius X, AND Holy Rosary.

I live in St. John the Apostle Parish in Gladstone…but I like try to go to diferent parrish’s in the City to find a community I feel most comfortable with… So far my Favorite is St. Birgitta’s It’s just a few miles North of the St. John’s Bridge {West side on Hwy 30}.
Click to expand...
It would take forever for me to get to St. Brigitta from Mt. Angel. It was ok but I was accustomed to the Tridentine Mass celebrated by the Saint Gregory Society in New Haven CT so I was a bit spoiled. Holy Rosary is a great place but just like any place where people are fleeing to because of abuses in their parish there are still a lot of hurt feelings which can at times translate into uncharitable attitudes but all in all it is a great place.
 
migurl said:
"I agree with you in this, if the poster didn’t like the mass, avoid it the next time. "

That doesn’t seem fair at all. My impression was that the poster had never been to that church before and was simply going to that church because they had mass at a time that they could make it. How can a person avoid something that they don’t know exists?

Oh, and Good luck talking to Archbishop Vlazny, my parish in Eugene, St. Mary’s is a pretty decent church, but we have a lifeteen mass on sunday evenings. The music is basically Christian rock and all the teens are encouraged to do all these hand signals, they go up behind the alter during the consecration and most people show up in jeans and t-shirts. Even the other masses have to deal with it. we had ( i don’t know if they are still there) projectors set up and one time after mass we had to sit and watch this video with christian rock music for 10 or 15 minutes. They’ll have teens from the mass dance in front of everyone, it really bothers me. I understand that there is nothing wrong with having contemperary music at a teen mass, but it shouldn’t be brought into the other masses. We also had a priest from the hospital come in a give homiles, both were terrible, as in he was telling people that if you’re ok, I’m ok (in short, relativism) then he cam back and gave a sermon on how racism is around, he was racist, we are all racist and by the way, he was a liberal. Ok, I’ve ranted enough. My point is that I doubt Archbishop Vlazny will be of any help to you.
Click to expand...

I am actually suprised to hear this. I was under the impression that St. Mary’s was getting better.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top