The Easter Vigil ruined

[tad]

Thanks for your question. The readings are rewritten in a way to make them more theatrical with lots of congregation participation. For instance on Holy Thursday, the readings kind of rambled one into another, with lots of stuff added in. I could recognize where we at, but it didn’t have the same impact on me as simply hearing the Word proclaimed.

 

[Spyridon]

On Holy Thursday? You sure you don’t mean Good Friday?

So what you’re saying is that the Easter Vigil readings are being proclaimed the same way as the Passion Sunday reading?

All 7 readings are said like that?

 

[casslean]

For instance on Holy Thursday, the readings kind of rambled one into another, with lots of stuff added in. I could recognize where we at, but it didn’t have the same impact on me as simply hearing the Word proclaimed.

If the readings are being “rewritten” as you suggest, that isn’t rewriting the readings, it’s rewriting the Liturgy of the Word.

The rubrics are very clear about how readings are to be proclaimed, including the possibilities for the Gospel on Palm Sunday and Good Friday.

If this is taking place, why haven’t you alerted the Bishop?

 

[tad]

No, I’m sure I meant Holy Thursday. It was similar to the reading of the Lord’s Passion on Palm Sunday and Good Friday only with more drama and audience participation with added interjections.

For instance during the ‘reading’ of Exodus’ the men might be instructed to say “Blessed be God”.
And then the women would be instructed to say “Blessed be God”.
And then everyone would say, “Blessed be God forever.”

Stuff like that. It reminds me more of community theater than liturgy.

The Vigil in the last three years I served were much the same way. It’s not like I could detect any sort of heresy, but it wasn’t the Word proclaimed. Sort of like Jesus Christ Super Star. It’s a dramatic presentation of the Gospel based on the Sacred Scriptures but it’s not the Sacred Scriptures.

 

[Spyridon]

And then the women would be instructed to say “Blessed be God”.

And then everyone would say, “Blessed be God forever.”

Stuff like that. It reminds me more of community theater than liturgy.

That’s a MASSIVE liturgical abuse.

You need to tell the Bishop, formally, in writing, so this Pastor can be corrected.

IMO, it is flat out sacrilege to mess with the liturgy of the Easter Vigil in this way. If he did such whacky stuff on an Ordinary Time weekday it would be wrong, but not sacrilege, IMO. But to commit such liturgical crimes on the holiest of nights in the Easter Vigil? That my friend is sacrilege.

I certainly understand your distress.

I too would refuse to serve in an Easter Vigil Mass with such severe liturgical abuses.

Very disturbing stuff…

 

[rondirect]

I am totally confused here. I am reading Holy Thursday was liturgically abused and the Vigil as well? How can this be? Tad, please clarify what is going on, or better still, don’t. It’ll just bring back the ugly and you need to refocus and move on.

 

[Gertabelle]

Gertabelle, Happy Easter to you as well.

Kind of confused here with your response to Phemie, who seems to be on the same page with my responses on this topic. When I mentioned that the length of the Vigil was too long for many to attend, and even added that people missing out are witnessing the beauty and ritual of our Catholic Church, your immediate response was to call my comment, “rubbish,” and that churches in your area are always packed no matter what time they are.

Your answer to Phemie is quite different in that you attended church where attendance must had been poor, and you “understand,” so not rubbish. Please explain. I want to know what I said was offensive to you vs. what Phemie has basically witnessed as well.

Gertabelle, it is wonderful that the churches in your area see the richness of the Vigil and I think I made that clear that I agreed. However, spread the word about the vigil here and you get the opposite result. We had at least 30 or so in our choir as well; however, ever year the numbers, like Phemie, are getting lower in the assembly. We had 8 baptisms and about 15 being confirmed. That alone took a half hour or so.

At first, I said that only about 500 attend; this year maybe 300 in a church that seats 1000. Most where there for those receiving the Sacraments. Some even left after these two rites where finished! As a matter of fact, I was told my someone who overheard people leaving the church, that they will never attend a Vigil again and that it was not a joyous Easter Celebration. What more can I say?

What I found offensive in your comment (the one to which I replied) was your suggestion that the Easter Vigil be as short as possible, because people don’t appreciate the richness and beauty of the rituals of this most solemn of masses.

The richness and beauty of the ritual will never be appreciated if we keep catering to the lowest common denominator – “keep mass short because I have other things to do.”

If people at your parish left feeling the mass was not a joyous Easter celebration, that has nothing to do with the length of the mass, in my opinion.

As for Phemie’s comment, she wasn’t suggesting there was a problem with the Easter Vigil rites, but expressing sadness over low attendance. And yes, I was the piano accompanist for several years at a local parish that had very low turnouts for the Vigil. The mass was absolutely beautiful, the choir magnificent, the music selections lovely and celebratory, the sacraments celebrated with reverence and joy.

But people just didn’t come. Length wasn’t the problem, I think, so much as tradition (“we’ve always gone to the first mass on Easter Sunday morning”) and the very large number of families with small children.

Look, I’m not looking for an argument with you or anyone here. If you were offended by my earlier comment, I am sorry.

And now I’m moving on from this thread. Have the last word if you like. I’m out.

 

[Crocus]

Welcome home!

 

[Pup7]

Thank you very much!!

Best part of the vigil?

The sudden flipping on of the lights and the Gloria coming back!

I thought, “THIS.”

 

[pnewton]

That’s nice. It is a dramatic time for sure. My favorite is the litany of the saints. We use a newer version than the one in our missalette. Time does seem to fly through the Vigil Mass with all the variety it packs.

The only downside I have with it, is that it is a lot of work, as is all of Holy Week. To make it more stressed, one week later we have a Mass with the Cardinal for Confirmation.

Once more into the breach…

 

[Pup7]

I have nothing but respect for the people who make all that happen. God bless you. You are making a difference.

 

[tad]

It’s only at this point that we’re starting to figure out it’s liturgical abuse. Earlier in this this thread it was being implied that it was just a matter of personal taste.

As I said earlier, the priest running the Holy Week liturgies is retired. Reading between the lines, I’m pretty sure he’s been the subject of letters to the bishop before. That’s why he retired.

Our pastor is also retiring in June. At that time we’ll see what our new bishop wants to do with our parish.

I’m not a liturgical expert, I’m just a guy who answered the call to be Catholic and to serve at the Lord’s Table. I don’t think a letter to the bishop is in order.

On a side note: This Lent I did have the distinct privilege of framing the Apostolic Mandate from Pope Francis installing our new bishop. I got to meet him as well. Good guy. Seems to be serious about the liturgy. Maybe I’ve got an ‘in’.

 

[tad]

Yeah, it was all pretty bad. That’s why it threw me for a loop the first year I experienced it.

As I said above, things will be changing at my parish soon. There really is nothing left to do but refocus.

The other side of the equation is that it was good to reconnect with friends at my home parish for Holy Week. My wife and I haven’t been attending lately (see the thread Roamin Catholics) and though the liturgies can drive me nuts, I just love the people of my parish. They’re everything the bible says a Christian community should be.

I don’t think it was a coincidence that the cover of our Easter bulletin says “Home for the Easter Season”.

 

[PianomanD]

I don’t think that’s allowed. You should always follow the Roman Missal for liturgies. It explains everything clearly and effectively. You should say something to your pastor and contact your bishop about this.

 

[rondirect]

If it were any longer, hardly anyone would attend. Many Catholics today just don’t see the beauty and rich ritual of it all. It’s all about timing…one hour and get me out of here!

Gertabelle, I appreciate your writing back. Sometimes the written word can be misunderstood vs. face to face interaction. My comment was not meant to be offensive at all, just my observation and actually agree with Phemie’s comments. I, too, wish that more would attend. In the quote above, I said that they just don’t see the beauty and rich ritual of it all, but you read it as people don’t appreciate that, so it should be short as possible. That was not my point nor my exact words. At the low numbers we have now because all I hear is that it is too long, my tongue-in-cheek comment “one hour and get me out of here,” was just my observation in a jokingly manner. I don’t think I ever said there was a “problem with the Easter Vigil Rites,” per your comment about Phemie. I don’t…I love the Easter Vigil and all it’s rites and wish that others would also. It’s a shame.

Gertabelle, I do not know you personally, and please understand I am not an argumentative person either. Actually, on this subject, I agree with you and Phemie, that is why it was confusing to me when you said “rubbish.” To clarify, it is a shame that people cannot find the time to witness the beauty and ritual richness of the Easter Vigil like we do. We prepare so hard to make this night a night of beautiful music and ritual, I am sad too that more do not welcome it. I actually had conversations with my pastor over this because he wanted to cut out more to make it shorter! I was not for that at all.

Gertabelle, you said you were moving on and you’re out of this thread. I do hope you have read this and understand that there was a gross misunderstanding. Thanks for the apology; I too, apologize to you if I upset you in any manner. Blessings.

 

[Christmysavor]

That was insane and amazing to just sit in the dark waiting for the the light I was and am still on cloud nine when the light came back aka the light of Christ I just was/and am so amazed how much our faith.