The Quality of the Celebration of the Mass has Slowly Improved at my Parish

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Ostiarius

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Some church-friends and I were reflecting on the improvements – both big and small to the celebration of the Mass at my parish over the past 20 or so years. When you add them up, the are substantial! It shows just how horrid things once were, and just how long positive change can take.

We still have a long way to go. But we have made progress.

Some Positive Changes:
  • Cheap glass stemware and glass cereal bowls replaced by proper (in this case gold) sacred vessels.
  • Ceasing of pouring of the Precious Blood from flagon to individual chalices.
  • Restoration of using the Nicene Creed. We were limited to the Apostles Creed from 2012-2018.
  • Restoration of using the Confiteor. Its use was abolished from 2006-2018 in my parish.
  • Return of the tabernacle to the rear center of our sanctuary, from the hinterlands.
  • Ceasing of Sunday evening “folk Mass” (est. 1969) where tambourines, bongos, conga drums and djembes once ruled. It’s now a nice mix largely of college students and senior citizens – with far better accompaniment.
  • Our pipe organ has been repaired. Now we need to find a regular organist! Not easy!
  • Ensuring at least 2 candles are immediately next to altar. No more games of having one candle near the altar and one near the ambo – which some here called the “altar of the word.”
  • At least a periodic return of using Sanctus Bells, depending on celebrant, vs. harsh, ignorant condemnation.
  • Ceasing the display of those HORRID felt banners in the sanctuary which had been made by kids in place of learning about their faith!
  • Ceasing of all “liturgical dancing”, later terms “liturgical movement.”
  • No longer using the sanctuary as a shortcut in which to enter the church.
  • No longer using sanctuary as a stage from which to be seen before Mass.
  • Removal of “throne” (music stand) that held the Evangeliary following the proclamation.
  • Ceasing of horrible seasonal decorations.
  • Ceasing the practice of unlocking, opening and leaving the key in the tabernacle well before Mass begins (this week!)
 
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CilladeRoma said:
And, just for the record, the 3rd & 4th items on your list are both perfectly licit options.
In fact, there are now 3 different options for the penitential rite.
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All axiomatic… It takes a real toll however when a pastor clearly does his best to “optimize” the Mass in terms of keeping it as short as possible. Disheartening actually. Terrible.
 
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Has the quality of the Celebration of the Mass changed for you internally over the past 20 years?

Just for the record, King David, of whom the Historic Jesus springs, made much use of tambourines in glorifying God.
 
The majority of the changes are subjectively better (save some objective ones like the noble metals one). Also, you seem to discriminate the people who attended Mass in the past.
 
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There are all these options and preferences, some more of more value than others, but a lay Catholic in the ‘age of the laity’ shouldn’t offer an opinion on any unless it upholds the status quo or it doesn’t offend another’s tastes. Right?
 
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It is fine to have opinions.
It is not fine to question the motives and intentions of previous priests and pastors.
 
It sounds as if you are encouraging clericalism.

The laity should know the Mass: it’s purpose, meaning, theology, etc. The laity should also know to distinguish the proper practices from the improper, and the desirable from the undesirable, the sacred from the profane.

To accept the less than desirable in the liturgy simply because the priest is a priest encourages clericalism and downplays all importance of the liturgy to begin with.
 
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Reminds me of the axiomatic, “Other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln”?

Disclaimer – I am expressing my opinion and not looking for validaiton or argument, so I limit my (name removed by moderator)ut to a single post per thread. Send me a PM, and I will be happy to continue the discussion without monopolizing this fine venue.
 
AlbMagno said:
The majority of the changes are subjectively better (save some objective ones like the noble metals one). Also, you seem to discriminate the people who attended Mass in the past.
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So?

At least 7 are mandated by the Church.
AlbMagno said:
Also, you seem to discriminate the people who attended Mass in the past.
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That’s just not true.
 
FOG said:
Reminds me of the axiomatic, “Other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln”?
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Axiom? Certainly better than in years past, when the actors didn’t know their lines, and the stage wasn’t set up correctly or with an understanding of the critical importance of the “production.”
 
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Ostiarius said:
It takes a real toll however when a pastor clearly does his best to “optimize” the Mass in terms of keeping it as short as possible. Disheartening actually. Terrible.
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And what exactly is this?
 
I do not support clericalism at all, especially in the laity.

As I said, it is fine to have opinions, but one also needs to know their place.

Some of the things in the long list of laments are perfectly valid and licit options.
One does not have to like them, but one must defer to the person who is in charge of making those decisions, and not call into question their motive or intention for said decision.
 
CilladeRoma said:
I do not support clericalism at all, especially in the laity.
Click to expand...
CilladeRoma said:
It is not fine to question the motives and intentions of previous priests and pastors.
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That’s clericalism: that a layman shouldn’t question the motives and intentions of priests, just because they are priests.

There is meaning to all of what the OP listed. It’s not simply a matter of subjective tastes, with the choice to be made by the pastor and suffered through by the laity.
 
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Ostiarius said:
  • Removal of “throne” (music stand) that held the Evangeliary following the proclamation.
  • Ceasing of horrible seasonal decorations.
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You’ve peaked my curiousity.
What does the first of these two mean?
What were the horrible decorations? Like…robot santa?
 
I never said one shouldn’t question. One should if there is a legitimate reason to.

What I did say is one should not call into question the intentions or motives of the decision -maker when the decision maker is making decisions that are valid and licit.
 
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I said one should not question the MOTIVES or INTENTIONS of the priest who is making legitimate decisions based on legitimate options.
 
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And, welcome to the forum, where any sort of praise for moves toward more tradition, greater reverence, and better aesthetics in our liturgical celebrations are immediately latched onto by those who would question any such praise as an implied attack on clergy of a certain temperament…

This sort of unreflective defense of a clearly failing “spirit of Vatican II” paradigm is why I seldom post on these forums any longer.
 
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