Theologian calls music ministers trailblazers of Vatican II church

[eLiturgist]

Here is a quote I’d like to understand better:

“On this new spiritual continent, the focus of the Eucharist is not principally upon the bread changed into the eucharistic body of Christ, but upon the people who become changed into the mystical body of Christ”

This is from catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0403980.htm
quoting Father Philibert, who teaches at the Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis.

Can someone clarify this, please?

 

[drforjc]

He makes some good points but I’m uncomfortable with others such as the one you mention, as well as saying our “song of praise” is " a sacramental sign." I think he overestimates the radicalness of VII and underemphasizes the function of the priest as alter Christus. I don’t see where he derives his view of song as constitutive of the essence of the mass if I’m understanding him correctly.

 

[baltobetsy]

“On this new spiritual continent, the focus of the Eucharist is not principally upon the bread changed into the eucharistic body of Christ, but upon the people who become changed into the mystical body of Christ”

I don’t want to live on this “continent.” This poor fellow has lost sight of the saving sacrifice of Christ on the cross, renewed and made present in the Mass for all time. I suspect it’s the loss of the sense of sin and the need for redemption, and the shift of focus instead to being transformed into something better than we already are (which is pretty good, thank you very much). He also takes himself and his work waaaayy too seriously. Music is the servant of the liturgy, not the driving force.

And I speak as a church musician myself. This is very offensive to me.

Betsy

 

[redkim]

It’s an otherwise good article, but I have problems with the quote you provided. I’m sorry, but the focus of the Mass IS the bread changing into the body, but we are not to forget that the Eucharist transforms us as well. But most importantly, the Mass is for worshipping God. The Mass is a prayer. We pray the Mass, we do not pray at Mass.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Probably somebody who enthusiastically praises music like “We are church”. . .

No, seriously, I read the article. Of course, the quotes in the article are probably taken out of context and thus might be perfectly orthodox, but that “uncharted continent” whereby we have a “second transubstantiation” of the PEOPLE. . .well, that scares me. As a musician myself, I had to leave the music ministry of two parishes due to blatant liturgical abuses and this very spirit whereby people–even this probably well-meaning priest–seem to think that prior to Vatican II the Mass was all “the priest” and the laity was some big ol’ sponge just there to absorb “the priest”. (Obviously the reporter had never been a regular attendant at most urban and suburban Latin High or Cantata Masses if they think the laity was just an amorphous blob).

Along with the truly horrendous abuses I suffered through in the 70s and 80s with the priests gathering children around the altar and having them ALL do the doxology and hold hands through the Our Father–hey, we’re ALL equal in God’s happy church, right?–this latest salvo of exaltation of music ministers is yet another attempt to “laicize” the Mass. Welcome to the era of “communion services”–what’s next, a Drive-Thru window where you can get your “bread and wine” to go?

I recommend you read the Adoremus series (three parts) of a real music minister on what has happened with some of those “the spirit of Vatican II” <> whose agenda was to “change” the Mass into something “relevant.” One: Why change what wasn’t broken to begin with. Two: “Relevant” is a meaningless term in liturgy. Why not say, “dumbed down” or “catholic- lite” or “”–because that’s what is MEANT by saying the Mass isn’t RELEVANT.

Just google for Adoremus and I believe the author’s name was Lucy Carroll. Enjoy.

 

[deogratias]

Someone on Free Republic responded to this article with two words - “Barf Alert”.

 

[pnewton]

I hav to agree with baltobetsy. This man does have any overemphasized importance of the role of musician.

My defense also goes up on a statement like,“Most of the faithful – most of the ordained – do not understand the sacramental significance of the church’s common voice of praise.” It’s like, " I have knowledge and you don’t"

Let us musicians not be too full of ourselves.

 

[SMHW]

eLiturgist:

Here is a quote I’d like to understand better:

“On this new spiritual continent, the focus of the Eucharist is not principally upon the bread changed into the eucharistic body of Christ, but upon the people who become changed into the mystical body of Christ”

This is from catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0403980.htm
quoting Father Philibert, who teaches at the Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis.

Can someone clarify this, please?

I think that saying ‘the focus of the Eucharist is not principally upon the bread changed into the eucharistic body of Christ,’ is WAY out of line.

But I think the article as a whole has to be seen in terms of what it is. It documents a pep rally for musicians. As such, it is not trying to present a full and balanced view of the Mass, but rather emphasize the parts for which the music ministers carry responsibility.