Threadbare Masses?

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Are any of you suffering from what I call “threadbare Masses”? At my parish it seems that the “liturgy committee” does everything in its power to make the Mass as threadbare and non-solemn as possible.

I’m not talking about litugical abuses or irregularities for the most part (which are also very common), just actions that take as much solemnity out of the Mass as possible.

Little things, and not so little things. Wine glasses instead of chalices (a GIRM violation); no sanctus bells; very rare use of incense; no ablution cup; abandonment of the gold covered Book of Gospels; no candle bearers; etc. etc.

This is very tiresome. All the equipment exists, so it certainly not a matter of money. I do wonder why this takes place…
 
Have you asked the people at you parish why they are doing it?
 
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Shibboleth:
Have you asked the people at you parish why they are doing it?
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Certainly. The most common retort is that whatever is in questions goes against the Spirit of Vatican II, which is nothing more than folly.
 
Ask them to provide the specific documentation to back up what they are doing.
 
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cmom:
Ask them to provide the specific documentation to back up what they are doing.
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No such documentation exists, so it wouldn’t do any good to ask.

Many things like the use of sanctus bells, incense, etc. are optional, and it seems like they are dead-set against any solemnity…
 
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Crusader:
No such documentation exists, so it wouldn’t do any good to ask.

Many things like the use of sanctus bells, incense, etc. are optional, and it seems like they are dead-set against any solemnity…
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You should pray and then ask for it any way. If they still don’t provide ask politely in writing.:banghead: dont give up pray harder and ask nicer.
 
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srkbdk:
You should pray and then ask for it any way. If they still don’t provide ask politely in writing.:banghead: dont give up pray harder and ask nicer.
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I do pray for them, and I have asked in writing.

One technique that seems to work is simply to get involved with the Mass and take the initiative to re-implement these little things. The priests are typically delighted.
 
Sacrifice yourself to the wolves, and join the liturgy committee…

It is wretched- but I have joined (under the guise of being in charge of Adoration)- and at least there is one orthodox voice in there!!!

I can so relate!! They remove all solemnity and replace it with things like “post-communion reflections” and announcing who will be bringing up the gifts…

Their response to an abuse that was in direct conflict with a highly publicised directive of our Bihop was “Well- next year we’ll have a new Bishop” As if that Bishop will have the authority to change the rubrics!!. Pray that you may be able to keep your eyes on the Prize and remember that you will never be tempted beyond your means!! The Lord knows who is needed- stay open to His will and follow the Holy Spirit, and He will help you to remain steadfast!
 
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ShanMcCatholic:
Sacrifice yourself to the wolves, and join the liturgy committee…

It is wretched- but I have joined (under the guise of being in charge of Adoration)- and at least there is one orthodox voice in there!!!

I can so relate!! They remove all solemnity and replace it with things like “post-communion reflections” and announcing who will be bringing up the gifts…

Their response to an abuse that was in direct conflict with a highly publicised directive of our Bihop was “Well- next year we’ll have a new Bishop” As if that Bishop will have the authority to change the rubrics!!. Pray that you may be able to keep your eyes on the Prize and remember that you will never be tempted beyond your means!! The Lord knows who is needed- stay open to His will and follow the Holy Spirit, and He will help you to remain steadfast!
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The “Liturgy Committee” (and “coordinator”) are jokes at my parish. The Committee meets during the week at 10am – when most of us work. Its meetings are not advertised and they are closed to non-members. The members are clones of one another – the kind that would trade priestly concelebrants for liturgical flame dancers in a heartbeat.

I am happy to hear you are involved. I’m not sure that I could do that – I might end-up on the 6pm news in an orange jumpsuit and shackles…
 
Well this will be of little help, but it could be worse you know. They could be doing “liturgical” dancing, changing prayers, or having some unknown non-ordained type doing the homily.

We had a Priest that would always substitute the word human for man in the creed, drove me nuts :whacky:

The worst was being told, get this… “As a sign of unity I ask everyone to remain standing during the consecration.” :bigyikes:

Like I said not much help but my prayers are with you I know how it feels.
 
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Dadof9:
Maybe find a new more traditional church? :confused:
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No way. My family has worshipped at my parish since the early 19th century. Let the heterodoxy be purged, and let orthodoxy flourish.
 
It’s kind of ironic that the same people who say that there should be more “lay involvement” in church decisions do everything in their power to ensure that only their own views are represented. I wonder if it would do any good to get a group of laity together and politely mention the irony.

David
 
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Crusader:
No way. My family has worshipped at my parish since the early 19th century. Let the heterodoxy be purged, and let orthodoxy flourish.
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Yeah! Lets hear it for Orthodoxy. Jesus was meek but he wasn’t timid.
 
At my parish, much is done in – or maybe I should say isn’t done – “the spirit of Vatican II.”

No bells, no incense, no candle-bearers, no nothing.

But I’ll tell you what we do have. It’s so exciting.

We have a liturgical dancer!

She dances every year at our First Communion Mass, wearing a white silk blouse, a calf-length black skirt, and black ballet slippers. Last year she just went through the nave of the church in a series of lunging stag-leaps, flinging her arms around with abandon and making sudden and inexplicable stops to strike a tortured pose.

This year, she accompanied herself with a very long ribbon attached to a wooden handle – the kind of thing gymnasts use. The dancer was whipping the ribbon over the heads of the congregants, some of whom were fighting a losing battle with those perilous bursts of snorting church laughter; some of whom looked bored; and some of whom looked like they’d like to take that ribbon and tie her up like a mummy and hide her in a closet.

Frankly, it really frosts my donuts that we aren’t allowed to have the bells, but we are forced to have this dancer prancing around as our little communicants goggle at her and ask in piercing whispers, “Dad? Does that lady have to go to the bathroom?”
 
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BryanW:
The worst was being told, get this… “As a sign of unity I ask everyone to remain standing during the consecration.” :bigyikes:

QUOTE]

Why do I miss out on all the good opportunities? Had I known about that parish, I would have positioned myself in the front pew, right at the middle aisle. At the start of the consecration I would have noisily dropped the kneeler and gone onto my knees, giving the priest a little smile. :whistle:
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Gee Karl, we could make it a group effort and all show up and drop kneelers together 😃
 
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MaryPetra:
At my parish, much is done in – or maybe I should say isn’t done – “the spirit of Vatican II.”

No bells, no incense, no candle-bearers, no nothing.

But I’ll tell you what we do have. It’s so exciting.

We have a liturgical dancer!

She dances every year at our First Communion Mass, wearing a white silk blouse, a calf-length black skirt, and black ballet slippers. Last year she just went through the nave of the church in a series of lunging stag-leaps, flinging her arms around with abandon and making sudden and inexplicable stops to strike a tortured pose.

This year, she accompanied herself with a very long ribbon attached to a wooden handle – the kind of thing gymnasts use. The dancer was whipping the ribbon over the heads of the congregants, some of whom were fighting a losing battle with those perilous bursts of snorting church laughter; some of whom looked bored; and some of whom looked like they’d like to take that ribbon and tie her up like a mummy and hide her in a closet.

Frankly, it really frosts my donuts that we aren’t allowed to have the bells, but we are forced to have this dancer prancing around as our little communicants goggle at her and ask in piercing whispers, “Dad? Does that lady have to go to the bathroom?”
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ARGH! I detest liturgical dance! I would guess most Americans do. It’s not part of our missionary Catholic culture here in the USA and it needs to stop (at least in my diocese.)

The current bishop of my diocese is a big supporter of liturgical dance. Some of the productions (similar to the one you described) has been received in such a bitter manner that they have taken to calling it “liturgical movement.” Like that’s going to make it easier to stomach…NOT. ARGH!

Give me the “smells and bells” anytime…

http://www.scripturechannel.org/scripturefolks_files/koz.gif
 
Karl Keating:
Why do I miss out on all the good opportunities? Had I known about that parish, I would have positioned myself in the front pew, right at the middle aisle. At the start of the consecration I would have noisily dropped the kneeler and gone onto my knees, giving the priest a little smile. :whistle:
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While kneeling after receiving holy communion in my diocese I had a religious sister try to lift me back up onto my feet. Fortunately I’m twice her size and she failed miserably…
 
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