Walking out of Mass in Protest

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DaveBj said:
The question of staying or leaving hinges on the question of whether or not it is a valid Mass, and that question hinges on whether or not the consecration is valid. I know that the validity of the consecration requires having the proper form (the right words said and the correct gestures done) and matter (unleavened bread and unadulterated grape wine). Now I have not had time to research this, but I seem to remember reading that the validity of the consecration also depends on the priest’s intending to do what the Church intends to be done (i.e., changing the substance of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ). If I am wrong about that, and if a consecration is still valid when it is performed by a priest who doesn’t really believe in what he is doing, but is only going thru the motions because that is what the sheeple expect, I welcome correction.

I would be suspicious that a priest who allows the kind of music and actions described by the OP would fall into the category of one who is just going thru the motions, and given the options of getting up and walking out or staying for a Mass that might be invalid, I would probably choose the former.
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Validity is not the criterion. Even a Black Mass can be valid.
The criterion should be do we or do we not participate in sacrilege. I choose not to participate.
 
I’d like to know why some say we should leave if it were a Clown Mass but stay because people are gyrating in the pews? Isn’t gyrating and doing the “fisted UHH!” type gestures just another Clown Mass in a different form? Should I say a Clown Mass with audience participation… making the parishioners a bunch of clowns themselves?

I agree… walk out, showing that this type of behaviour is not acceptable at the SACRIFICE of the Mass. But, do go to a different Mass on that day, and do write or speak to the parish priest about this.
 
roadsend said:
Validity is not the criterion. Even a Black Mass can be valid.
The criterion should be do we or do we not participate in sacrilege. I choose not to participate.
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I tend to agree.
Loboto-Me said:
I’d like to know why some say we should leave if it were a Clown Mass but stay because people are gyrating in the pews? Isn’t gyrating and doing the “fisted UHH!” type gestures just another Clown Mass in a different form? Should I say a Clown Mass with audience participation… making the parishioners a bunch of clowns themselves?

I agree… walk out, showing that this type of behaviour is not acceptable at the SACRIFICE of the Mass. But, do go to a different Mass on that day, and do write or speak to the parish priest about this.
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Again, I agree. But I also thank God for our parish, where we don’t have to worry about things like that.
 
I like the answer to the poster (sorry, I forgot to cut and paste your name) who commented that if Jesus is truly and really present in the host, then what if we picture him as a live, human person standing there at the altar. He is looking out at us while silly songs or dancing or whatever is being conducted in his honor, albeit in entirely bad taste. But He is standing there before me, real and present and gazing at me.

I would not hear the music or notice the dancing or clown costumes. My attention would be totally focused on HIM, my beloved Lord and Savior, alive and present right before me… and no, I would not turn my back on Him and leave.

And that is the lesson I want to leave my son with.

Then I’d figure out another Mass to attend.
 
jtodisco said:
Granted, some forms of worship may be more or less fitting to the Mass, but in the end most of this is just cultural and personal preferences.
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Personal preferences have no place in the Church’s public worship.

I remember that “Pharaoh Pharaoh” song from children’s church (at a protestant church) growing up. Do people honestly think youth who don’t like church are going to feel differently if they put “churchy” lyrics to pop songs that were written before some of their parents were even born?
 
After attending Mass around the world, I definitely feel that some of the parishes in the U.S. have definitely strayed from the one holy Catholic and apostolic Church. Masses at the Vatican, Lourdes…parishes in France, Kuala Lumpur, Germany, and other places tend to be more reverent and common in practice and theme.

Some U.S. parishes have definitely strayed.
 
I left a Vigil Mass yesterday evening. I think I did a bad thing by doing so and that’s why I came looking for opinions.

This happened at a church that I attend 1-2 times per year. The first and second readings and the responsorial psalm were completed as they should have been, but then the alleluia was sung and the priest did not stand and most congregants remained seated. I stood reflexively, but seeing that everyone was expected to sit, I sat after several seconds, as did everyone else who stood. Then as we were wrapping up with singing the second round of alleluias I suddenly felt very angry, stood, and left quietly. I don’t know if the congregation stood for the proclamation of the gospel, though I hope it did.

I went to Mass today at my own parish so the obligation has been met. I will also confess this as soon as I have the opportunity. Until then I was wondering how badly I messed up (I know that I did). Was what I did ridiculous?
 
MaryAnne77 said:
In the fairly recent past, a song called “Pharaoh, Pharaoh” to the tune of “Louie, Louie” by the Kingsmen was sung during Mass. Some people even did the “Walk Like an Egyptian” movements with it. There was a full band with drums, etc. My husband and I packed our kids up and LEFT. We were shocked. I can’t remember when it exactly it was - it might have been the children’s choir performing that Mass. I haven’t thought much about it since, but another post regarding the appropriateness of music got me thinking. Were we right to walk out in protest? That song is not appropriate for Mass - right?? Most of the rest of the congregation was really into the song!

Here’s sort of what it was like:
youtube.com/watch?v=MRbOo1nVYvs

The only difference is that after the congregation sang “…let my people go” they went “Huh!” with a fist pump. I am not kidding.
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Alot of people here seem to be responding that they would not have walked out. I am not sure what I would have done. I wasn’t there and it wasn’t a situation I was in. Maybe I would have done the same thing, maybe not.

Jesus is there and present but it would be hard for me to stay focused. One person said they would just concentrate on Jesus being there in the Eucharist and ignore the music. I would find that very hard.

Another person said something to the effect that it wouldn’t do much good if you didn’t complain to anyone but I disagree. Walking out does say something. Several years back a parish I attended brought in some protestant jazz type singing during mass and an elderly woman got up and walked out during mass. It sent a large message. She didn’t have to say a word. Her actions spoke volumes and I have always remembered it. She genuflected and then left. May be she went somewhere else for her obligation. If I felt the need to walk out, hopefully I would go somewhere else for that Sunday.

You were the one in that moment, no one else. If you feel like it was wrong, go to confession. See what the priest or another priest has to say about it. I feel that type of music is totally wrong during mass. I attended a church not too long ago where it was very “progressive” and that type of music was sung through out. I have not returned. Mass isn’t about being entertained. It is a prayer. Jesus said, “my house will be a house of prayer.”

I totally understand as a mom worrying about certain things that get said and done at mass that teach children the wrong thing. I was in prayer about that this morning over something that my son heard at mass that we now have to work through.

I certainly empathize with what you went through that day.
 
lemonlime said:
I left a Vigil Mass yesterday evening. I think I did a bad thing by doing so and that’s why I came looking for opinions.

This happened at a church that I attend 1-2 times per year. The first and second readings and the responsorial psalm were completed as they should have been, but then the alleluia was sung and the priest did not stand and most congregants remained seated. I stood reflexively, but seeing that everyone was expected to sit, I sat after several seconds, as did everyone else who stood. Then as we were wrapping up with singing the second round of alleluias I suddenly felt very angry, stood, and left quietly. I don’t know if the congregation stood for the proclamation of the gospel, though I hope it did.

I went to Mass today at my own parish so the obligation has been met. I will also confess this as soon as I have the opportunity. Until then I was wondering how badly I messed up (I know that I did). Was what I did ridiculous?
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For the Pentecost mass there should have been the First Reading [from Acts], Psalm [104], Second Reading [1 Cor], Pentecost Sequence [Several verses sung with Alleluias] and the Gospel Acclamation [the usual Alleluia verse] and then the Gospel.

Several Solemnities used to have Sequences; now only Pentecost and one or two others do.
 
Joe_Kelley said:
For the Pentecost mass there should have been the First Reading [from Acts], Psalm [104], Second Reading [1 Cor], Pentecost Sequence [Several verses sung with Alleluias] and the Gospel Acclamation [the usual Alleluia verse] and then the Gospel.

Several Solemnities used to have Sequences; now only Pentecost and one or two others do.
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So, IOW, the poster left a Mass that was being celebrated as it should, with the Sequence, and went to one where they omitted the obligatory Sequence. Another instance of seeing abuse where there is none. Sadly, we are often so used to abuses in our own parish’s Masses that we think it’s abuse when they are not in Masses we attend elsewhere.
 
Joe_Kelley said:
For the Pentecost mass there should have been the First Reading [from Acts], Psalm [104], Second Reading [1 Cor], Pentecost Sequence [Several verses sung with Alleluias] and the Gospel Acclamation [the usual Alleluia verse] and then the Gospel.

Several Solemnities used to have Sequences; now only Pentecost and one or two others do.
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Hi, Joe —

I’m not usually one to post about these things, but…

There’s a different liturgy on the Vigil of Pentecost. Sequence happens on the Sunday. I’ve never done a Pentecost Sequence with Alleluias, but I’d love to know which one you’re talking about. Could you post it? More Alleluias the better 🙂
 
The OP speaks of fulfilling their obligation, which wouldn’t apply in the case of a Vigil Mass, so I wonder if they meant Saturday evening i.e. the first Mass of Sunday? I’ve heard more than one person refer to that Mass as the Vigil Mass (come to think of it, it might even be listed as such on our board outside church).
 
Walking out in protest is necessary when the Lord’s House is being made a mockery out of. I don’t think it’s “arrogant”, or offensive to the Lord - quite the contrary. Jesus probably would’ve done the same thing on earth. It reminds me of Pope Leo X times, when the Sistine Chapel Choir were doing comedies. Comedies?? There is a time and place for everything.
 
paperwight66 said:
The OP speaks of fulfilling their obligation, which wouldn’t apply in the case of a Vigil Mass, so I wonder if they meant Saturday evening i.e. the first Mass of Sunday? I’ve heard more than one person refer to that Mass as the Vigil Mass
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The OP said nothing about an obligation. However, you are correct that any mass related to the following day is popularly called a vigil mass, whether it is truly a vigil mass (with its own specific readings) or simply an anticipated mass of Sunday. Per canon law, any mass in the evening before a holy day satisfies the obligation.
 
Does walking out actually work as a protest? I dont think so, to me it suggests immaturity and an inability to handle situations in a discursiver and adult way. Christ is present in the Mass in many different ways, as the Gospel is proclaimed, in the gathered Christian community and in the Eucharist. I wouldnt want to walk out on Christ himself.That being said we are all falible and I have been really angry at an Anglican Eucharist and walked out beacuse I was unable to torlerate feeling upset, so i’d chalk it up to experience and move on. I didnt like the song in the video, nor the actions it is possible to be both modern and dignified, but different people at different stages of life and faith need different things I guess.
 
Well I’m not married or have any kids, but if I did I would have walked out and talked to my kids as to why we left. Then we would go to another mass. I’m not their to see people dancing like there in a moshpit. Thier’s a place and time for that, and mass is not the time for that in my opinion.
Reminds me of this:
Did jesus not say " Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations"? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’" [Mark 11:17].

Maybe to extreme, but thats the way I see it.

God bless

jesus g
 
laszlo said:
My standard says that God shall be worshiped not the human success. I was fortunate, I found a Church where God is in the center, and it is just half our drive from my home.

I endured several times similar music like the Pharaoh-Pharaoh, I prayed the rosary. God exercise for self denial; but there is no reason to be constantly distracted on the Mass. There are reverent Masses, just have to look for them.
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I certainly agree. As a personal note, I wouldn’t have walked out on the mass in question but I would have found a new place of worship for next Sunday. We cannot allow ourselves to be overly distracted from the divine element by the human elements.
 
Yes, I would have walked straight out. I recently walked out of a Mass after a “nun” got up and said, “We are going to begin ‘liturgy’ now,” and proceeded to ring a Buddhist bell to call everyone to silence. I’m not putting up with this nonsense any longer.

If the bishop refuses to hold his priests accountable to the proper disciplines laid out for Holy Mass, then I take it upon myself to avoid/leave those unfortunate situations. As a very holy priest once told me, “Let your feet do your voting.”

The next time I go to confession, after one of those incidents, I mention that I left Mass early. If asked why, I explain I was uncomfortable with the liturgy, homily, etc…

On a positive note, I will say these abuses are becoming the exception, rather than the rule.
 
If you see anything that clearly clearly runs contrary to the teaching of Jesus Christ, or or His Church, of course it is right to leave the Mass immediately.
And if you don’t?
You are tacitly approving of what is going on, whether it be preaching contrary to the Gospel, or an Egyptian song with gyrations.
To sit there out of “reverence” for a Mass that is no longer a Mass is ridiculous.
Reverence for what? Something gone woefully awry?
Your duty is to leave immediately.
 
Fragonard said:
Yes, I would have walked straight out. I recently walked out of a Mass after a “nun” got up and said, “We are going to begin ‘liturgy’ now,” and proceeded to ring a Buddhist bell to call everyone to silence. I’m not putting up with this nonsense any longer.

If the bishop refuses to hold his priests accountable to the proper disciplines laid out for Holy Mass, then I take it upon myself to avoid/leave those unfortunate situations. As a very holy priest once told me, “Let your feet do your voting.”

The next time I go to confession, after one of those incidents, I mention that I left Mass early. If asked why, I explain I was uncomfortable with the liturgy, homily, etc…

On a positive note, I will say these abuses are becoming the exception, rather than the rule.
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I realise that a bell of a certain design may frequently be used in Buddhist ceremonies but one cannot say that a bell is buddhist as such. If its used by a christian for a Christian purpose than I can see nothing wrong with it, it is performing the same purpose as any other bell. You may be thinking of a bowl shaped object that rings and continues to ring for considerable time, it always rminds me of God’s infinity and would seem appropriate but not necessarily familiar in Christian worship.
 
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