What's an EWTN Mass like?

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I should say that if you want an idea of what an EWTN Mass looks like, you can find many photos on my blog of the Mass at my parish (click it in my sig).

One big difference is that the priests who celebrate at my parish use the high wall altar and they face it, rather than the people (it’s called the ad orientem posture, or versus orientem). Some would like us to believe it has been abolished, but it has not. In fact, here is Archbishop Raymond L. Burke celebrating at Assumption Grotto just a few weeks ago in pure solemnity. I’ll put two of the vertical shots here, and you can catch many more at my blog by scrolling and clicking around.

Many ask, so I will say that the altar boys are dressed in white cassocks with red shoulder capes - something only done twice early. During Easter season, the capes are gold. Archbishop Burke is seen in the ad orientem posture. This is the “Novus Ordo” Mass (Mass of Vatican II), not the Tridentine or Old Mass.

It’s not difficult to fathom that God Himself is within that Chalice with such a display of reverence visibly focused on Him.

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Masses like this follow the GIRM and do bowing when rubrics call for it. God is shown elevated to His rightful place, rather than being brought to our level.

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dkoinzan said:
I can only listen to the EWTN Mass on the radio. I have not idea what the chapel looks like. I know that the Music is beautiful. Often times I listen to the homilies after going to my local daily. I have never had a day when I didn’t come away from an EWTN Mass inspired.
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Do you have dialup, cable or broadband? If one of the last two, you should be able to view it right on the internet. Just go to EWTN.com, and in the upper menu bar click Television, and then pick Live TV with one of the options.
 
Lux_et_veritas said:
I

Masses like this follow the GIRM and do bowing when rubrics call for it. God is shown elevated to His rightful place, rather than being brought to our level.
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So…if God thought his rightful place was to be elevated…why in the world did he become one of us and walk next to us?
 
frommi said:
Ding ding ding…we have a winner…

And yet, one still has to wonder why he didn’t ever want to be adored…
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vatican.va/edocs/ENG0821/__P7.HTM

Ecclesia de Eucharistia
Ioannes Paulus PP. II
2003 04 17

THE DIGNITY
OF THE EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION
  1. Reading the account of the institution of the Eucharist in the Synoptic Gospels, we are struck by the simplicity and the “solemnity” with which Jesus, on the evening of the Last Supper, instituted this great sacrament. There is an episode which in some way serves as its prelude: the anointing at Bethany. A woman, whom John identifies as Mary the sister of Lazarus, pours a flask of costly ointment over Jesus’ head, which provokes from the disciples – and from Judas in particular (cf. Mt 26:8; Mk 14:4; Jn 12:4) – an indignant response, as if this act, in light of the needs of the poor, represented an intolerable “waste”. But Jesus’ own reaction is completely different. While in no way detracting from the duty of charity towards the needy, for whom the disciples must always show special care – “the poor you will always have with you” (Mt 26, 11; Mk 14:7; cf. Jn 12:8) – he looks towards his imminent death and burial, and sees this act of anointing as an anticipation of the honour which his body will continue to merit even after his death, indissolubly bound as it is to the mystery of his person.
 
LilyM said:
It is my understanding that any broadcasting from inside a church requires permission :hmmm:

not sure whether it always has to be from the Bishop but assuming that it is the case, he would be allowed to set these sorts of conditions on it. Our Cathedral requires the purchase of permits in order to photograph, for example.
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Lily has it right; the bishop gives the thumbs-up or thumbs-down. In this case, the details of Bishop Foley’s prohibition on broadcasting ad orientem Masses were explained in the bio book on Mother Angelica. Because of that prohibition, the Masses in the EWTN chapel are versus populum, and the beautiful ad orientem Masses at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament are not broadcast.

Looking toward the future, the Birmingham Diocese has been in caretaker status for almost two years now as we await the naming of a new bishop. I, for one, am praying that one of the first acts of the new bishop will be to reverse this arbitrary (IMNSHO) decision.

DaveBj
 
frommi said:
Indeed they could have…

But ‘turning on’ to Christ doesn’t necessairly only happen in EWTNland. It can indeed happen at a more ‘vibrant’ liturgy.
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The Mass, the representation of the sacrifice at Calvary, how vibrant do you want his death to be?
 
CRW said:
The Mass, the representation of the sacrifice at Calvary, how vibrant do you want his death to be?
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Therein lies the great contradiction eh?

“We should glory in the cross”
 
Looking toward the future, the Birmingham Diocese has been in caretaker status for almost two years now as we await the naming of a new bishop. I, for one, am praying that one of the first acts of the new bishop will be to reverse this arbitrary decision.
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I get the feeling that the priests at EWTN are assumed to be steadfast about celebrating the liturgy according to the old rite, and simply abide by the bishop’s decisions which are opposed to their own preference.

I spend a lot of time in Florida at a parish where these priests are no doubt very close to the pastor. Several times I have attended mass there where Fr. Frances, Fr. Pavone, and Fr. Groeschel have celebrated the liturgy … (surprise!) … completely in the vernacular, and versus populum. Unless you watched EWTN, you would never know they were any different. This tells me they highly respected the pastor, and saw nothing wrong with using the normative mass of the people who attend that parish.

When I commented on how many wonderful parishes I have attended that are extremely reverent and orthodox, I had in mind this one, for the pastor is wonderful, as are his parishioners.

My thought is that the new Bishop will take into consideration that the normative Mass is the N.O., and will keep everything status quo for the sake of those who view at home and have become accustomed to watching this beautiful liturgy as it is now.
 
frommi said:
No…not really…

I don’t get worried or nervous about architecture too much. I’m just as comfortable in a cathedral as in an airport chapel.
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frommi, I didn’t get that you wanted a dance hall from yer post ;)what you said made perfect since. I agree with you although I’ve never been in an airport chapel so I have no idea what they are like. I did visit the Catholic hospital chapel when my daughter had to be in there for a week. She suffers from terrible epilepsy. I loved going in there, it was incredible peaceful. Having said that though, I do like a fairly traditional looking Church.

Now for my opinion on EWTN mass, for whatever it’s worth 🙂 I find it to be very reverant but somewhat cold and when they cut to the people they look bored, like they are about to fall asleep and half the time thier barely moving thier mouths with the prayers. I don’t see passion in thier eyes or a remote sign of joy. Now this isn’t to say a person needs to be smiling like Mary Poppins the whole time so please don’t come back with some extreme but come on, most of them look like zombies. The other thing I don’t really like about the Mass is their bells…eek!! horrible sounding! It sounds like bells used when I was kid to release the door to get into the skating rink, ouch on the ears! Maybe it’s the poor sound quality, who knows.

As far as the homilies, there are not bad at all. I’ve enjoyed a few of them very much. I also like the altar servers…they are very impressive.

someone in here commented on the architecture, I don’t really like it either, I’ve seen much better. 🙂
 
Thanks, Lux et Veritas for finally answering the question. 😉 We have a Mass like that at my college with the first Eucharistic Prayer, Consecration said very slowly and significantly, and Sanctus, Agnus Dei, Kyrie sung in simple-tone Latin by everyone, thanks to little song sheets. I like it.
 
The mass broadcast on EWTN is most reverent. The priests never put on a display of their own person while they are saying the prayers of the mass, but some of them, during their homiliy, may reveal something of their own person. The EWTN mass is always offered with dignity. You will never find anything flimsy or casual either in the manner in which mass is offered or in the physical elements that make up the holy place where mass is offered.

Too many priests, especially those who have come out of the seminaries in the 70s and 80s, try to put on a show instead of keeping the mass a holy sacrifice. Many lose their focus on Jesus and forget they stand in his shoes when they enter into the sanctuary. They draw attention to themselves and to the congregation instead of to God, and this turns what is holy into something common–available in any theater or place of amusement. Shame on them!

Ask your priest to watch EWTN and learn what the holy sacrifice of the mass can become when it is offered with dignity and reverence.
 
anamchara said:
Now for my opinion on EWTN mass, for whatever it’s worth 🙂 I find it to be very reverant but somewhat cold and when they cut to the people they look bored, like they are about to fall asleep and half the time thier barely moving thier mouths with the prayers. I don’t see passion in thier eyes or a remote sign of joy. Now this isn’t to say a person needs to be smiling like Mary Poppins the whole time so please don’t come back with some extreme but come on, most of them look like zombies. The other thing I don’t really like about the Mass is their bells…eek!! horrible sounding! It sounds like bells used when I was kid to release the door to get into the skating rink, ouch on the ears! Maybe it’s the poor sound quality, who knows.
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The EWTN Holy Mass is exactly what we have in our parish. People are not smiling or bounding with joy, they are praying and filled with the Glory of God.
Out in our nave and in the hall, joy overflows.

If a Holy Mass is not a party, but rather a sacrifice, I see no reason to think that it is unusual not to see smiling happy faces. We remember what our Lord has done for us then celebrate after.
 
netmil(name removed by moderator) said:
The EWTN Holy Mass is exactly what we have in our parish. People are not smiling or bounding with joy, they are praying and filled with the Glory of God.
Out in our nave and in the hall, joy overflows.

If a Holy Mass is not a party, but rather a sacrifice, I see no reason to think that it is unusual not to see smiling happy faces. We remember what our Lord has done for us then celebrate after.
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As I said in my post, I don’t expect people to be smiling the whole time net that would be a bit creepy. Just looking like they are at least interested or with a bit more passion. When I’m kneeling during the consecration and I hear the bells, at times a nice smile comes to my face and I close my eyes thanking God. I’ve seen this same smile on faces in Mass, I don’t think it means anyone is having a party.

When people are coming up to receive the Precious Blood and I’m serving I’ve notice some have a more serious expression while others are contently smiling.

It’s a prayerful smile, I don’t see anything wrong with that. 🙂
 
anamchara comments on the EWTN Mass:
I find it to be very reverant but somewhat cold and when they cut to the people they look bored, like they are about to fall asleep and half the time thier barely moving thier mouths with the prayers. I don’t see passion in thier eyes or a remote sign of joy.
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Those “bored” looking people may very well be very deep in a meditative state.

One of the greatest divisions I find among Catholics pertaining to the liturgy is on this point. Those who enjoy a solemn and simple liturgy gravitate towards the contemplative dimension of the Mass. Everything in traditional forms of the Novus Ordo and in the Tridentine is geared in this direction, right down to the music (specifically Gregorian Chant and sacred polyphony), to the lack of eye contact between priest and people, and even among the people. Even moreso - the lack of physical contact.

In non-traditional and more contemporary liturgies, where folkbands play, where there is lots of eye and physical contact, a noise factor, and “busy-ness” in a variety of ways, those who enjoy traditional liturgies have great difficulty with their worship. This, I believe, is because they are hindered in entering the meditative and contemplative dimension as a result of what I call, excess stimulii.

Experiencing it the first time at Assumption Grotto was like having filet mignon. It’s hard to go back to anything but.

Here is an AD2000 report further discussing this contemplative dimension and Pope John Paul. The article is based on the previous link I provided, which was the full ad limina address. I woud like to extract two things here. The article is quoting Pope John Paul II:

While “active participation” can include words, song, gestures and service on the part of the worshipping community, this did not “preclude the active passivity of silence, stillness and listening: indeed, it demands it.” The Holy Father continued: “In a culture which neither favours nor fosters meditative quiet, the art of interior listening is learned only with difficulty. Here we see how the liturgy, though it must always be properly inculturated, must also be counter-cultural.”
*
“Conscious participation”* required that the faithful be *“properly instructed in the mysteries of the liturgy, lest the experience of worship degenerate into a form of ritualism.”**“a constant attempt within the liturgy itself to make the implicit explicit.” *This could often lead “to a verbosity and informality which are alien to the Roman rite and end by trivialising the act of worship.” This, one supposes, refers to the practice of some celebrants adding their own comments and explanations to the stipulated wordings of the Mass.

The meaning of “active participation” is also at the heart of the disagreement between many Catholics on just how lively the liturgy should be.

If you were to see me during the Mass, you would probably think I am bored. But, there is no way you can know just “where” I am at any moment of the Mass based on my outward stillness, silence, and meditative state.

I’m also not there to entertain anyone else, nor to focus on anyone else. The Mass is a glimpse of heaven. Believe it or not, should you find yourself beholding the face of God after your body dies, others will be the furthest thing from your thoughts.
 
anamchara said:
As I said in my post, I don’t expect people to be smiling the whole time net that would be a bit creepy. Just looking like they are at least interested or with a bit more passion. When I’m kneeling during the consecration and I hear the bells, at times a nice smile comes to my face and I close my eyes thanking God. I’ve seen this same smile on faces in Mass, I don’t think it means anyone is having a party.

When people are coming up to receive the Precious Blood and I’m serving I’ve notice some have a more serious expression while others are contently smiling.

It’s a prayerful smile, I don’t see anything wrong with that. 🙂
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Do others affect your ability to worship because they are not lively enough?

Why spend even one minute focused on anyone else but Our Lord during the liturgy?
 
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