Worst liturgical abuses?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mickey_Jackson
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Mickey_Jackson

Guest
Hey folks:

There’s an old thread on this topic, but it hasn’t been updated in a while, so I thought it’d be interesting to open it up again. What’s the worst liturgical abuse you’ve witnessed in your parish? Are the radical Traditionalists right in saying that such abuses are widespread, or are they exaggerating to make a point?

A word of caution: I don’t want this to be yet another thread where people complain about the Novus Ordo, the Second Vatican Council, the post-conciliar Popes, etc. Rather, I really hope to start a discussion on why abuse seems to be so widespread in the modern era, why the leaders of the Church (even such able and holy leaders as Cardinal Arinze and Pope Benedict XVI) have been unable to stop it, and how we can start to effectively address this problem. Also, please avoid personal attacks and judgemental language; remember that when we talk about how bad other people are, we are really talking about how good we think we are, and that’s never a good thing.

So, with that in mind, here’re some of the whoppers I’ve seen at my parish:
  1. Singer applying makeup in the Sanctuary before Mass
  2. Pianist and singer chatting and laughing during the Consecration
  3. Changing the words of the Agnus Dei: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, Morning Star, King of Kings, Lamb of God, Bread of Life, have mercy on us”
  4. Priest LEAVING THE SANCTUARY and sitting in a pew while the Deacon preaches the homily
Anyone got anything to beat that?
 
My question is what practical steps can we all take to get rid of these abuses? :o
 
The one that I despise is the lector reading announcements from the bulletin (Sunday Mass NO) while the basked is being passed.

It’s like we are taking an intermission.

"We’ll be having our annual singles dance this Saturday. Music will be provided by the Bee Bop All Stars ! Plenty of tickets left. See Joe on your way out the front door after Mass "

Yea buddy, right there in the middle of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. :rolleyes:

One of the many reasons I attend a TLM on Sunday.
 
markadm said:
My question is what practical steps can we all take to get rid of these abuses? :o
Click to expand...
I suppose going to a parish council meeting and asking if any of the members share your concerns. That might be a good first step. One that would take courage as well.
 
I_Believe said:
I suppose going to a parish council meeting and asking if any of the members share your concerns. That might be a good first step. One that would take courage as well.
Click to expand...
Hah! If we ever have them…! Even then it’s never clear that anyone apart from those nominated are allowed to attend.
 
In my parish the Priest brings the children preparing for first Holy Communion up around the altar with him for the Consecration and tells them “now we will bless the bread”. He also announced at the start of Mass one Sunday that all Christians in the different Churches come together on Sunday to do the same thing and that differences were emphasised before but that is not important any more. We are all the same and do the same thing.
During a weekday Mass a couple of days after that Sunday the same Priest in his bidding prayers prayed for “Narrow minded people”. Something I never heard him pray for before. Someone must have complained him!!
 
catherine_m said:
In my parish the Priest brings the children preparing for first Holy Communion up around the altar with him for the Consecration and tells them “now we will bless the bread”. He also announced at the start of Mass one Sunday that all Christians in the different Churches come together on Sunday to do the same thing and that differences were emphasised before but that is not important any more. We are all the same and do the same thing.
Click to expand...
Thank God mine does not do that. If he did, I would have sharp words with him, and if unsuccessful, speak to the Archbishop.
 
markadm said:
Thank God mine does not do that. If he did, I would have sharp words with him, and if unsuccessful, speak to the Archbishop.
Click to expand...
It’s unbelievable isn’t it?!! And this is just typical of many liturgical abuses that happen in alot of parishes week in week out here in “Holy Catholic Ireland”!!!
 
The worst abuse I heard of in my diocese (I was not there - a friend who was related this to me) happened just a few years ago.

At a parish where a very left-leaning nun (sans habit) was basically running the place as a pastoral associate (where she also gave - ahem! - a “homily” once a month - reflection? yeah, right) the following happened on Holy Thursday:

The priest who was in charge administratively could not come to celebrate. So sister calls a retired priest from near my town to come in for Mass. During the per ipsum (the elevation - “through him, with him, in him”) the priest held up a ciborium, a transitional deacon held up the chalice, and the nun (dressed in a white alb), also held up a ciborium! :mad:

In defense of the retired priest - he really could do nothing as he was caught sort of off guard - and it wasn’t “his” parish. 🤷

It was a few weeks later our bishop came to speak with the good sister - and shortly after this incident, she was relieved of her “pastoral associate” duties. 😃

This unfortunate parish had to endure 19 years of two nun “wanna-be-priests” types. 😦

The parish now has a very holy and loyal priest/son of the Church. God is good! 👍
 
I too have also assisted at Masses where the words of the Agnus Dei were changed.

On top of that, I have the following horror stories:
  1. On a vacation, my husband and I went to a parish where NO ONE, except for us, knelt during the Consecration. To top it off, I do not even think we received licit Holy Communion as the texture of the Host was unlike any other I received (very chewy, brown in coloring). The other night while watching Fr. Corapi on EWTN we recalled that Mass as he spoke about parishoners not receiving licit Holy Communion because the bread was made out of extra/other ingredients. So by far, this was my worst experience! Yet, I unfortunately have more.
  2. The celebrating priest changing the words of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, such as saying “Take this, FRIENDS and eat it…” he insisted on injecting the word “friends” throughout the liturgy and during the Sign of Peace, he walked into the pews to high five or wink at the faithful.
  3. Handholding during the Our Father really irks me. The parish nearest my current residence is by far the worst I have witnessed with the entire parish, including the priest, making a circle to hold hands during the Our Father and then walk around to shake hands during the Sign of Peace. It is very annoying and disruptive of the Sacred Liturgy!
  4. Another “modern,” parish (you know, a parish with the most minimal of statues and that has the feeling more of a sports arena or auditorium), I went to for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I could not locate the Tabernacle! I finally asked a parishoner there who was waiting for the Saturday night Vigial Mass and she told me, “Oh it is under the Altar.” I looked at the Altar and saw just a plain wooden structure that had no signs on it to tell you this is where the King of Kings Dwells. I then noticed no one who came in for the Vigil Mass knelt before sitting in the pew and they acted like they were attending a social function, so the majority where gabbing away rather than praying!..I wonder why…you would not think you were in the House of God. You would not know that Jesus Christ was present right before your eyes because He was so hidden. I guess they do not want to make too much fuss…ugh!
 
4. Priest LEAVING THE SANCTUARY and sitting in a pew while the Deacon preaches the homily

Where would you have the Priest sit?
 
Please read ICor 11:17-34. Note the variations in the words of consecration from what we use today. Note also what Paul regarded as “liturgical abuse.” What I’m seeing here looks like nit-picking.

Matthew
 
drafdog said:
Please read ICor 11:17-34. Note the variations in the words of consecration from what we use today. Note also what Paul regarded as “liturgical abuse.” What I’m seeing here looks like nit-picking.

Matthew
Click to expand...
I say handing out illlicit Communion is certainly not nit-picking and St. Paul would surely have a complaint with such an abuse! I mean, at such a parish, the faithful (unknowingly, most likely) are NOT receiving the Real Body of Christ.
 
blessed_wife said:
I say handing out illlicit Communion is certainly not nit-picking and St. Paul would surely have a complaint with such an abuse! I mean, at such a parish, the faithful (unknowingly, most likely) are NOT receiving the Real Body of Christ.
Click to expand...
I thought he/she just meant the chair thing.

The fact that many Catholic no longer believe in the Real Presence is an abuse in itself!
 
blessed_wife said:
I too have also assisted at Masses where the words of the Agnus Dei were changed.

On top of that, I have the following horror stories:
  1. On a vacation, my husband and I went to a parish where NO ONE, except for us, knelt during the Consecration. To top it off, I do not even think we received licit Holy Communion as the texture of the Host was unlike any other I received (very chewy, brown in coloring).
Click to expand...
Perfectly licit, whole wheat homemade altar bread is brown and chewy. I know, I’ve baked it and it contained nothing but water and flour.
 
Mickey_Jackson said:
Hey folks:

There’s an old thread on this topic, but it hasn’t been updated in a while, so I thought it’d be interesting to open it up again. What’s the worst liturgical abuse you’ve witnessed in your parish? Are the radical Traditionalists right in saying that such abuses are widespread, or are they exaggerating to make a point?

So, with that in mind, here’re some of the whoppers I’ve seen at my parish:
  1. Changing the words of the Agnus Dei: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, Morning Star, King of Kings, Lamb of God, Bread of Life, have mercy on us”
Click to expand...
Do you mean a spoken Agnus Dei or a sung one?
I’ve never experienced it in a spoken Agnus but I think a majority of us have experienced Haugen’s “Mass of Creation” Agnus with its tropes. To be fair, even traditional priests like those who answer questions on EWTN’s website don’t agree on this one – I’ve seen different answers .

“Mass of Creation” by Haugen has been included in Catholic hymnals such as the CBW III in Canada and the USCCB has recently approved the use of tropes in the Agnus Dei. I hate it but unless Rome comes out with a document I think it’s here to stay.
 
Among the ones I have witnessed during this past Sunday’s Mass
1/27/08:

This parish revels in the terms, “cutting edge” “progressive.”

Farewell speech given by lay staff member going to another job, tho it was inspirational, in place of homily

Omitting the Creed, which is required on Sundays.
One time when I questioned this after Mass, celebrant said it didn’t invalidate the Mass. (This guy gave 20 minute homilies, altho inspired and entertaining. Strangely, he left his order under a cloud of allegations of undue familiarity with boys. )

Another time a priest explained they didnt want to mass to go on too long. He was not the most thrilling homilist. Could have cut 5 minutes from homily!

Priest not following strict text during Eucharistic Prayer (I don’t think he said anything wrong, but not allowed to do this).

Although this parish is large and thriving, two previous priests have left the priesthood, one of them the pastor. He retired and later married woman who had been parish secretary during his tenure. Other one, very gifted homilist, went back to family’s funeral home.

At another church,

At Mass at which there were several baptisms, pastor decided to subject congregation to reflections on parish finances.
Made no mention of Baptism or Scriptures for the day I can recall,
What impression this made on the families of the baptized children, I dont know!

Priest as Stand Up comedian (sit down!)

I could go on, but basta!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top