Posted on 03/10/2005 11:32:24 AM PST by Mershon
Today's Homily
Some of the Catholic blogs that are written by priests and seminarians post the homilies they give every week. Well, I'm not a homily giver; I'm a homily receiver, and I often receive the homily in a state of partial somnolence. "Homily" is the Catholic term for "sermon," by the way, in case you didn't know.
Anyway, today the priest was droning on about us being blind to the truth until Jesus opens our eyes, like He did to the guy in the Gospel, and, frankly, that priest was closing my eyes. All of a sudden, one of the deacons jumps up and says something like, excuse me, but I think you're missing the point of this Gospel reading.
Whoa! That definitely woke my ass up. I had never seen anything like that before. I mean, I've wanted to do exactly the same thing many times, but I had never seen that happen. It was obviously something they had planned, but they exchanged good-natured insults that were funny as hell. Finally, the priest said, "If you think you can do a better job, then take over," and the deacon did. And it was good. Very good. He and the priest sparred back and forth several times during the remainder of the homily, and they played off each other extremely well. The deacon is a pretty young Hispanic guy, and the priest is probably in his mid to late 40's. They kept me awake, and I think I got something out of that homily.
At the end of the homily, the deacon said he wanted to play the guitar and sing for us. The priest said something like, "Yeah, right." The deacon pulled out a guitar from behind the altar, and that man could sing.
The couple right in front of me were visitors from Connecticut, and I could tell they were delighted by what was going on. Then the man's neck started bleeding where he had sliced open a pimple or something when he shaved this morning. His wife noticed it, and I got to watch the little drama of her trying to stop the bleeding with a Kleenex before the blood got on his shirt collar. It was all quite interesting.
James Joyce supposedly once defined the Catholic Church as "here comes everybody." I'd extend that definition to "here comes everybody and everything."
ED
Diocese of Richmond
St. Matthew's Parish
Fr. Jim Something-or-Other, (Better known as "Fr. Bubbles." He was a visiting priest--our pastor usually gives very good homilies.)
The homily had nothing to do with the readings, as far as I could tell. It was all a setup for Fr. Bubbles to perform his pet gimmick--blowing bubbles. He does this in every single homily he gives; blows bubbles, makes a 'clever' quip, laughs at his own joke, etc. Oh, and he also made a nonsensical comment about the bubble wand being a "liturgically correct" one, which leads me to believe that he knows good and well what he's doing is not right, and just doesn't care. Oh, and then during the Consecration, some woman accidentally sang out a response and, with the Host in his hands, he made a joke!
Altogether horrifying, basically.
8pm Fordham Mass at St. Paul's on 60th and 9th Avenue, Manhattan.
The homily dealt entirely with the first reading - how God sees us one way and has plans for us that we don't see.
The excitement came afterwards, triggered by the responsorial prayer. And one of the last is of them was, "In contribution of women and the evolving role of women in the Church."
They do that every time there's a PC designated month. Last month, it was "in contribution of the role of African Americans." But they didn't mention anything about "evolving" the role of African Americans, because it would be nonsense.
I've had it with this sort of thing. And as soon as they said that, I immediately knew who threw that line in there: not the priest, but the Director of Campus Ministry, an old woman who has her claws in everything. It meshed with what others here had discussed on various threads about how their churches went sour. How it usually it wasn't the priest at fault, but the laypeople who try to meddle with the nature of the church to change it to their liking. And leftists are meddlers, because a normal Catholic has no need to change anything.
So after mass, they have the table in the back set up with juice and cookies. Normally, I walk right out, because I don't know anyone and they're all students anyway. But I'd had it. This was enough. I don't care if they keep saying this crap, but I'd tell them what was on my mind. So I walk up to the Director of Campus Ministry, take a cup of lemonade, smile very broadly, and I ask her:
"What is the evolving role of women in the Church?"
"Oh, to listen more to women, to appreciate their contributions, and we'll see from there."
"To listen more to women?"
"Yes."
"Oh, ok, because listening to women is fine. But what do you mean 'we'll see from there?""
"Well, you know, just to see where things go."
"Where are they going?"
-silence-
"Are you talking about women priests?"
"We'll see."
"Because," I say, "I wouldn't want to be praying a heresy."
*she looks at me like I'm speaking greek* "A heresy??"
"Yes, I wouldn't want to be praying for the ordination of women as priests. It's a heresy."
"Heresy...." (she's stuttering the word)
"Exactly. If I wanted that, I could go join the Anglicans."
"The Anglicans!?"
"Yeah, them. They've got plenty of women priests."
I swear, it's like she's never been called on that crap before. Well, I called her on it, finally. She looked like a deer in headlights. I don't think I was too harsh with her, but then again, I'm not sure if I care. Quite frankly, the day the feminists take over a Church is the day that Church is dead, and the membership leaves. Every old, decrepit Church is full of old women. Every vigorous, growing Church is full of men: single men, or with their girlfriends, or young married men with their wives and kids. The Feminists are a cancer on the Church and I'm not going to let this woman get away with her smarmy "evolving role of women" crap.
Mary of the Immaculate Conception
Rockville, MN
Visiting, retired priest
By the time Mass was over this weekend I didn't feel that I had attended the Eucharistic banquet, but rather felt that I had been attacked.
The visiting priest celebrated the Mass with a cavalier, casual manner that bordered on irreverent. After the opening song, he bellowed out toward the choir loft, "Can't you play any faster than that?"
When he started his homily he chided someone for looking at their watch. Apparently the night before he had gone long on his homily.
His homily was what he admitted would be a "zinger." He went through the Scripture readings, explaining that the "Jews" referred to in the Gospel reading referred not to the Pharisees, but to those who were "stuck in their ways and refused to change."
At one point during his homily, he referred to Galileo and the mistake the Church made in condemning him, and how long it had taken for the Church to admit its mistake and apologize.
The "zinger" was when he said, "No matter whether you're young or old, married or single, imagine that you've been given some new bit of information. Imagine that you learn that you are gay. What prejudices would you have to contend with in yourself, your family, your Church?"
He compared being gay to the man born blind. He said that the Church has said that it realizes that people do not choose to be gay, and drawing a parallel to Galileo, he wondered whether 400 years from now the Church would admit to a mistake in its teaching.
There was absolutely no mention of the Church's actual teaching on homosexuality, and neither was there an explanation of the difference between the tendency toward same-sex attraction and the sin of homosexual behavior. There was no attempt made to teach the truth. The message given was the same message we're confronted with daily from the mainstream media at large. I thought the Church was supposed to be counter-cultural.
In my 10 years as a Catholic, it was the single worst homily I have ever heard. I couldn't believe I was hearing it in a Catholic Church.
The Mass proceeded, with the priest continuing his casual manner. He would frequently interrupt the flow of the Mass for brief comments.
Rather than saying, "exchange the sign of peace," he said "Let's move it on up."
When he was cleaning the vessels, instead of saying "let's be seated", he motioned his hands as if to say, "Sit down! Sit down!" and then said, "You can sit while I'm cleaning the dishes. That's what I'm doing, cleaning the dishes." He had a rather condescending attitude toward the parishioners.
The prayers of the faithful had a couple of surprises as well. One of the prayers was for "those who had been unjustly persecuted for challenging the authority of the Church." Another was for "faithful dissenters." Isn't that an oxymoron?
At the end of Mass he told the parish, "I travel around to a lot of different parishes. You're doing okay. We'll see how you think I'm doing if I get run over as you're leaving Church." It was as if he was somehow judging the parish.
When Mass was over I felt the need to attend Mass all over again.
5:30 p.m. Vigil, Sat., Archd. of Phila., Suburbs
Not the parish to which I'm registered--just moved and am exploring the local parishes. My boyfriend Joe attended with me; he likes exploring different parishes so we can have a little critique afterwards. He recalled that my roommate usually goes to this Mass and she had said they're "pretty laid back" there. When we got out of Mass, Joe said, "Start driving"--meaning he didn't want to critique the parish on their grounds.
My first comment was, "Well, we were cheated out of a homily!" Apparently this parish has a tradition of selecting a charitable group who benefits from their Poor Box for a set amount of months. They were at the point of selection for the next round and in place of the homily a woman from the organization next benefiting came up and spoke about the org and how they used the proceeds from the time before. Not sure why they didn't take a little time either after a shortened homily or after the Liturgy of the Eucharist/before the final blessing. Joe took it a bit further in his opinion, "A woman gave the homily." If I had thought of it that way I would've been steamed. He also noticed there were no rose vestments for Latare Sunday. Bummer. Music was mediocre (suggestion for cantors, because I am one: please highlight or note your music so you don't lose your place--those music printers always squish the music together and it's hard to follow!) and included "Amazing Grace" (God didn't make us wretches!) at offertory, some sing-songy Haugen thing about "flesh and bone" at Communion, and then after Communion, some bland and almost profane "Peace Song" about bluebirds and oceans and how people in other nations long for their hearts to be free too. Which of course means the recessional HAS to be "Let There Be Peace on Earth."
Joe also noticed the celebrant was sneaking inclusive language at the Liturgy of the Eucharist. I heard "protect us from unreasonable anxieties"--that's a new one. Thanks, everyone, for sharing what you saw and heard; it's a nice supplement to what I got :)
I had to go to Sat. vigil and I needed a 5:00, which meant I had to find one (most here are 5:30). So I picked Resurrection in Rye, NY, (which is next door to Rye Presbyterian, where Geo and Barbara Bush got married, for pointless trivia, but gives a clue as to the wealth of the locals). I chose that church based on the one thing I knew about it: it's absolutely beautiful. Neo-Gothic, stone, gothic tracery, side alters with beautiful statuary and artwork, etc. It's reverence for the eyes. And that was the only thing good about it. I don't know who the priest was, but he let an older priest (msgr?) give the homily, which went something like this: We are a family here at Resurrection. If the pews could talk, they wouldn't say oooh, look at that celebrity or look at that prominent person. They would talk about how we are a family. And this is our house. It belongs to us. We need to take care of it. The stained-glass windows need cleaning and fixing. God forbid one of the children (they have an elementary school) would get hurt by falling stones, we need to fix the masonry. So we're starting a 5 million dollar campaign, of which I already have 38 people who have contributed 1.7 million. Thanks.
And then the priest invited up the parents and children who were going to receive 1st Holy Communion in the next few weeks, to gather around the alter. And no one genuflected, bowed or even paid attention to the front-n-center tabernacle. And then the priest told us to clap for them and I reminded my children never to clap in church. I wonder if the priest saw this because then he said, "And remember, Jesus ate with the sinners and invited them all in - he wanted the children to come to him" Yeah, but not in the Holy of Holys, faddah. Well, at least he managed to mention Jesus.
When we got out, my children were appalled and my wide-eyed innocent 10 yr old son earnestly said, "Yknow mom, that was so bad, you could sue them."
St Boniface, Bay City MI
Fr. Dale (?)
Gloom, despair, and agony on me! I never have high hopes when I visit the folks, and as I'm without a car right now I took a ride with them to Mass. It WAS Mass. It WAS. But it's not what I'm used to, that's for sure.
No opening hymn, just silence after the applause for the organ solo 5 minutes before Mass started. Couldn't hear much because everyone was talking in the pews.
When I walked in, I had to bend in half to bless myself with holy water. (immersion font on the floor with jets, even!)
Violet vestments.
2 different lectors, Shepherd Me, O God instead of the Psalm, and then, the best part of the Mass.
Father gestured to have everyone sit down right after they stood for the Gospel. "Because the reading is really long today, and I'm going to read it a few parts at a time while I give the homily."
Did you know we can be blind, too? Especially when we are like those people he mentioned in the litany of the polarization in this culture. He had a short list of those things that separate us - like conservative v. liberal, anti-abortion or for abortion, etc. Maybe I was just too sensitive but it seemed to me that to be a faithful Catholic, you're like the Pharisees. Or worse.
The Eucharistic Prayer is one that they've used for years in that diocese and I only recognize it from there - no one uses it anywhere else on a Sunday no matter where I have been - but at least the words of consecration were absolutely correct for the first time in many, many Sundays.
Overall, ouch. I think most of those people in Saginaw don't know how blessed they are to have Bishop Carlson, that's for sure. It'll be fun to watch the changes as time goes by.
Thanks for helping me appreciate the orthodox priests at my parish
Wow... I can't imagine my reaction to what you've been enduring.
Regards
These are actually posts from all around the country. This sort of stuff does not happen at parishes run by Traditional Latin Mass where it is offered regularly.
I just sent a donation to the FSSP Seminarians Fund with a Mass request "For an end to the Modernist Heresy afflicting our Church."
Maybe we should start prayerful protests outside these churches you mention, just like we protest abortion clinics. Just a thought. I asked on a previous post what kind of active, fighting the Modernists actions we can do but it did not generate a list of ideas that I hoped for. All I know is I am tired of not doing anything visual to combat this crap. What say you?
No. Homeschool your children.
No. 2 Join Una Voce and get likeminded Catholics to request the Traditional Latin Mass weekly at a convenient time and place.
No. 3 Pray for reparation, offer rosaries and Masses and communion novenas for these intentions.
No. 4 Abandon the Novus Ordo churches where these abuses take place. Find a regular Traditional Latin Mass to attend or an Eastern-rite Catholic divine liturgy.
No. 5 Subscribe to Latin Mass magazine. Inform your friends and relatives of the apostasy, gently and slowly, and be ready for their denial.
No. 6 Starve the Novus Ordo establishment by not giving one nickel to the Dioceses or parishes where this sort of nonsenes is tolerated.
No. 7 Associate with likeminded Catholics.
No. 8 Recognize most of the Catholics who attend the SSPX Mass centers as friends and allies, not enemies. They are really on our side.
No. 9 Support the FSSP.
No. 10 Support the ICKSP.
No. 11 Find Novus Ordo clergy sympathetic to the cause of orthodoxy and liturgical sanity and let them know you have a group of Catholics who are with them.
No. 12 Pray vigils around the bishop's residence with other likeminded Catholics--especially if you live in Hubbard's, Mahony's, Lynch's, Brown's, etc. etc. diocese.
No. 13 Support Christendom College and Thomas Aquinas College. Befriend high school and college age young men discerning vocations to the priesthood and guide them toward Tradition.
This is a start.
These shenanigans are very similar to what goes on in my area. I've actually seen worse than what is described in some of these stories.
Thank God for the Society of St. Pius X.
With the exception of #2, #5, and #12, I do all these things. Our child (and future children) are not old enough, but we're with you on #1 big time.
But I'm thinking more along the lines of forming lay groups who will be very vocal at the local and national level. Kinda like a "traditionalist VOTF" except we're legit.
Bravo to your #13
Is this your diocese?
This is rich!! I especially enjoyed the exchange with the Campus Minister. Great post!
No. 2 then. Get on board with them. Get on the leaders list. Network with Una Voce. They are the ones leading the indults in the U.S. Also, very ecumenical to the SSPX position, but they attempt to work within the hierarchy of the Church.
There is no need for more groups. There is need for traditionalist Catholics to unite without fighting all the time; but good luck!
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