Posted on 11/13/2004 12:21:30 AM PST by NYer
You thought it was bad when overweight, middle-aged nuns in leotards gyrated through the church doing liturgical dance. But are you ready for the celebrant doing his imitation of the whirling Dervishes carrying the Book of the Gospels to the ambo? Someone put some lead weights in Father's shoes.
This was part of a church architecture firm's paean to all that is new and modern. Read the language in the description of the "wreck-ovation": The original design's focus "was on the the Tabernacle and the holy places were protected from the people by the Communion railing." It makes it sound like the focus being on the tabernacle is bad thing. ("Of course it was. The focus should be on the celebrant instead!") It also makes the people sound like a ravening mob ready to tear the holy places apart, or at least the facetious tone makes it sound like that was the Church's thinking in the "old" designs.
Poor St. Nicholas Church, stripped of its former glory and turned into a modernist playground. Remind me never to hire Church Building Architects, Inc. for any project I'm involved with.
The priest looked like an old fuddy-dudy who had been coaxed to reluctantly let loose and show his true emotion - clearly something apropriate for group therapy, and inappropriate for the Mass.
Somone should have tackled that priest before he was able to make a complete ass of himself. What a fruitcake...
After ROFL, I watched that clip several times. Notice the number of acolytes - mostly male - lots of incense - even two candle bearers! Each time I watched it, something else stood out. This procession was well rehearsed; each member knew how to move and where to stand. All was synchronized to the music. No, this priest was not coaxed. This was his plan. My former pastor would have approved of this performance.
Clearly, the Catholic Churches are evolving into separate "identities", based on the liturgy they deliver.
Where do you suppose they learn this "two step"? Does Arthur Murray studios now offer liturgical dance?
"Where do you suppose they learn this "two step"? Does Arthur Murray studios now offer liturgical dance?"
I doubt it, but it appears as if OCP does.
The workshop info below is from the ocp.org website.
"Liturgical Dance Made Easy—Really!
Presented with Mark Friedman. Throw away all your old preconceived ideas about liturgical dance. Donna leads participants in a hands-on, easy to learn session on dance in the liturgy with music and storytelling. Move to readings from scripture, “sign” prayers and songs, create ritual movement and sing along to Mark’s newest liturgical music for young people and adults. No prior dance experience is needed. This can be presented in two parts if time allows."
Good grief.
The only place I've seen religion made more a mockery has been in Hollyweird productions.
That would be funny to watch!
ROFL! Were this not so absurdly ridiculous, it would be infuriating. These prelates know perfectly well, that dance is forbidden, but choose to defy church doctrines. Ultimately ... where is the outcry from the bishops? Instead, they remain silent on the matter!
From: OurLadysWarrior web site:
Dance is not allowed whatsoever. The document Dance In The Liturgy contains a full explanation. To summarize:
"[In western culture] dancing is tied with love, with diversion, with profaneness, with unbridling of the senses: such dancing, in general, is not pure."
"For that reason it cannot be introduced into liturgical celebrations of any kind whatever: that would be to inject into the liturgy one of the most desacralized and desacralizing elements; and so it would be equivalent to creating an atmosphere of profaneness which would easily recall to those present and to the participants in the celebration worldly places and situations."
The Bishops have expressly prohibited any and all forms of dancing in the Liturgy.
"The Bishops have expressly prohibited any and all forms of dancing in the Liturgy."
The only thing prohibited is what they want prohibited, things like Latin Masses.
Each bishop is de facto above the law in his own diocese.
Our archbishop is publisher-in-cheif of this outfit whose publications are used in 2/3 of the churches in this country. If he wants to promote liturgical dance in this and other workshops and publications, he will, and no other bishop will dare criticize. What Rome has said makes no difference. Each Lord Bishop is a law unto himself.
Look around the OCP website sometime (but not on a full stomach) you won't believe the absolute crap they are pushing.
"The Bishops have expressly prohibited any and all forms of dancing in the Liturgy."
Somehow, that news never got around to Roger Mahony.
We have liturgical dance all the time here in Los Angeles, especially in the cathedral.
"Somehow, that news never got around to Roger Mahony"
That's OK. He is "in communion with Rome".
Sacrilige is not sacrilige if he says it is OK.
Just wait until the santeria folks start killing chickens and goats in his cathedral.
Preposterous?
Forty, even twenty, years ago would you have believed that we would have the drums and dancers?
Thanks ... I'll pay them a visit during the early hours of the morning, when I need a jolt to wake me up.
My pastor is bi-ritual, Maronite and Latin Rite. Even he is appalled at the lack of reverence in the Western churches. He assists the Diocese of Albany by saying mass during the week, in the priestless parishes, where he consecrates a sufficient number of hosts for their weekend communion services.
Since he knows more or less how many will be attending those services, he knows how many will be left over. Recently, he opened the Tabernacle at one of those churches, only to find the chalice overflowing with hosts. Noticing a janitor on the grounds, he asked him if he had a key to the Tabernacle. The janitor held it up. Father then asked him if he had opened the Tabernacle recently. The janitor smiled broadly and proudly announced that he had replenished the small supply of communion hosts. I believe Father took the key away from him. In yet another church, he had to ask where they had placed the Tabernacle. It was in a closet!
Last week, speaking about the church he is renovating for the Maronite community, he began describing the future Sanctuary. First and foremost, came the placement of the Tabernacle. In the Eastern Catholic Rites, he stated, the Tabernacle, Crucifix, and Book of the Gospels, hold places of honor. They are prominently placed directly behind the altar!
Tomorrow, I will be serving as lector for the first time at this church. Father carefully reviewed the process and how the reading should be conducted. "Take your time!", he said. "There is no rush! Practice reading it at home and place inflection into the reading." It is the lector who then takes the Book of the Gospels from its illuminated niche, raises it high and carries it to the priest, who then processes it to the Ambo. I'm just a tad tempted to ..... nah! not this time ;-D (just kidding).
This is the beauty and magnificence of the Eastern Catholic Rites - awesome respect and reverence throughout the Divine Liturgy.
Not for long. Mahony is sitting on one of the largest sexual abuse lawsuits; it has risen into the billions of dollars. Won't be long before Colwell-Banker erects a For Sale sign in front of the Cathedral. Who would buy it? I full expect the Passionists would be interested. They can then expand their East Cost 'temple' to Los Angeles. Then, whenever Kerry travels cross country, he will feel right at home.
Modernism & humanism appear well entrenched in St. Nicholas Parish as evidenced by thier renovtion, flamboyant pseudo rubric, and participation in the 2000 Call To Action: National Conference -Small Faith Groups: How to Make It Happen
Father had a weeee nip on the bottle for breakfast it seems...
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