Posted on 04/08/2006 3:24:20 PM PDT by NYer
The prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments -- who was recently accused of "attack[ing] the Mass" by the excommunicated head of the Lefebvrist movement -- gave a talk in London last week....
OK, nice talk, very sound... but what of the overlay stole?During a talk in Westminster Cathedral April 1, Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze called on priests to restore tabernacles to central positions in churches and for Catholics to rediscover the tradition of reverent genuflection in the presence of the Eucharist.
He also called for an end to adding details to and subtracting them from the approved rites of the Mass and for an end to soft background music during Mass and other times when people were trying to pray in church.
"This is doubtless well intentioned, but it is a mistake," said the cardinal. "People enter churches to pray, not to be entertained."
The cardinal told about 400 audience members that Mass was the "supreme act of adoration, praise and thanksgiving which humanity can offer God." ....
"A do-it-yourself mentality, an attitude of 'nobody will tell me what to do,' or a defiant sting of 'if you do not like my Mass you can go to another parish' is not only against sound theology and ecclesiology, but also offends against common sense," he said. "Unfortunately, sometimes common sense is not very common, when we see a priest ignoring liturgical rules and installing creativity -- in his case idiosyncrasy -- as the guide to the celebration of the Mass."
Amen to that! On Good Friday last year, some CINOs who now attend an Evangelical Church, decided to join us. While we all prayed in silence awaiting the priest's entrance, these two women carried on a conversation - a loud conversation. They had lost all sense of decorum. If they show up again this year, they'll get an earful from me - with Father's blessing.
I got "liturgical dancers" last Easter. I was out of town and picked the wrong church! I was not very happy.
I like what he said, but could give him a few fashion tips on his choice of mitre in that pic. Yikes.
Ok, I'll bite, what is an overlay stole?
I'll bet that was his mitre for a Pentacost mass.
"While we all prayed in silence"
It bothers me every Sunday, arrive at Mass attempt to pray, and I'm listening to people chattering all around like they are at a cocktail party! drives me batty!
I call it "interlude" music. A few years back the organist was playing interlude music before Mass. One of the hits of the day was "The Impossible Dream"!
Our organist never cuts loose with Louis Vierne until the postlude . . . although if he played him up front, nobody could talk before Mass because they couldn't hear themselves think (which would kind of make it pointless because they couldn't hear themselves pray, either.)
I also thought it was probably for Pentecost, but that it still looked gaudy and just a little too "70's hip" for a Prince of the Church to be wearing.
Oh, yeah, the Altar Nymphs.
Why do they have to fill the mass with noise? I do mean noise. I wouldn't call what we have music. "It's all about me Lord, it's all about me."
Speak with your pastor about this. Sometimes, all it takes is a gentle ..... 'ahem' ..... reminder from the pulpit and some well placed signs.
I would, but he's the one in the back of the church greeting them & telling them where to find the wine & chees!
OMG - flashback to a similar experience at my former RC parish. That occured at one of the Masses and, like you, I was stunned to see the Consecration, set to background music.
Have you ever fasted from music (and noise) the way you'd fast from food? Take a road trip with the radio off?
Lol ... two years ago, I gave up tv and radio (except for EWTN and some classical music) during Lent. Ridding my life of noise opened up more time for prayer and silent conversation with our Lord. It's now become permanent. I get my news off the Internet - AND - I can post my own opinions ;-)
Given the penchant of so many parishioners to indulge in idle chatter before liturgy, a quiet Bach fugue might actually serve to quiet them. Perhaps this desire to have background music is a reflection of a world now filled with inescapable noise. People are no longer accustomed to silence and immediately respond by filling it with music or conversation.
Man of LaMancha? I hate to break it to you, but that was a LOT more than a few years back :^D
I suggest you take a look at the vestments worn during the 17th and 18th centuries. Quite "gaudy" all of them. It was the baroque style. And I will take "Anglican." beats the "hip' garments I saw in the '70s.
Putting the tabernacle behind the altar does help, or did in the German church I was in But, then, Germans don't chatter even in restaurants.
**people chattering all around **
Has your pastor done some educating, letting people know that they are in the presence of Jesus Christ, Himself?
Should get the chattering subdued or stopped.
And people need to be reminded again and again and again and again ad infinitum.
Why don't you have a hospitality ministry of at least four or five persons for each Mass that does the greeting of parishioners as they arrive? (, get out extra chairs if needed, take up the collection, bring up the gifts, hand out the bulletins after Mass, etc.)
Ask your pastor if you could help form one.
Let's roll!
I like that mitre actually.
Actually, I know some clerics who have, and use vestments from that period. The ones I have seen are from France. They are gorgeous, not gaudy. They are quite ornate, and have a lot of embellishment on them..Also, they weigh a ton.
In my parish, it had devolved to 'lounge music', ala Bill Murray in some cheesy SNL lounge act skit, meant to make us laugh!, or some seedy, off the beaten track Vegas bar (I've never been to Vegas, relying on TV recreations). It is rambling, clangy, and mostly features non-religious musical choices. Our temporary pastor has banned them from playing 'that kind' of music as the after Eucharist meditation - so they quit in protest! For now at least. That same kind of defiant behavior the Cardinal spoke of. They also had permission to sing on the altar, which newer pastors had never challenged, and the girls in the group were known for their 'sleazy' outfits. I think Cardinal Arinze really nailed it. And our temporary pastor is on board, too.
May the temporary pastor be made permanent!!
Our temporary pastor has banned them from playing 'that kind' of music as the after Eucharist meditation - so they quit in protest!
Which only supports Cardinal Arinze's contention that it's "all about me". It's not about the choir; it's about reverence and devotion to our Lord, Jesus Christ.
If this 'temporary' pastor is not made 'permanent', and replaced with one who reinstates the protesters, you may want to look around for a different parish.
'Signing' is big locally. Not for the hearing impaired, but put to music (usually pre-recorded) as entertainment for all to enjoy. Liturgical dance was tried. And tried again. Luckily, it fell flat with locals, pun intended.
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