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Oh, what a circus, Oh what a show! (This should make you feel better about your parish Mass)
CathCon ^ | January 29, 2008 | Gillibrand

Posted on 01/29/2008 9:30:15 AM PST by NYer

The Cathedral of Auch in the Diocèse of Gers hosts what must be the silliest Mass of all time. Not least for the gymnastics that accompanied the reading of the Gospel. All time low point in Catholic liturgy.




Dancing for the Offertory - maybe even the Elevation.

Juggling- dropped the Faith long ago

No comment.
The proper name for the whole charade

A commentary from a priest about the occasion, which does a beautiful job of accidental self-satire.

"What beautiful things were experienced during these three days of preparation for the Mass on television.”

By Father Lavenère, we felt welcomed into a large family composed of about thirty people representing 15 different occupations…

And with a dozen of them, we were very close and collaborators in the work of preparation, rehearsal and also in moments of friendly encounter, unforgettable during the discovery of local gastronomy much appreciated by our friends in Paris! I think that in these three days with us, they enjoyed duck in all its forms! As well as Armagnac much appreciated as a digestif (or as a gargle for the Priest who feared that he would loose his voice and wanted to treat his cold…).

Many told me of their wonder: a cathedral enlightened as never before! Young people of Pop Circus moving about with a lot of grace and solemnity (for which we even earned the praise of the producer of the broadcast of the "Day of the Lord" Brother Arnaud de Coral, who was somewhat stressed at the outset by the idea of integrating "circus" into the liturgy). We all have preconceived notions and the circus is actually just not clowning around… And then with André de Lavenère and Damien Supiot as presiders, there were no worries… The movements of the students from Pop Cicus melted naturally into the action of grace celebrated in the magnificent jewellery box which is our cathedral.

If all the locals have not pressed into the cathedral (+ 500 people in spite of everything), many told me that they followed the Mass on television! It's always impressive to know that we are watched by over one million people! Even some well-known local cafes, broadcast the Mass on their television for their customers, which if we are to believe what the landlords told me, followed the Mass while taking a glass of wine! . In any case, I am not sure that next Sunday at the same time, in the same cafes, there will be broadcast live the "Day of the Lord"…

It is a unique experience to preside over a Mass on television and so rewarding. Everything is superbly well organised and if we feel at the beginning concern at being live, we quickly forget that the cameras are all discrete enough to make room for prayer.

Finally Sunday evening, at the time of the Angelus, a tightrope walker from Marseille climbed the towers of the cathedral on a cable stretched from the Caisse d'Epargne without being attached! The peak was 28 metres high. I had the grace and honour to welcome him at the end of his ascension to the top of the tower, seeing his gratitude to the Good Lord and the Blessed Virgin (He assured me also of his devotion to Notre Dame de la Garde, in good Marseille dialect) and he thanked me for allowing this exercise on this beautiful monument. All the organisers have been very touched by this gesture that cost nothing but a few smiles and three small jokes…

The Good Lord touches hearts as he wants and when he wants. Let him receive all graces and honours since it is to Him that they return before anyone!


TOPICS: Catholic; Worship
KEYWORDS: austria

1 posted on 01/29/2008 9:30:17 AM PST by NYer
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To: Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; nickcarraway; Romulus; ...

Oh my eyes!! In the span of two postings this morning, we have gone from the sublime to the ridiculous, all within the same Holy Catholic Church. How loving and patient is our Lord!


2 posted on 01/29/2008 9:32:21 AM PST by NYer ("Where the bishop is present, there is the Catholic Church" - Ignatius of Antioch)
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To: NYer

It’s a beautiful cathedral, unfortunately these apostates are probably going to either start an accidental fire or destroy it playing their pathetic games.


3 posted on 01/29/2008 9:39:18 AM PST by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: NYer

The Holy Church of Look At Me! Ain’t I Clever!


4 posted on 01/29/2008 9:41:58 AM PST by ClearCase_guy
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To: ClearCase_guy

Stuff and nonsense ... meanwhile, the sane people (in the Parish next to mine) are now offering the Mass according to the “Extraordinary Form” once a month. I’ll be going over there ... once a month.


5 posted on 01/29/2008 9:43:45 AM PST by ArrogantBustard
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To: NYer
One Grecian Ern....trickle, trickle, trickle.

.

Well at least they're at mass /s/

6 posted on 01/29/2008 10:05:04 AM PST by netmilsmom (Financing James Marsden's kid's college fund, 1 ticket, 1 DVD at a time.)
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To: NYer

Ahhh....I haven’t been to a Liturgy of the Large Coloured Spheres since my youth. Those were the days, I tell you. Sometimes the lay ministers would release a few into the congregation and we would bat them around like at a sports event.

Freegards


7 posted on 01/29/2008 10:08:36 AM PST by Ransomed (Son of Ransomed says Keep the Faith!)
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: NYer

What the heck is that??!!!


9 posted on 01/29/2008 10:21:03 AM PST by al_c (Avoid the consequences of erudite vernacular utilized irrespective of necessity)
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To: netmilsmom
Well at least they're at mass /s/

Well at least they're enmass. ;~)

10 posted on 01/29/2008 11:01:40 AM PST by It's me
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To: NYer

The floor of hell is paved with the skulls of rotten bishops.

http://raphaelsociety.org/062903.htm


11 posted on 01/29/2008 11:06:35 AM PST by dsc
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To: NYer

Yikes. Quite a spectacle. All they needed were Cirque de Soleil-esque costumes and makeup to make it more of a spectacle. I guess the ‘joys’ of the clown Mass and the Liturgical dancers is universal.


12 posted on 01/29/2008 3:31:14 PM PST by fortunecookie (Communism/socialism has failed millions, it wasn't right for them - and it isn't right for US.)
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To: Ransomed

ROFLOL! Liturgy of the Large Colored Spheres, lol. We best be careful lest some well meaning clergy read our comments and institute it as a good idea! ;-)


13 posted on 01/29/2008 3:33:38 PM PST by fortunecookie (Communism/socialism has failed millions, it wasn't right for them - and it isn't right for US.)
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To: netmilsmom
Good grief, like cheerleaders or something.

Speaking of Grecian Urns, from one of my favorite musicals...


14 posted on 01/29/2008 3:36:17 PM PST by fortunecookie (Communism/socialism has failed millions, it wasn't right for them - and it isn't right for US.)
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To: NYer

and we (rightly) scorned the “christian” jugglers and clowns at Hospice of The Florida Suncoast during Terri Schiavo’s last days.


15 posted on 01/29/2008 4:33:13 PM PST by the invisib1e hand (what would the founders do?)
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To: fortunecookie

Exactly!


16 posted on 01/29/2008 6:55:48 PM PST by netmilsmom (Financing James Marsden's kid's college fund, 1 ticket, 1 DVD at a time.)
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To: fortunecookie

Check out this thread:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1879883/posts

There is another image of a Mass that involves Large Coloured Spheres, apparently at another church (this time they are in tubes in front of the altar). I actually am beginning to think that coloured spheres might have some wierd symbolism to folks who put on these sorts of Masses...I mean, it is a bit wierd that the coloured sphere industry is getting so much business from the Church.

Freegards


17 posted on 01/30/2008 7:32:46 AM PST by Ransomed (Son of Ransomed says Keep the Faith!)
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