[Zviadist]

Just wanted to relay a ghastly experience on this thread. I went to the N.O. church for noon Mass today because it was just a block from my work (my traditional Church is about 30 minutes away). I thought I would pop down there for a little Ash Wednesday thing and hope for the best.

Mistake. I hadn't been to an N.O. "Mass" for a very long time and as soon as I entered I knew it was a mistake. First, I felt like I was entering some kind of rock concert or something. Everyone was chatting as they found their seats. When they got to their seats they continued talking. Laughing, Joking. Out loud. Very loud. Cell phones went off. People chatted. A young boy in front of me had an earring. No one genuflected upon entering the pew. At most there was a half-hearted nod. People were laughing and chattering. I looked up at the barren altar and saw a jug of wine, in a carafe like I was in an Italian restaurant. Then there were several 1960s looking ceramic trays, which I assume were to hold the Body of Christ.

The chatter continued. Someone genuflected to get in to the pew in front of me and the young woman sitting at the end of the pew glared at him and spat "there are plenty of empty seats, why are you trying to sit here!"

Then a horrid cow of a lady grabbed the microphone on the altar and began announcing the Mass as if it were a sporting event. "First we will be singing the blah blah and then we will blah blah, your server this afternoon will be blah blah."

The priest sauntered out and began going on about the meaning of Ash Wednesday. One problem: there was no mention whatsoever of the main point: pennance, self-denial, focus on Christ's death. Instead we were told that "this is a great opportunity to improve our personal relationship with Jesus."

And oh sweet Lord, I have forgotten the banality of the new "Mass." The hollow responses, as the masses bark out "and also with you" "thanks be to God" blah blah blah. It is like some kind of revival meeting.

And the "readings"? Good Lord! Some old dude with long hair slunk up to the podium to read the first reading. Talk about dramatics...Someone looking to break into showbiz? Then the maitre d'host lady waddled up to the microphone to sing out the "responsorial psalm." Something trite and banal.

Finally Father bothered to get up and do something. Reading the Gospel, only to have the crowd call out "praise to you Lord Jesus Christ!!!" as if we are in some kind of baseball stadium. "Batter UP!"

I completely missed the consecration. I wonder whether it even happened. All of a sudden he was thrusting the jug of wine in the air and saying the dreaded "for all men." I did not get a feeling of the moment of consecration and wondered if I had lost my place at Mass. Anyone who has ever been to a real Mass knows exactly what I am talking about: you know when the consecration has taken place. Also you can hear a pin drop. Not even a cell phone, if one can imagine that.

Then came the Vegas-style glad-handing. The roar of "peace be with you" rose above the crowd. I closed my eyes and folded my hands in prayer. I am not at a used car dealership, I am in the Presence of our Lord (or at least am supposed to be). It is not about welcoming my neighbor -- it's all about God.

Then, to my horror, an old dude with grey hair to his shoulders and that lesbian-looking maitre d' lady waddled around to the priest as the priest dug his hand into the chalice and pulled out a handful of hosts. Some spilled all over the altar. He snatched them up in a non-chalant manner as if one had dropped a cookie or something. Then he handed he funky ceramic dishes to the hippie and the maitre d' lady who proceded to pass them out. A few other "extraordinary ministers" held cups of wine. They were singing "taste and see the goodness of the Lord, taste and see." It sounded like an advert for communion: hey, come on up! Taste it and see! This wine is good! When I saw the hippie digging his hands into the platter of hosts I turned and left. It was absolutely DEPRESSING.

My opposition to the new Church became even stronger, if that is possible. Simply put: it is not Catholic. End of story. Thank God my chapel is having Ash Wednesday tonight. What on earth was I thinking!!!

[Desdemona]

Well, I went to Mass at our Cathedral. The archbishop said Mass. It was very crowded.

No women on the altar.

Only priests distributed Communion.

Much of the music was chanted. Only the organ and a cantor was used.

Except for the under 3 year olds and the hard of hearing seniors, all was quiet.

Eucharistic Adoration before and after Mass.

Everyone genuflected. No climbing over pews for the Sign of peace. No holding hands that I could see at the Our Father, either.

Homily on renewing and enriching prayer life this Lent, the Rosary, and on the beauty of Confession.

Maybe you need to shop around for a N.O. church that more suits your tastes.

[marshmallow]

I'm giving up responding to flame bait for the holy season of Lent. Try me again in about 6 weeks.

Rather than trashing each other's Masses, let's focus on responding to the Holy Father's call for prayer and penance to avoid more bloodshed and war in the world, particularly the Middle East.

[ultima ratio]

This is a new religion, it is not Catholicism. It has little in common with the old faith.

[Maximilian]

You can't appreciate the Novus Ordo Mass properly until you can look at it with fresh eyes after having been away for some months. Then all the things that you had somehow learned to tolerate when you still attended appear as truly intolerable as they really are.

Thank God my chapel is having Ash Wednesday tonight.

Unfortunately, we do not have ashes at any traditional church that I know of. We are planning to go to the NO at the parish where we attend the indult. This will be our first NO Mass since last October (which was a funeral).

[Salvation]

Fortunately, God will be the judge of people's hearts, not you.

I truly resent your categorizing all those who attend a Mass that does not meet "your" parameters. It is as if you are slapping your fellow Catholics in the face. And that does not sound like repentance and belief to me.

Were you judging?

[Salvation]

ASH WEDNESDAY

" Dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return."
                                                 Gn. 3:19

Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God. (Joel 2:13)

Reflection.
The liturgical use of ashes originated in the Old Testament times. Ashes symbolized mourning, mortality and penance. In the Book of Esther, Mordecai put on sackcloth and ashes when he heard of the decree of King Ahasuerus to kill all of the Jewish people in the Persian Empire (Esther 4:1). Job repented in sackcloth and ashes (Job 42:6). Prophesying the Babylonian captivity of Jerusalem, Daniel wrote, "I turned to the Lord God, pleading in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes" (Daniel 9:3).
Jesus  made reference to ashes, "If the miracles worked in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, they would have reformed in sackcloth and ashes long ago" (Matthew 11:21).
In the Middle Ages, the priest would bless the dying person with holy water, saying, "Remember that thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return."
The Church adapted the use of ashes to mark the beginning of the penitential season of Lent, when we remember our mortality and mourn for our sins. In our present liturgy for Ash Wednesday, we use ashes made from the burned palm branches distributed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year. The priest blesses the ashes and imposes them on the foreheads of the faithful, making the sign of the cross and saying, "Remember, man you are dust and to dust you shall return," or "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel." As we begin this holy season of Lent in preparation for Easter, we must remember the significance of the ashes we have received: We mourn and do penance for our sins. We again convert our hearts to the Lord, who suffered, died, and rose for our salvation. We renew the promises made at our baptism, when we died to an old life and rose to a new life with Christ. Finally, mindful that the kingdom of this world passes away, we strive to live the kingdom of God now and look forward to its fulfillment in heaven.

Lenten Question
Q: What is Lent?
A: Lent is the forty day period before Easter, excluding Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter Sunday). [This traditional ennumeration does not precisely coincide with the calendar according to the liturgical reform. In order to give special prominence to the Sacred Triduum (Mass of the Lord's Supper, Good Friday, Easter Vigil) the current calendar counts Lent as only from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday, up to the Mass of the Lord's Supper. Even so, Lenten practices are properly maintained up to the Easter Vigil, excluding Sundays, as before.]

Lenten Action.
Invite a non-practicing friend to Mass with you.

Prayer
Almighty and everlasting God, you despise nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent.
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our brokenness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Ash Wednesday is a day of both fasting and abstinence.

[Possenti]

Thanks for the ping.

Sorry to hear about your misadventure, but your recollection of it had me LOL!

The priests at my church warn against anyone having anything to do with the new church. (Although I say "my church", it's not actually correct. My wife, daughter and I are not yet baptized, but are waiting until Holy Saturday, which I understand is the traditional day for new converts. We have covered almost all of the basics in our catechism classes, and we're looking forward to April 19th.)

[AAABEST]

LOL. What a nightmare.

The funny thing is many people reading your post won't understand what your problem is. Even worse many attending won't realize that there even is a problem.

[Salvation]

Our people who decorate the church put up a wonderful new banner that all can see as they enter the church.

"Welcome to the holy silence of Lent"

And it was much quieter today.