Liturgical Education. We are in much need of it, I’m afraid. I try to frequent parishes where I know I can pray, where my soul can “rest” awhile. I’ll confess, I like solemnity because this takes me to God and tends to help me to be able to participate well in the Mass. Unfortunately last Sunday circumstances didn’t permit me to get to one of these masses so I ventured along to one inner city mass Sunday evening. While I was happy to see a nun (obviously with some pastoral role in the church) so enthusiastic about a few people being received into the Church this Easter, I wasn’t too happy that it had to happen right before the liturgy of the Eucharist. It almost felt like a bit of a concert or a school assembly or something – the clapping, the cheesy Marty Haugen hymns.. Need I say more. I don’t say this to be critical or uncharitable (the levels of liturgical formation vary across the board) and my point isn’t to stimulate yet another debate about liturgical practices and norms. I do, however, what to draw your attention to a question that popped into my mind while I was attending that Mass. I think they are connected…
Do we as Catholics really understand the meaning of festival and having a good time? Looking at all the ‘extras’ in that particular Mass, I would have to say ‘nope, we don’t’. “Community” is not the primary reason we are at Mass but it really seemed to just take over in this instance. I don’t know if you know what I mean but it almost felt like they were trying to force me to be friends with the person next to me when all I really wanted to do was spend some time with God (I’m a socialite but not mid-Mass).
On the other hand, I recalled that at the same time it was Laetare Sunday. A couple of weeks ago, one of my friends who spent several months in a religious order over the Lenten and Easter period explained how laetare Sunday was a massive celebration as it was a reminder to the Church that Our Lord had already achieved all the graces necessary for our salvation (almost as big as Easter in the convent, apparently). This was the first I’d heard about it and I was so excited that I resolved to hold some type of dinner party for my friends as a way of joining the Church in her festival . My dinner party idea unfortunately didn’t quite make it (due to other types of feasting!) but I couldn’t help but think that this would be a wonderful occasion to celebrate as a parish/family/social group after Mass or earlier in the day.
I think I’ll go back to my usually Sunday morning haunt from now on – the Carmelite Monastery – special mention to the young lad who plays the organ and sings there most Sundays – now, he’s a keeper, if I do say so myself 
“Community” is not the primary reason we are at Mass
On the contrary, as Vatican II taught, Jesus is really present in the community. That’s what it really means to be the “son of man” (son of humanity; in the semitic sense: the personification of humanity).
The community and Jesus are actually inseparable. When you get one you always get the other.
trying to force me to be friends with the person next to me when all I really wanted to do was spend some time with God
Hmmmm…. If one sees the communal celebration of the Eucharist as in any way opposed to spending time with God then I think one has a rather lopsided and unbalanced spirituality.
The Eucharist has always been seen as a communal celebration – the last supper wasn’t just a one on one private time with God ! If you want that, then you want private prayer.
The pastoral reality is that Mass is also the time when all the community gathers together so it’s natural that we would do the things the pertain to he whole community being together at that time (could be before or after Mass though).
God Bless
Chris,
Note the use of the words PRIMARY and FORCE. I have no problem with the communal aspect of the mass, in fact I love it – when its ordered towards God.
It’s more the forced (and rather unnatural elements) that I cringe at.
Surprise, suprise – your reading of Vatican II is very different to mine.
God Bless
A zookeeper?
Just for the record, ‘private’ Masses (i.e. one without the people) may still be offered.
I also love the communal nature of the Mass. It makes me happy to look around at my friends and family (or, if I’m away from home – at a group of total strangers) and know that these are my people; my brothers and sisters in Christ. And I love hearing all the news of the community – in the newsletter, or when one person after another gets up at the end of the Mass, or at a cup of tea after Mass.
What I don’t like is having the rhythm and intensity of the Mass broken to sing happy birthday to the Priest, or to thank Mary for the wonderful flowers for last week’s wedding etc etc etc. As Chris says, at the beginning or the end of the Mass, great. But not just before the Eucharist, people! That’s your living Lord right there on the altar! Let’s worship together before we kibbutz!
Yes, community is important. But communities being reverent together is important too.
It’s about priorities. The first commandment comes before the second. The physical presence of God and presenting a mass with the reverence it deserves come before pastoral or community needs which are important but secondary. Ideally the former feeds into the latter.
I agree with Chris, before and after Mass for community but this socialising, both before and after, should be done outside the church itself surely and not in the pews where so many are prayerfully preparing to receive our Blessed Lord and afterwards talking one to one with their God while He is with each and every communicant …. on Sunday mornings at the 8.30 Mass it feels more like being in a picture theatre as we wait for the film to start and then after , as soon as Father has left , up and at it standing in groups talking and laughing about any and everything.
I commented to some about this and was told not to be so ” pre-Vatican ” I am not sure if this happens in many churches or not?
Our weekday masses are so very different.
Shalom
good morning friends
bamac, i have experienced similar things at Mass. the one that is most disconcerting to me is the spontaneous clapping that often breaks out at the end of the Mass, applauding the music group, and everybody else who have “done things” during the Mass
it shows forth that people think of the sunday Masss as a show, a form of entertainment, like you have said
we need some very good teaching on the liturgy
once you’re a deacon chris, maybe you could teach and preach from cdl. ratzinger’s book, ’spirit of the liturgy’ ??
Chris,
Yes PLEASE do this when you are a deacon …. it would bring back so much reverence for God in whose house we are when we are in church …. it would mean a lot to numbers of us.
Shalom
Thank you Chris for the Vatican site
Dave,
Send me a copy of the book and I’ll read it.
God Bless
Dave,
Thank you for mentioning the book ” spirit of the liturgy ” Haven’t read it but have read a worthwhile review of it at : http://www.rtforum.org/lt/lt92.html
Apologies for not knowing how to make the site get-to-able from BF…. am computer illiterate i fear.
Shalom
bamac,
Thanks for posting Fr Harrison’s review of the Ratzinger book.
My first reaction is to note that the author Brian W. Harrison was, if I recall correctly, the one responsible for an appaling theological “defence” of torture also published in “Living Tradition: Organ Of The Roman Theological Forum”. Hmmmm.
I have read some Romano Guardini who writes well on the liturgy.
Ratzinger makes a good point about Jewish temple sacrifice and synagogue worship after the destruction of the temple. The synagogue service was never originally intended to replace temple sacrifice.
I disagree with the critique of priest facing people (much more in line with last supper) although I think ad orientum has its merits.
I diagree with Ratzinger that applause always implies entertainment. I think it usually just implies gratitude. I do agree it is inappropriat ein luturgy. In our parish we’re eliminating applause of the choir by means of an overhead projector statement of why applause is inappropriate. We do this before and after mass (the time when the choir is usually applauded).
I agree with the merits of traditional music but the quote of Ratzinger against rock as “the expression of elemental passions, and at rock festivals it assumes a cultic character” seems rather extreme and bizzare and the expression of someone many generations removed from the youth culture of today. Didn’t they use rock at WYD ?
I agree with Fr Harrison on the appropriateness of suitable liturgical dance:
Liturgical dance was very effectively used in the Holy Father’s Sydney WYD liturgy.
God Bless
Chris disagrees with Ratzinger…why am I not surprised
“Liturgical dance was very effectively used in the Holy Father’s Sydney WYD litturgy” haha
A direct quote from a non Catholic friend after watching the dance: “what the hell was that?”
My reply: “Don’t know”
Now I could have gone on to explain the reasonings behind what the organisers were trying to portray however I couldn’t bring myself to do this. Why? because I clearly saw it not working. I agree that the liturgy is the time that our Blessed Lord humbles himself by coming down to our level through Bread and Wine in order to raise us up. It is a time for prayer, a time to invite our Blessed Lord into our hearts, a time to raise our souls from this world to heaven, and dancing unfortunately (at least from what I have seen on the Catholic front) does not do this. Perhaps we could acquire the dancers from the Royal NZ Ballet academy…. So if I could say, Chris (as you yourself said this)I humbly disagree.
In the hope of rising again
CS
Too many “I’s” think and not enough listening to The Church and it’s history and wisdom. Sullivan and his church of latter day christiokabblahlamism
One of the things I loved about “Spirit of the Liturgy” was that the Holy Father explained the symbolism of the ritual. I love the idea of having Mass at dawn and have the priest and the people face the rising sun symbolising Christ rising from the East in the second coming. (pages 68-69) Son/sun, Light of the world/light, the life-giving nature of the Son/sun – it’s beautiful.
I would love to see a church facing East with huge multi-coloured windows over the altar, crucifix and tabernacle and when the son rose the dappled light would fall over everyone as a Heavenly gift – the sun rising over the altar heralding a new day, bells pealing out at the Consecration and sweet incense billowing over the altar. All our senses drawn into the Mystery of the Eucharist and our earthly thoughts lifted into transcendence.
Sounds close to the final Mass at Hearts Aflame this year.