Posted on 03/25/2007 12:30:09 PM PDT by Knock3Times
This morning we attended our neighborhood parish. Most Sundays we attend the local Indult Mass or drive some miles to attend Mass at a more traditional Novus Ordo parish.
I will highlight only two practices that make it most unlikely we will ever return.
As we knelt silently praying before Mass, a shrieking voice announced to all: "Please stand and introduce yourself to your neighbors." When some of us did not comply, the voice shrieked again, "Please stand and intriduce yourself to your neighbor."
At that point, I knew this was not going to work.
The next absurdity occurred after the Homily. Here we were al told to stand and extend our arms in a Nazi like salute and to pray over the folks who were becoming Catholics. (I really prayed hard for these folks, but failed to salute.)
Where the heck did this come from?
I really think that my family and our "suburban Catholic" neighbors practice two different religions. I miss almost everything about being able to go to our neighborhood parish - donuts after Mass with neighboirs and friends, bumping into friends after Church, sports teams selling stuff outside Church, walking to Mass on nice days, seeing the paper boy or a kid who caddied for you serving Mass.
But going to one of these modern suburbanite Masses just drives me nuts for the rest of the week. I don't see any of this nonsense changing in the near future.
It breaks my heart.
I go for the Mass and the Eurcharist. I hate to say it but I tune out as much of the "culture" as possible. I read the Bible, say my prayers but the chili supper, and made up stuff like the Nazi salute is unfortunate. Laying on of hands is very cool though.
not that odd...it is meant as a group "laying on of hands" so to speak...it has NO implications of Nazism...
But it has every implication of blending the role of the priest in giving a blessing with the laity.
possibly, but the concept of community, I believe, is the goal here...
That is NOT a Nazi like salute. (sigh) When did people become so dumb?
I am generally with you on the "conservative Novus Ordo"/Indult side of things (actually we have the Anglican Usage here in Houston, so I am quite comfortable there), but I do recall that this ceremony was actually quite moving to me when I was in RCIA a long time ago and went through it.
A friend of mine and I blundered into another such service last Sunday afternoon at Sts. Peter and Paul in San Francisco, and noticed the sheepish look on a couple of folks' faces (and mine, too). But the ten or so all young adults on the receiving end seemed also quite impressed.
In any case, the Nazis just messed up a grand old salute form, coming at least from Roman times. The Christian Martyrs of the Colisseum may in fact have saluted their captors with this very gesture, as it was the common salute of those about to die in the arena (At least it was so for the gladiatorial games, where the participants would cry: "Hail Caesar, we who are about to die salute you."). For a very interesting 19th Century painting of this, see J.L. David's "Oath of the Horatii", available at this site among others (sorry I can't figure out how to paste photos from another site over to here):
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/his/CoreArt/art/neocl_dav_oath.html
Our priest used to encourage this also...I didn't do it either, as I know that "bless-rays" don't shoot outta my hands like a super hero. I think the smoking wreckage that is the Richmond Diocese will take many years to scar over and heal.
"possibly, but the concept of community, I believe, is the goal here..."
Or more likely, the destruction of the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
Just follow Church Liturgical Law.
I saw the same thing when the parish was blessing some blankets and had everybody extend their arms.
Theologically this is quite confusing since it confuses the priestly blessing and a lay blessing. They are not the same thing and these attempts at this so-called solidarity only blurs the line between the ordained priesthood and the priesthood of the faithful.
I wrote about my experience with the blessing "Nazi salute" here.
http://www.splendoroftruth.com/curtjester/archives/007595.php
After witnessing enough of this nonsense in my diocese, I discovered the Maronite Catholic Church. Prayers answered!
Well, they are Germans...
That is not a NAZI salute. It is a extention of the hand to show the congregation is praying for those candidates and catechumens (sp) who are in the RCIA program.
The expression of prayer and blessing shows that they have the support of the whole Church. Since they are joining the Body of Christ it is fitting that they know that the whole congregation is with them as they continue towards the Easter Vigil.
Sometimes I fear we get a bit hypervigalent.
I, too, feel awkward in a crowd of people with upraised right arms, palm down. Apparently, though, this salute has ancient origins and, until recently (historically speaking) was used as the salute to the American flag when reciting the pledge of allegiance. Look up the "Bellamy salute." Bellamy was the author of the pledge of allegiance and prescribed that it be recited with the "right hand lifted, palm downward, to a line with the forehead and close to it." Bellamy, though, was a socialist.
Das ist nicht unser Gott
"A friend of mine and I blundered into another such service last Sunday afternoon at Sts. Peter and Paul in San Francisco,..."
That is such a beautiful church. All those statues and such!
Oh please...
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