Pass This Along To Your Teen Mass Coordinators, and Tell Them To "Grow UP"

Have the Teen Masses in Your Parish Devolved Into Abominable Shrieking, Howling, Rocking and Rolling? Pass This Along To Your Teen Mass Coordinators, and Tell Them To "Grow UP" 12/18/2003 9:24:00 PM By Karl Maurer - CCI News

CCI NOTES: We get lots of letters at CCI, and a surprising number are from parents who have gotten up and walked out of so-called Teen Masses. I'd normally quote them, but all the letters are the same. The barely recognizable "Mass" is overwhelmed by bad music, usually rock, always loud, and lacking just about all dignity and reverance. Below are three articles - two from the Pope and one from from Peoria's Bishop Jenky - to be printed out and brought to yoru Teen Mass coordinator.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Marking the 40th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's document on the liturgy, Pope John Paul II said the one ingredient too often missing from the modern Mass is silence, reverence and a sense of mystery. "An aspect which must be cultivated with greater commitment in our communities is the experience of silence," he said in a Dec. 4 apostolic letter marking the anniversary of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. "The liturgy, among its various moments and signs, cannot ignore that of silence," he said in the letter released during a Vatican conference marking the anniversary. "In a society that lives in an increasingly frenetic manner, often dazed by noise and scattered by the transient, rediscovering the value of silence is vital," the pope wrote in the document, which was distributed in Italian to participants at the conference, sponsored by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. "An aspect which must be cultivated with greater commitment in our communities is the experience of silence." A lack of respect for the norms, and not the reform itslef, has led to some "serious abuses" that cast a shadow over the mystery being celebrated and that cuase concern and tensions among Catholics, he said. In a separate document published Dec. 3, John Paul II said that while Gregorian chant and pipe organs hold pride of place in Catholic liturgical music, the use of new compsitions and other instruments are appropriate only if they reflect the sacredness of the occasion and help people pray. The music used at Mass must be sacred music, based on sacred tests, he said.

PEORIA, Ill. (CNS) -- Reverence during Mass, expressed in words, gestures, music and surroundings, inspires reverence for all of the Catholic faith and ultimately for God himself, Bishop Daniel R. Jenky of Peoria said in a new pastoral letter. "If I had to explain the renewal of the Mass in just one sentence, I would ask everyone to show greater reverence for the mysteries we celebrate," Bishop Jenky said in "One Body, One Spirit in Christ," a pastoral letter issued Nov. 30, the first Sunday of Advent. The 6,000-word document on the liturgy explains and expands upon the new General Instruction of the Roman Missal, which took effect in all U.S. dioceses on that day. "Of all the changes in the new edition of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, I am impressed by the number of times the document speaks of reverence," the bishop said.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- While Gregorian chant and pipe organs hold pride of place in Catholic liturgical music, the use of new compositions and other instruments are appropriate at Mass if they reflect the sacredness of the occasion and help people pray, Pope John Paul II said. "To the degree that they help the prayer of the church," other instruments and musical styles "can be a precious enrichment" of the liturgy, the pope said in a Dec. 3 document on sacred music. The document, released only in Italian, marked the 100th anniversary of a document on the same theme written by Pope Pius X. While many modern liturgical songs use styles and instruments "not lacking in dignity," Pope John Paul said, "one must ensure that the instruments are appropriate for sacred use, suited to the dignity of the temple, are able to support the faithful's singing and promote their edification."

The local Life Teen Mass.
Michael Inman
April 22, 2001

"Lord, protect us always; preserve us from this generation."
~Psalm 12:8 (NAB)
In 1985, Fr. Dale Fushek of St. Timothy's Catholic Church in Mesa, Arizona, concerned that teens were unsatisfied with the Catholic Church and leaving the Faith, started the current liturgical abomination known as the LifeTeen Mass in an effort to appeal to young people. What sets this liturgy apart from the rest is the sort of pentecostal charismatic atmosphere (very vocal, a lot of hands in the air, clapping, hand-holding, etc.), music which is mostly unrecognizable as being Catholic, and the gathering of all the youths around the altar in a big circle during the Eucharistic liturgy.
Recently, LifeTeen has landed in Paducah on Sunday nights at a little downtown parish called Rosary Chapel. A fitting locale, since this parish is known for its liturgical dancers. Attendance is definitely not limited to Rosary Chapel parishioners, however. Most of the people present seem to be from St. Francis de Sales a few blocks away.

This weekend I decided to go experience the LifeTeen Mass for myself and see if this one lived up to expectations. In some ways it did. A few things surprised me but, as a whole, I left feeling very sad; for the priest/celebrant and the enthusiastic participants of this liturgy which included young and (surprisingly?) old alike. A few "seasoned citizens" were there swaying back and forth with hands raised right along with everybody else.

I hadn't been to a Sunday evening Mass at Rosary Chapel since the LifeTeen Masses began. There were a lot more cars there this Sunday evening than I had ever seen before. Walking in the door I was handed a sheet of paper with music lyrics on it. The nave has been carpeted since I was there last as well as a new sound system installed. The tabernacle is mounted on a front wall in the nave to the left of the sanctuary. Behind the altar used to be some bare plywood risers where the choir stood, piano standing in the sanctuary just to the right of and behind the altar. Now, behind the altar was a drum set. The choir was now positioned, still in the sanctuary, behind the lectern to the left of the altar. The piano was in the same place. The choir loft hasn't been used in some time. The last time I ventured up there it was being used as a storage area for seasonal props as well as boxes of old papers and broken furniture.

Soon after I arrived the "choir" took its place. About 18-20 teenagers, including the drummer, a few guitarists, an electric bassist, some horns, and a cellist took their positions at the rear of the sanctuary. Blue jeans, denim and khaki shorts, and T-shirts seemed to be the uniform of the day. At least one of the "choir" members was chewing gum. None seemed to pay any attention to the altar they all had to navigate around to get to their places nor to the tabernacle in plain site. Wearing his own set of blue jean shorts and a T-shirt, the director of this ensemble, whom I recognized as the music director for St. Francis de Sales (for this article we'll call him Doug), and well past his teen years, took his place at the Casio keyboard which was sitting on top of the acoustic piano, which remained unused for this Mass. After welcoming us to the Life Teen Mass Doug had us all go over the psalm and the closing song for the liturgy. I guess we were all supposed to be familiar with the other songs. The choir rehearsed these songs in a most energetic manner. Most of the congregation simply raised their hands in the air or clapped in time to the music. Doug also asked if there was anyone who didn't like to sing. One person raised her hand then quickly dropped it. Doug informed us that if we didn't want to sing we should raise our hands over our head and clap to the music. After rehearsal the congregation applauded. Doug then asked if this was anyone's first Life Teen Mass. I didn't raise my hand. He asked the youth in the choir if the Life Teen Mass had brought them closer to Christ and they all hollered, "YEAH!". Working up the crowd like an announcer at a pep rally he asked if we were ready to worship God. The crowd hollered, "YEAH!" and clapped loudly. We all were told to stand and hold hands while the band sang what we were told is the "prayer we pray before Life Teen". Thankfully, the people beside me were not too aggressive and didn't force me to take their hands.

They then broke into the opening song while most of the congregation held their hands up and clapped to the music. The song was "Shout to the North" by Delirious, a contemporary Christian rock group. According to the official web site they are set to tour with Matchbox 20 and Bon-Jovi in June of 2001. Because of all the arms in the air I really couldn't see who was in the procession. Two youth stood in the front and made hand movements to the music.

After telling us to prepare ourselves to receive Jesus Christ in Sacrament and in Word the celebrant chanted the Kyrie which was almost surreal considering the music and the atmosphere up to this point. While the amen from the concluding prayer was being sung, the group began the Gloria from David Haas' Mass of Light.

The psalm was "Thank God for He is Good" by Jeffrey Roscoe. I couldn't make out the words of the verses but I suspect, at best, it was loosely based on an actual psalm. It may have been based on Psalm 118 but I couldn't tell.

After the second reading the drummer began a 6/8 rhythm sounding like something from Pocahontis, or maybe a football game, while the band sang the Celtic Alleluia.

This being the second Sunday of Easter, the Gospel reading was about Jesus' appearance to the apostles after His resurrection and Thomas' doubting whether it really was Jesus.

In the homily the priest expanded on doubt and disbelief. He then talked briefly about how most scholars do not believe that the writer of the book of Revelation is the same John who is the author of the fourth Gospel. A short homily on doubt was given. Mispronouncing the saint's name he referred several times to St. Augustine's writings. In a show of hands the priest asked how many of us here truly believed that Jesus Christ was present. Everyone raised their hands. He encouraged all of us to pray if we were having doubt. He said that there is no doubt that God hears our prayers and asked for an amen. Everyone said, "Amen". He then said that there is no doubt that He is present with us in this tabernacle, Amen? We all said, "Amen." Then he said that there is no doubt that He is here with us in the Word, amen? We all said, "Amen." Then that there is no doubt that when, pointing to the altar, when Heaven and Earth come together in the source and summit of our faith He is truly with us, amen? We all said, "Amen." Pausing for effect he ended the homily saying, "Then, why do we doubt?"

No mention was made that this was Divine Mercy Sunday, the observed anniversary of the canonization of St. Faustina. No mention was made that it was decreed by Rome on May 5, 2000, that the first Sunday following Easter would be observed as "Divine Mercy Sunday". Nor was any mention made of the accompanying devotions and indulgences that go with this Sunday.

Acceding to these wishes, the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II has graciously determined that in the Roman Missal, after the title "Second Sunday of Easter", there shall henceforth be added the appellation "(or Divine Mercy Sunday"), and has prescribed that the texts assigned for that day in the same Missal and the Liturgy of the Hours of the Roman Rite are always to be used for the liturgical celebration of this Sunday.
~from the Decree Establishing the Sunday after Easter 'Divine Mercy Sunday'

The band sang a "Profession of Faith" by Tom Booth. This "profession" consists of the following:
Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and of the earth?
Amen, Amen! Amen, Amen! Amen - we do believe.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
Who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified and died, and was buried?
Yet he rose from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father?
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?

That was it. An incomplete profession at best. Heresy by omission at worst.
For the "preparation of gifts" we were treated to "Open the Eyes of My Heart" by Sonic Flood, another rock group of the contemporary Christian genre.

The priest invited all the youths to circle round the altar during the Eucharistic liturgy. All the choir/band went along with a number of youths from the audience... er uh... congregation. As far as I could tell the Eucharistic prayers were done without much embellishment. Doug provided background music for the whole thing. The Sanctus was from the Glory and Praise hymnal. I didn't recognize the memorial nor the amen setting.

During the Our Father I closed my eyes and folded my hands tightly hoping that an enthusiastic hand-holder wouldn't try and grab it. The Sign of Peace took at the very least a full five minutes while teenagers wandered all over the church hugging and kissing everybody. Many roamed about the sanctuary paying no notice to the Presence of Christ Himself on the altar, some stopping by the priest/celebrant to shake his hand and pat his shoulder who, to his credit, remained at the altar during the Sign of Peace. An EM filled the chalices with the Precious Blood. Doug played on. The rest of the choir/band lined up in the center aisle in two rows, kneeling toward each other after the Lamb of God. On the final elevation the priest said, "Ecce, Agnus Dei. This is the Lamb of God...".

A woman dressed in a white T-shirt and bib overalls and two men, one wearing a "Life Teen" T-shirt, helped distribute Communion, the woman with the Sacred Hosts serving one of the center aisle lines beside the priest, the men on either side with the Precious Blood. The song for Communion was "Open My Eyes" by Jesse Manibusan. After Communion one of the men carrying a chalice stopped in the center of the sanctuary facing the choir/band and, with one hand, turned up the chalice, finishing what was left in it before proceeding to the side table to drop it off. After Communion we heard a lengthy song called "Give Thanks" by Henry Smith.

Before the dismissal the bib-overall'ed woman stepped up to the lectern and told us that one of our very own "life teens" had entered the Church during last week's "beautiful liturgy" at St. Francis de Sales. This brought thunderous applause. She also said that our Life Teen music group performed at the 11:30 Mass last Easter Sunday at St. Francis de Sales and that they were so good her own mother said she had never felt so lifted up or inspired or something. This brought more thunderous applause.

Then the priest began the dismissal, saying the blessing in Latin. The closing song was "Rain Down" by Ed Bolduc. When the song ended everyone broke into applause. The whole Mass lasted about an hour and a half.

Leaving took a while since the only way out that was being used was the front door. Two lines went past the priest who was positioned in the vestibule by the door shaking hands and greeting people. While in line a woman turned to me and said, "What's that priest's name?"

I told her.

She looked confused for a second and then said, "No, what's his first name?"

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