[jrny]

Did the priest(s) ad-lib parts of the Mass too? Seems like the make up your own Mass texts nonsense would go hand-in-glove with all the other abuses you reported.

I think your decision to not go to Communion was probably the right one. If it had been me, I would have made the same decision. Not because it was invalid (in which case there is no cause for alarm), but because my interior dispositions would have been severely disrupted to properly receive Our Lord. I'm sure this was your reasoning as well.

Now, contrast this with the Mass we attended last Sunday! Among other great things, my favorite was when Fr. Jackson reiterated that no applause is to be done in church! And he said it in a straightfoward, non-obtrusive way...see, it's not that hard to accomplish proper reverence at Mass. On the other hand, it seems quite an exercise of the imagination to produce the abuses you observed.

[Pyro7480]

I don't remember if there was any ad-libbing on the part of the priest. I usually notice things like that. He did use Eucharistic Prayer II. On the other hand, your question did cause me to remember the blessing of the graduates at the end, where the parents and relatives were encouraged to extend their hands in unison with the priest. That was pretty ridiculous.

Speaking of the Mass from Sunday, I should have my pictures from that soon too. I will post them.

[Bigg Red]

...no applause is to be done in church!

^^
Oh, how I wish that were said in my parish. Just recently the congregation was asked -- by the priest! -- to applaud a kid who had just received his First Communion. It's appalling, and I refuse to do it.