Yah, leave the scandalizing for the local parishes.
If you haven't left Mass at least once in the last six months feeling scandalized or wondering if it's possible to "offer up" the hour you just spent at Mass, consider your self lucky.
For the benefit of new members to the Catholic Ping List, here is a brief introduction to the Eastern Catholic Churches:
Although it is not widely known in our Western world, the Catholic Church is actually a communion of Churches. According to the Constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium, the Catholic Church is understood to be "a corporate body of Churches," united with the Pope of Rome, who serves as the guardian of unity (LG, no. 23). At present there are 22 Churches that comprise the Catholic Church. The new Code of Canon Law, promulgated by Pope John Paul II, uses the phrase "autonomous ritual Churches" to describe these various Churches (canon 112). Each Church has its own hierarchy, spirituality, and theological perspective. Because of the particularities of history, there is only one Western Catholic Church, while there are 22 Eastern Catholic Churches. The Western Church, known officially as the Latin Church, is the largest of the Catholic Churches. It is immediately subject to the Roman Pontiff as Patriarch of the West. The Eastern Catholic Churches are each led by a Patriarch, Major Archbishop, or Metropolitan, who governs their Church together with a synod of bishops. Through the Congregation for Oriental Churches, the Roman Pontiff works to assure the health and well-being of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
While this diversity within the one Catholic Church can appear confusing at first, it in no way compromises the Church's unity. In a certain sense, it is a reflection of the mystery of the Trinity. Just as God is three Persons, yet one God, so the Church is 22 Churches, yet one Church.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes this nicely:
"From the beginning, this one Church has been marked by a great diversity which comes from both the variety of God's gifts and the diversity of those who receive them... Holding a rightful place in the communion of the Church there are also particular Churches that retain their own traditions. The great richness of such diversity is not opposed to the Church's unity" (CCC no. 814).
Although there are 22 Churches, there are only eight "Rites" that are used among them. A Rite is a "liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary patrimony," (Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, canon 28). "Rite" best refers to the liturgical and disciplinary traditions used in celebrating the sacraments. Many Eastern Catholic Churches use the same Rite, although they are distinct autonomous Churches. For example, the Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Melkite Catholic Church are distinct Churches with their own hierarchies. Yet they both use the Byzantine Rite.
To learn more about the "two lung" of the Catholic Church, visit this link:
CATHOLIC RITES AND CHURCHES
The Vatican II Council declared that "all should realize it is of supreme importance to understand, venerate, preserve, and foster the exceedingly rich liturgical and spiritual heritage of the Eastern churches, in order faithfully to preserve the fullness of Christian tradition" (Unitatis Redintegrato, 15).
To locate an Eastern Catholic Church in your community, follow the following link:
Eastern Catholic Churches in the U.S.
A Roman rite Catholic may attend any Eastern Catholic Liturgy and fulfill his of her obligations at and Eastern Catholic Parish. A Roman rite Catholic may join any Eastern Catholic Parish and receive any sacrament from an Eastern Catholic priest, since all belong to the Catholic Church as a whole.
Please freepmail me if you would like more information on the Eastern Catholic Churches.
On Monday, during his talk, Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Cult and the Discipline of Sacraments, approached this Tuesday the theme of receiving communion in the mouth or in the hand, reminding how receiving the communion in the hand has led to abuses, “that could happen, and that already happened, like the use for satanic rituals, the auction on the internet and other wrongs.”
The prelate didn’t propose an answer to this dilemma, but invited for “greater vigilance for celebrants, in order to ensure that it is consumed.
Msgr. Peter Kang, of Cheju (Korea), warned that the participation of children in the Eucharist is decreasing dramatically along with the age. The children that don’t come to Mass say that Mass is boring and not interesting. As well, adults say the same, and don’t feel motivated to participate.
Our priority is to justify and make grow the heart of the Catholics, their desire and aspiration to participate in the Eucharist. In order to transmit to the modern people the eucharistic mystery, it is not sufficient to reinforce vigorously the rules and regulations of Eucharistic celebration.
On our part, as bishops, we have to work with more intensity to search for the instruments that would bring to the Catholics of today, the experience of the genuine value of the Eucharist, the plain participation to it, and the experience of the joy it arouses, said Msgr Kang.
The Chilean Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez, Emeritus Prefect of the Congregation that presides Cardinal Arinze, warned on his behalf of the tendency to convert certain liturgical celebration, like wedding or funeral masses in events more “social” than properly liturgical.
The liturgy of the deceased, above all, and the abuse that leads to convert the homily of this liturgy in an praise to the deceased person, he warned.
Msgr. John Patrick Foley, President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, referred to the necessity to stave off the trivialization of Mass, when broadcast through television.
“I can attest that most of the televised liturgies are celebrated reverently and reflect careful preparation. Occasionally, however, individual celebrants will be seen to depart from the liturgical norms of the Church, and this can serve at least to disorient and perhaps disedify some viewers, and give some priests and people the impression that departure from liturgical norms is justified, because they have seen it on television.”
Broadcast liturgies should be viewed as normative for what is to be expected in local celebrations of the Eucharist. The reverence of the celebrant and participants, the faithfulness to the liturgical law of the Church, the quality of the music and the participation of the faithful should be models of liturgical worship, inspiring for the faithful and edifying for those who do not share our faith but who may be watching or listening, even out of curiosity.
The telecasting of the liturgy is not merely a service for the sick and the elderly who cannot personally assist at Mass. Watching a telecast liturgy can be an appropriate preparation for personal assistance at Sunday liturgy or it can be a continued period of thanksgiving and reflection after the worshipper has returned home.
The Archbishop of Chile proposed a Year of penance”, to complete the Year of the Eucharist.” Msgr Cristian Caro Cordero, Archbishop of Puerto Montt (Chile), proposed this Tuesday, the call for a “Year of Penance”, to reinforce the fruits of the”Year of the Eucharist”, that will end this month.
“My proposal is that, given the narrow theological, spiritual and pastoral link between the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Penance, and taking into account the many shadows surrounding this sacrament, that a year be devoted to the Sacrament of Penance, having as fundamental themes: The sense of a living God and his true eclipse in the modern culture;
The need of salvation and the proclamation of Jesus Christ; the sense of sin, that is decreasing or absent, as a consequence of moral relativism; the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance; spiritual guidance, the Sacrament of Penance as an encounter of the sinner that converts from his own misery and God which in his mercy, forgives him; the conditions in which to receive the Holy Communion.”
Then, in respect to the relation between Eucharist and the pastoral of vocation, Msgr. Caro Cordero proposed that “ in the “Year of Penance”, Priests would be encouraged and formed for spiritual guidance of youth and give more time to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which together with the Eucharist is fundamental for spiritual guidance.
I use to volunteer to clean a church that I attended. I became very disgusted when I found communion crumbs all over the floor. This church wanted to be ahead of everyone else creating new ideas on how to celebrate mass. Instead of giving out a host they used a loaf of bread. The only problem with that is so much of it ended up on the floor. We also had a beautiful display of ballet dancers during the communion service. It gave people something to do while their minds drifted. Thank God I found a church that celebrates the Latin Mass.
Excellent!
Oh, joy. Another document. Just what we needed.
Suggestion: save some trees and scrap the documents. Instead, fire some bishops and appoint some Catholics to these posts. Surely there must be a few left?
Suggested devotion: Prayers to Pope St Gregory VII who holds the record for firing more bishops than any other pope. (You could look it up.)
Cheers.