Posted on 11/07/2005 5:47:15 PM PST by sionnsar
But, to be quite serious, hootenanny Masses are theologically and traditionally unsupported, for numerous reasons. 1. They bring the rock beat (4/4) into church where it doesn't belong - that is music for dancing and partying, not for church. It distracts worshippers from the celebration of the Eucharist (you know, that "can't keep my feet still" thing). 2. The music is banal and unworthy of a solemn celebration. The purpose of a Catholic Mass is not to be a revival or a "praise service," but to commemorate the Lord's Sacrifice. We are directed to celebrate "with all solemnity" and music worthy of the occasion, such as Gregorian chant, polyphony, etc. 3. The words of such songs generally distract the worshipper's attention from the Sacrifice. If you actually read them, you'll see they're full of references to "me", "I", "mine" and concentrate on the worshipper's personal experience of religion, not God on the altar.
That's perfectly o.k. for, say, a Baptist service where the focus is on the sermon and the worshippers' response thereto . . . but not for Mass. A Catholic Mass is different from an evangelical praise service, and it OUGHT to be different (otherwise why bother?) No reason the kids can't hold a praise service if they want one, but not at Mass.
Well, what about goshawful? The worst thing about most church musicians is that they can't even stick to a few favorites that the congregation can sing. They are easily bored, and must have new stuff out there.
What the Catechism of the Catholic Church says about homosexuality
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"This suddenly made me realize that the Episcopal Church was essentially nothing but a protestant church all dressed in Catholic clothing with each church being able to do as they wished."
An ignorant and insulting swipe at Protestants.
Not necessarily, actually. Traditionally, the Anglicans have held that they were really "the Catholic Church in England" and "just as Catholic as the Romans". They invented the term "Roman Catholic," in fact, because they said they -- the Anglicans -- were Catholic, too, just not "Roman".
I remember when I was married in the Episcopal church (1988) the (Episcopal) priest referred to me (in my presence) as "a member of the Roman Church [sic]". (Notice: I'm a member of the "Roman Church", not the "Catholic Church", and not even the "Roman Catholic Church". Would it have been okay for me to ask him how long he'd been a member of the "Cantabridgian Church"?)
So maybe it's not an "ignorant and insulting swipe at Protestants" but an angry and justifiable swipe at Protestants who claim to be Catholics, but are not. John Henry Cardinal Newman said something very similar about the CofE when he converted.
"Not necessarily, actually..."
What I find offensive is, "the Episcopal Church was essentially nothing but a protestant church...".
The "nothing but" is clearly a contemptuous, dismissive phrase.
The Episcopal/Anglican church CLAIMS to be Catholic -- i.e. to have Apostolic Succession and thus be part of the Catholic church -- just a branch or rite (like one of the Eastern Rites for example).
The author's point was that they are NOT Catholic and DON'T have Apostolic Succession . . . they claim to be Catholic but are actually a Protestant church, i.e. a reforming church that broke away and continues to differ substantially with Catholic theology.
Nothing derogatory about it - just that the Episcopalians CLAIM to be Catholic, but actually ARE protestant. IOW there's nothing wrong with the protestants in this regard -- but there's something very wrong with the Episcopalians and they are liars to boot.
"... and they are liars to boot."
Just the high church ones!
:)
"Low and lazy, middle and hazy, high and CRAZY."
. . . I thought even the broad church ECUSA claimed a Catholic connection . . . although many of them will claim that they descend through the old Celtic Church (before that brouhaha about the date of Easter . . . in which case why don't they celebrate it on the old day?)
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