Posted on 12/12/2008 6:48:14 AM PST by NYer
OTTAWA — Ottawa’s archbishop would like all parishes in the sprawling diocese to kneel at the same time during the Mass.
Archbishop Terrence Prendergast said he is implementing what the Canadian bishops had decided a few years ago would be common practice throughout Canada when the new translation of the Roman Missal comes into use.
He never expected his request would become a front-page story in the Ottawa Citizen, describing the move as “authoritarian.”
“It didn’t strike me as controversial,” he said. “But you can always line up people on either side of an issue.”
“It gets the message out that there’s a change,” he joked.
Though the new missal is not expected until 2010 or 2011, the archbishop decided to introduce the change at the start of Advent, the beginning of a new liturgical year.
“I want harmony and unity in the diocese,” he said. “I felt we needed to move now, to make some movement towards a regular, balanced position on liturgy.”
In a pastoral letter dated Nov. 23, Prendergast invited all parishes to kneel during the Eucharistic Prayer, from the end of the “Holy, holy, holy” to the Memorial Acclamation when the celebrant says, “Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.”
'If you had no response to change, people wouldn’t be alive.' - Archbishop
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Prendergast had informed his priests of the change last August, and said “a number” were not happy about it. Some expressed concerns that the archdiocesan liturgical commission was not consulted.
He has also had some parishioners complain.
“Change always does that,” he said. “If you had no response to change, people wouldn’t be alive.”
Bishops in Atlantic Canada initiated the move to a new common practice while he was still archbishop of Halifax, he said.
The Canadian bishops’ decision to adopt this happened before his appointment to Ottawa in 2007.
In travelling throughout the sprawling Ottawa Archdiocese, with its French and English sectors, Prendergast noticed a whole range of practices: some congregations stand throughout, some kneel in the middle of the Eucharistic Prayer, causing a lot of noise and distraction, and others continue to kneel after the Consecration.
As more parishes are working together, sometimes congregants will be confused at a joint gathering, with half standing and half kneeling, a sign of division, he said.
When the controversy hit the front page, Prendergast had just returned from Rome where he had attended meetings of Vox Clara, an advisory group of Scripture scholars that is making recommendations to the Congregation for Divine Worship on the English translation of the Roman Missal.
The work during the latest meeting concerned the translation of the Proper of Seasons, that includes the prefaces for Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and other seasons during the Church year.
“It’s slow,” he said. “It’s always longer than you think.”
“We were hoping to finish by 2010, but it looks like we may finish by 2011,” he said.
Some of the controversy over the change is theological, though Prendergast noted in his pastoral letter the reasons for standing: “expressing our dignity before God as his children set free by the death and resurrection of Christ;” and for kneeling: “to express adoration and reverence.”
He also pointed out that both postures would be in use during the Great Eucharistic Prayer of Praise.
Others have objected to being told what to do, though the Citizen had trouble finding people to comment publicly.
Though the newspaper described his move as authoritarian, the archbishop disagrees with the label. Exercising authority and making proper decisions can be perceived as authoritarian, but it is not, he said.
Others objected to the focus on a liturgical change when the Church faces other problems.
Parishioner Toddy Kehoe told the Citizen, “Is that all they have to think about? I don’t see the Catholic Church as doing loving things.
“I don’t see them as the caring community they should be. It isn’t whether you stand or kneel.”
“I bet none of the Orthodox are doing the “field goal heave”, imitating the priest’s gestures, or holding hands and holding their hands above their heads during the Our Father . . . .”
Oh, Gawd!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Probably just as good we don’t have intercommunion. I’d likely start gagging.
THEN we can move forward!
>>Beware the OCA and its usually self serving opinions, netmilsmom.<<
Well then I’ll go with this.
Traditionally in the Latin Catholic Church we kneel.
I’ll go with the tradition!
>>Did I mention we live in Paganville? <<
LOLOL!
That must be near where I live. Innovation Central.
“Make you a deal: we’ll send all those goofy folks to the Episcopal Church (with BXVI’s help and encouragement) in exchange for the few remaining orthodox and highly reverent Anglicans.”
If you send their priests, bishops, monks and nuns with them, I’d say that was a great start! :)
“Traditionally in the Latin Catholic Church we kneel.
I’ll go with the tradition!”
Very good. Let the Slavs be upset!
>>Very good. Let the Slavs be upset!<<
Define Slavs. Like Yugoslavs?
“Define Slavs. Like Yugoslavs?”
Serbs, Bulgarians, Russians, those types.
>>Serbs, Bulgarians, Russians, those types<<
Thanks!
Could we say this is something of a metaphor for the attitude of many to not only Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament but also His Church? A metaphor for the refusal to accept Catholic teaching and dogma?
A symbol of pride perhaps? Rebellion? Kneeling is the position of the supplicant......the humble man.
It's arrogance! That attitude is quite pervasive in today's society. And, as you well noted, a lack of humility.
If it isn’t whether you stand or kneel, then you would not want to create a big stink about being asked to kneel, now would you?
And he is right, it is NOT about whether you stand or kneel - it is whether you will worship the Lord God Almighty in accordance with the leadership He has lovingly given to you as a loving father-figure with authority, aka your bishop.
If it isn’t about whether you stand or kneel, then why have so many parishes chosen to demonstrate defiance by arbitrarily deciding to stand in defiance of long-held practice and norm that everyone was happily following?
I was in a parish where we were forced to stand instead of kneel. First we were scolded as being so stupid and immature that we knelt, then we were threatened that we were being disobedient and sinful by kneeling in accordance with Church law but in defiance of the local priest. Then we ignored that, the preist would scold us DURING THE CONSECRATION demanding that we stand.
And if it isn’t about whether we stand or kneel, why was my family scolded for kneeling during the consecration (in accordance with Church law but apparently in defiance of the unbekwnonst-to-us “law” of the local priest) when we went to a small daily Mass in a new town (where we lived temporarily)?
Sure. Its not about whether we stand or kneel.
I hope you did the rational thing and immediately left that parish.
My pastor (a very reverent Novus Ordo guy) recently told me that with a few years we can expect to be receiving the host on the tongue again. There are just too many abuses with receiving it in the hands.
I suggest all of us set the example and reverently receive Communion on the tongue. I know that because I started two other ladies now receive on the tongue.
I was surprised that the list did not include a genuflection.
Somehow I don't picture myself standing proudly before Christ, bragging about how good I was and how lucky Christ is to have wonderful me in His Presence. But I am a flawed person. I guess some folks have it all figured out, that they are the center of the universe and they don't need to kneel before the Almighty.
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