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So the tables have turned. When I was younger, it was the newbies out of the seminaries who were doing all the, dare I say it, hippie stuff, and the older guard (now in the center for retired priests if they are still with us on Earth) who cringed. It seems that things are coming back full circle. The young guys don't feel that their manliness is threatened in wearing lace, chant is a part of who they are and with all luck they stick to the script so that the rest of us who are ministering in some way aren't lost when they decide to omit, change or otherwise mess with the Mass.

It's kind of funny - last week, the kids serving set up the procession and you could tell no adult supervised their vesting. Cassocks were the wrong length, one surplus was just all wrong for the kid (it was too short and the neck was too big), parents didn't insist on black shoes with dark socks and pants, etc. It was just sloppy looking. I'm glad there are priests out there now who are concerned with presentation (and this week we had seminarians serving). Some people think/say that it's external, but what is presented externally reflects what is going on internally. Showing up to serve Mass with bedhead doesn't say much about one's respect for what's happening.

Oh, and BTW, by not having an organ, the parish in the article is outside of canon law. Although, it being the Dominicans, all bets are off.

one surplus(sic)

surplice

Oh, and BTW, by not having an organ, the parish in the article is outside of canon law.

The word organ is not found in Canon Law.

My parish priest is very traditional. We have Novena's every Tuesday followed by scripture study of Sundays' readings.

He also has first Friday services, and the first Sunday we sing in Latin

Unfortunately next week is our last Mass with him since he has been assigned to three merged churches.

He has taken quite a bit of static. One priest was heard commenting, "We haven't done this since the 17th century"