Posted on 11/05/2011 11:56:52 AM PDT by NYer
The long-awaited introduction of the new translation of the Roman Missal on November 27, the First Sunday of Advent, offers the Church in the Anglophere an opportunity to reflect on the riches of the liturgy, its biblical vocabulary, and its virtually inexhaustible storehouse of images. Much of that vocabulary, and a great many of those images, were lost under the “dynamic equivalence” theory of translation; they have now been restored under the “formal equivalence” method of translating. Over the next years and decades, the Catholic Church will be reminded of just what a treasure-house of wonders the liturgy is.
At the same time, the “changes in the words” offer the Church a golden opportunity to confront, and then break, some bad liturgical habits that have accumulated, like unlovely barnacles on the barque of Peter, over the past several decades.
For example:
1. Holy Mass should never begin with a greeting or an injunction that is not in the Roman Missal. The first words the congregation hears from the celebrant should be the liturgical words of greeting prescribed in the Sacramentary. At Masses where there is no sung entrance hymn, the admonition “please stand” should never be heard; if the priest-celebrant (or lector) recites the Entrance Antiphon in an audible voice before processing to the altar, everyone will get the message that Mass has begun, and will stand without being told to do so.
2. Far too many lectors, including many of the best, begin the responsorial psalm inappropriately, saying, “The responsorial psalm is….” – and then reciting the antiphon to the psalm, which is not “the responsorial psalm” but its antiphon. The phrase “The responsorial psalm is….” should thus be put under the ban. Forty-plus years into the liturgical renewal, there is no need to do anything except intone or recite the antiphon that begins the responsorial psalm: by now, the congregation surely knows that their next task is to repeat the antiphon, either in song or by recitation.
3. Fully aware that I shall be accused by some of crankiness bordering on misanthropy, let me repeat a point made in this space before: the exchange of peace is not meant to be the occasion for a chat with the neighbors, but for the greetings of those closest to us in church with a simple, evangelical salutation: “the peace of the Lord be with you;” “peace be with you;” “the peace of Christ.” The longer conversations can be saved for the narthex or vestibule (not “gathering space”).
4. The Communion antiphon, typically linked to the Gospel of the day, is just as typically AWOL at Mass. If it is not sung by the choir, it should be recited prior to the distribution of Holy Communion, not afterwards, as if it were some sort of afterthought.
5. Then there is silence. The rubrics prescribe various periods of silent reflection at Mass, particularly after the reception of Holy Communion, so that the “still, small voice” of 1 Kings 19.12 (butchered by the New American Bible into “tiny whispering sound”) might be heard. This is not a matter of doing something differently just to do something differently; it is a recognition that, in the liturgy, God speaks to us through silence as well as through vocal prayer and Scripture. Reintroducing periods of silence into the liturgy will require explanation from the pulpit; but while priests and deacons are explaining the “new words,” why not explain why the Church chooses silence over words at some points in its worship?
The re-sacralization of the English used in the liturgy affords all of us an opportunity to ponder just what it is we are doing at Holy Mass: we are participating, here and now, in the liturgy of angels and saints that goes on constantly around the Throne of Grace where the Holy Trinity lives in a communion of radical self-gift and receptivity. This is, in short, serious business, even as it is joyful business. We should do it well, as the grace of God has empowered us to do it well.
Ping!
I thought this was going to be a thread about Heisenberg....
IMO, the “sign of peace” should be eliminated completely. This “sixties Kumbya” moment is what turned Mass into a social event. Combine this elimination with kneeling at the altar rail for Communion and perhaps people will realize that Mass is something different and will stop talking. Reverance and solemnity are sorely missing from today’s Mass. It has always been my contention that attendance at Mass has dropped because, as the Church modified it and tried to make it “current”, it took away the uniqueness and mystery. Its not supposed to be “current”.
And Amen to the point about the celebrant saying “Good Morning” and then the congregation replying in their best third grade tone “Good Morning Father”. I used to say to my sons, sarcastically, “That’s not in the Missal”. They used to tell me to lighten up. I obviously haven’t.
The mostholyfamily website was right. The last six popes are anti-popes and are part of the apostasy that is destroying the Catholic church.
I'm just sayin'. : ]
Jesus just trolled me too. I also came looking for Hisenburg.
(ps nothing wrong with that. the Lord works in mysterious ways.)
Sign of Peace(shaking hands) is a faux social event. If there is no name exchange(and there isnt’) then I dont do it. I’m the oddball bowing with hands clasped. Its get even more awkward when someone occasionally walks from a different aisle and wants a a handshake. Unless they are a black Catholic(exceedingly rare) its not happening.
Additionally, I prefer communion on the hand, and shaking some adults hand whose kids or them either has or is getting over the flu is not my idea of what I do before I eat or touch my hands to my facial area. Cold and flu exposure in the name of ‘community’(hand shaking) should not be part of the liturgy before receiving communion. I much prefer to receive in the hand, I will suck it up though if and when the church changes it to everyone will receive on the tongue. But living in a big metropolitan area this is a disease spreader too, as everyone directly breathes on the priests hand. As St. Jerome in his time said ‘avoid like the plague’. ...Sorry to have bothered you.
You are aware that Eastern Catholics have always had married Priests? There is nothing wrong with it. Now violating the sanctity of the mass is another thing entirely!
You are aware that Eastern Catholics have always had married Priests? There is nothing wrong with it. Now violating the sanctity of the mass is another thing entirely!
>>I couldn’t even receive Communion, I was so upset<<
I’m sorry but I really am glad to take these men into the Priesthood. You do understand that widowers can join the Priesthood and that Eastern Rite has married Priests as well, right?
The Sign of Peace is completely optional for each priest. Talk to your priest about not interrupting the concentration on the Eucharist that should be going on at that time.
Is this it?
Where is the Handholding? How about the Orans position of the laity? How about all responses by the duet in the front without letting the congregation answer at all? Or Using “God” instead of “Father” to avoid gender? How about the Game Show music that stands in for the responses? How about needing to use “Jesus” like we’re on a first name basis (i.e. Jesus, Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world)? And while we’re at it, how about we ditch singing ANY showtunes. NONE allowed!!!
Wow ... where is this happening? Perhaps it is time to repost an old favorite.
I’m with you. No one will learn all the words of the Gloria because we are relegated to singing the chorus.
It’s time for the laity to say no to all the hoopla going on up on the altar. Singers belong in the back of the church where they can distract us as little as possible. I ask them to labor anonymously for the love of God!
And the petitions are getting to be a liberal litany! Enough!
>>Wow ... where is this happening? Perhaps it is time to repost an old favorite.<<
I wish I could post that on the door of every parish in MI.
One VERY liberal parish in my area has a duet. The laity basically sit and listen to the concert going on.
My other bugaboos are, using the piano when there is an organ AND the “raising up” of the cantor because it is assumed that the congregation is too stupid to know when to sing.
Get the musicians to the back where they belong and let’s pay attention to The Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity instead.
However, a married priest cannot be named as a Bishop.
I’d like to see that source on the last Popes. I really can’t believe it.
Our Archdiocese has had several married priests. In fact, one was ordained last year — grown children and wife were also in attendance.
For what it’s worth — one of our married priests died while at a Convocation of Priests. All the priest grieved his death. No partiality was shown at all.
PS. I think it would have been the gloating that would turn me off too.
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