Pope Benedict XVI is greeted by children on his arrival for his annual holidays in Lorenzago di Cadore, northern Italy yesterday
Posted on 07/10/2007 9:08:50 AM PDT by Pyro7480
Pope Benedict XVI is greeted by children on his arrival for his annual holidays in Lorenzago di Cadore, northern Italy yesterday
I STUMBLED upon a Latin Mass last winter. It was grim, joyless, interminable and disquieting. There was no music. Nobody shook hands or brought gifts to the altar. It was as exuberant a celebration of creation as an expired fly left to rot on a window sill.
The only fanfare that threatened was the persistent, pedantic locking and unlocking of the little gate in the altar railing. A priest passed through this gateway at one stage, came to the side chapel where I knelt and entered a confession box, prompting the formation of a long-faced queue of sinners.
All the while, the officiating priest droned on, with his chasubled back to the congregation. He was, of course, flexing the dead Latin tongue, but it could as easily have been Aramaic or the lingua franca of Mars, such was his incomprehensible mumbling. Clearly, he was having a private conversation with his Maker.
It was when I quit trying to eavesdrop that I noticed the disapproving glances. Worshippers in the centre aisles - youngish, older and oldish men and women, most holding missals with frayed marker ribbons - were squinting disdainfully in my direction. I did a quick inventory. Was I standing in a forbidden place? Did I lack devoutedness? Did I have serpents for arms, was a slimy green monster surging through my buttoned coat?
Then I discerned what was different between them and me: the women over there had their heads covered, mostly with flowing Grace Kelly mantillas, whereas my female head, to the eternal damnation of my soul, was unconcealed. I left before Mass was over.
In the porch, I read a notice listing the regular Latin Mass times and I resolved not to return. As I walked away, I remembered hearing that there used to be two public houses side-by-side in a village near my home town. One was called 'The Ramble Inn'. The other was 'The Stagger Out'. Their juxtaposition was an eloquent synopsis of my morning. I did not feel I had been involved in a religious ceremony. I felt excluded, belittled, resented - an interloper in my own Church, a survivor - for how long more? - of the internal schism that eats away at the insides of the Roman Catholic Church.
Condemns
How predictable it has become that, whenever the Vatican makes some announcement eroding more of its grudging democracy, the media condemns it as an insult to Islam or Judaism. So it was again last weekend when Pope Benedict lifted the post-Vatican II restrictions on the 500-year-old Latin Mass. What about reconciliation with the Jewish community? demanded the global commentariat, with more than a little justification.
But what about Catholics, for Godsake? What about the indomitable faithful sickened by the grievously sinful institutional cover-up of paedophile priests? What about the AIDS-virus carriers who could have been safeguarded by condoms? What about monogamous, loving gays? What about women?
Most 'liberal Catholics' will again bite their tongues rather than criticise this latest genuflection to the fundamentalist clique because, when you are pro-choice you cannot be a bit anti-choice too.
If some people favour a church rite more appropriate to the 16th century, their preference should be accommodated. As the post-Vatican II hippies put it: different strokes for different folks and amen to that.
But this Tridentinist concession is not a simple toss-up between guitars, tambourines and Kumbaya versus the Council of Trent. The pope's own profoundly political psyche puts paid to such simplism.
This is a man who waged a diplomatic offensive to get God into the EU constitution, who condemned record numbers of theologians when he ran the old Inquisition office in Rome, and who denounced feminism for undermining the structures of society.
This is the man who welcomed the illegal joint invader of Iraq, Tony Blair, to the Vatican as a fraternal visitor while threatening politicians in Mexico and Spain with automatic excommunication for legalising abortion and gay marriage.
Reprimands
This is a moral crusader bringing the liberals of the US and Europe to heel by dispensing reprimands and interdicts, as if he is the landlord of Catholicism.
As long as he reigns, women will not be priests. His holy grail of 'family values' is a pre-'60s kitchenscape of woman chained to the sink by her rosary beads. Being treated as second-class citizens is normal life for Catholic women. Being made to cover your arms by the Swiss Guard and having your president denigrated for wearing a flower in her lapel is par for the course. Still, it beats being burned at the stake.
THE past, however, has crept menacingly closer with this Latin Mass announcement. It is a statement about the priorities of the ruling theo-cons in Rome, at a time when a scarcity of clergy is a pressing concern in Europe.
Last Sunday, when the Tridentine news was percolating through, it was announced in a church not a mile from the one where the Latin version is routinely celebrated that evening Masses were being cancelled due to a shortage of priests.
In politics, as Pope Benedict well knows, emphasis is the message. And the destination on the message board reads: The Middle Ages.
She says that like it's a bad thing.
I've been going to TLM for 4-5 years. I've seen dozens of elderly people come up to the altar rail and receive standing with nary a problem.
Funny you bring this up because, just this past Sunday, there was an elderly lady who really had trouble even getting out of her pew (they are old and narrow). Her daughter was trying to lift her up, but the lady really couldn't get her feet....meanwhile, the line is backing up behind them, and there is no one at the Communion rail.
When Father saw this, he motioned for them to stay right where they were. He had the altar boy open up the altar rail, came out, and gave the lady Communion right there next to her pew so she wouldn't have to come up.
Frankly, if a priest *didn't* do that I'd be horrified.
But to your other point about people being stared at or judged, you are 100% right, and that's why it is SOO important for people who already go to TLM to be welcoming and understanding of people who may be coming for the first time.
Someone in those circumstances should talk to the priest before Mass — or call the rectory. Arrangements can be made. Either they can sit up front and the priest will come to them to give Communion or, if they’d rather not be conspicuous, the priest can give them communion immediately after Mass (the way they sometimes do for the choir).
Just a joke.
This sort of thing is happening to me more and more often.
I’m already boycotting France. :)
This woman displays a disturbing lack of knowledge regarding the essence of Catholicism and worship of God. Unfortunately, there are many like her. Society has become narcissistic and selfish.
Vlad does that to tissues, but he’s never mutilated a box like that!
South Africa has very good wine.
Dogs. We took ours up to Maine a week ago. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...”. :)
We usually drink California wines. Sometimes Australian or Chilean, I think, but mostly California.
I can walk into any church, trad or N.O. and find kooky types. Same for Protestant churches. The point is every place has all kinds but the ones who stand out get labeled as the norm. I don’t believe all people who attend the N.O. are feminist, earth worshiping, guitar playing liberals. I could tell many stories of personal experience with some very lost people, but I know there are some good people who attend the N.O. as well and it’s not fair to put them in with the former crowd. Likewise it would be nice for people to acknowledge the majority of trads are just normal people who want to worship as we have for 2000 years and stop bashing us with a broad brush.
It would be nice to stick to theological issues rather than personal attacks (as fun as it is for some). Maybe I’m dreaming.
Now if the Pope tosses those, let me know!
Ruby’s predilection for Kleenex boxes is a new one on me. Apparently the used ones in the trashcan are just TOO yucky for a princess . . . she wants them pristine and new, thank you very much.
Didja leave 'em there? (sometimes I'm tempted)
It's the far-out moonbattery extremism of this screed that makes it so FUNNY! (if you have a sick sense of humor.)
I understand, but in many places in California she would be. When I read about conservative N.O. places in the U.S. I’m amazed. It was never like that out here. We were liturgical dancing in the 70s. It’s a common thing for liturgy people to attend one of Mahony’s workshops then come back to inflict it on the rest of CA.
Our Catholic rector would never allow such nonsense, he's a straight-up old-fashioned Irish dreadnought of a priest.
But we once had a liturgical dancer in our Episcopal parish. I made fun of the rector so effectively that he never invited another one.
It's my experience, at least hereabouts, that the ladies who dance in church are the ones who couldn't get a gig anywhere else. I got enough gigs outside of church to keep me busy -- and now that I've lost almost 30 pounds I may go back to dancing again.
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