That in a nut shell is where I'm finding myself more and more these days. After more than 50 years as a loyal son of the Church I find it harder and harder to even bother to go to Mass anymore. Instead of nourishing my soul I feel as though the Priest and lay leaders are poisoning it. I can't stand the music. I can't stand the way the guy with the biggest guitar 'leads' the celebration and everyone else...priest included...follow his lead. I resent the touchy feely, I'm OK, You're OK crappy homilies we get every week. I hate the fact that there are 40 or 50 people distributing Holy Communion. I hate the fact that after Communion we have to sit through 1 or two sappy, insipid, "Meditation Hymns" by the guitar group and then we're expected to applaud like we're at some crappy coffee house production. I could go on and on but why bother? I know I'm being too judgemental but I can't help it. This parish used to be the most traditional parish in the diocese...now it's the exact opposite. I've tried other churches in the area and they're all just as bad. I don't know what I'm going to do.
Have you looked at St. Benedict's Chapel in Chesapeake? (521 McCosh Drive Chesapeake, Virginia 23320). They have two TLM Masses a week, offered by FSSP. Of course, being up in the DC area, I've not actually been there, but I would wager that you would have none of the guitar-mass, feminizing touchy feely gobbledygook at an FSSP parish.
Although it might seem a lot to go out of your way, it may be well worth your while.
Just a thought.
PGK you couldn’t have articulated my sentiments any more clearly!
Additionally, my Diocese is consolidating Parishes all over and closing their churches, yet weekly we are taking up special collections for our new, $6M Church building, the financing of which includes hefty loans from the Diocese. Incongrous to say the least, and quite disturbing that we are closing Churches, but the Diocese has money to erect glass palaces.
Why not use the money to keep Churches active so grandma doesn’t have to take a bus two towns over to go to Mass, when she used to walk to the Church on the corner?
Vivat Jesus!
You need to find a TLM or Byzantine Rite parish, ASAP.
Do what I do, focus on the Man hanging on the cross and know that he endured far more than felt banners, bad music and insipid homilies for me, for my children and wife and even for the irritating woman who insists on raising her hand so we pew sitting fools know when to sing our part of the folk ditty out of the OCP hymnal.
It also helps to think about the Catholics who have to worry about bombs and bullets standing between them and the Blessed Sacrament rather than aging hippies and self loathing feminists.
Sometimes I think of fishing...
Your parish sounds a heckuva lot like mine. But mine has never been traditional, and you have been a Catholic a lot longer than I have. It must be really tough to adapt.
I find myself judging every wacky thing that’s going on, and there’s a lot of it. I get jealous of Freeper’s accounts of how wonderful their parishes are. And I get really steamed at the bishops who let it get so bad in my area, to the point that whole generations of Catholics have no idea things are so wacky.
But it’s either about the Sacrament or not. And the Sacrament is either the best weapon against the Enemy or it isn’t. I find that if I concentrate on Christ in the Sacrament, even though the wackiness that steams me most is the disrespect to the Sacrament, I still get what I am suposed to be getting out of Mass, and all the wackyness sorta fades into the background.
And yes, the humming meditation thing after Communion isn’t my cup of tea either. I just pointedly read the bulletin and rustle the pages loudly when they go into that stuff.
Freegards
I got to that point 35 years ago. Not Catholic but Protestant. I discovered that I got more out of sitting on a mountain top somewhere and just letting go - marvelous things happen. No church politics, no lady’s knitting and character assination club, no crappy music..... I believe God is OK with my way since he has blessed me and my family over the years. Oh and I donate my tithe etc to causes where I can feel good and see results. This year we set up an anonymous scholarship for a kid up the street to go to college. He had to apply along with several others but we awarded it to him. Why? Because he has a brilliant mind and his parents are a couple of selfish jerks. Again, I believe God is OK with that and if he isn’t I will go where ever head high.
You just channeled my thoughts.
I attend Mass to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. For that I put up with the least annoying liturgy I can find.
“I know I’m being too judgemental”
No, you’re not. Not even. Not by a parsec.
As I see it, the problem is this: Our Lord said “Do this in memory of Me.”
He didn’t say, “Do this, unless everybody else in the church is a liberal buttmunch.”
I have been missing a lot of Masses for the reasons you name (and others), so I’m not pointing any fingers, but I just get the sense that He’s saying, “What part of ‘do this’ don’t you get?”
I know the feeling. We drive 40 miles each way on Sunday to attend a Latin Mass. On weekdays, we walk about half a mile to our local parish for a Novus Ordo Mass. My wife has been very discouraged by the Mass at our Parish. I had been taking it in stride. It wasn't inspiring, but it was valid.
However, we have a new pastor and new assistant. Things have changed. The bells are back. Six candles at each Mass. The celebrant no longer sits on a throne behind the "table," but off to one side, allowing the tabernacle to be seen. The sermons are orthodox and inspiring.
Unless gas prices go out of sight, I'll still go to the Latin Mass on Sundays. But things are looking up at our parish, and I can't wait for the new translation.
There is hope.