No Clapping, Dancing at Mass, Vatican to Warn

Reuters ^ | Tue, Sep 23, 2003 | Philip Pullella

[Desdemona]

Look around - almost no one knows how to dress decently (at least modestly) these days. If I never see another belly-button, strangers thighs, chains and tight jeans in Church again I would be one happy parishoner.

I do!

It's not that hard and it doesn't take that much effort.

[american colleen]

I know you guys do that. But you know it is an entirely different thing than it is in the Catholic Church.

[Aliska]

You wouldn't probably need your therapist if you went back to Church.

I had hoped that, too, but it hasn't worked out that way. Church made me feel worthless as a woman. I can't put it into words adequately.

A woman threatened me with those crossed candles on St. Blaise Day. It started a terrible conflict in me; i.e., rules and tradition versus fairness and equality. I didn't like that woman doing the candles thing but I equally don't like my attitude that a women isn't good or worthy enough to do it.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

According to the authoritative Italian Roman Catholic monthly magazine "Jesus," a draft document urges the faithful to notify their bishop or the Vatican to report suspected abuses. >>

I'm sure the bishies will get around to recifying the complaints as soon as they're done sending a child rapist to replace the heretic in the parish next town over. Or is it heretics to replace the child rapists? Or has it been a year already and time to toggle back?

These are ugly days to be a believing Catholic.

[Protagoras]

attended CCD in the late 70s/early 80s and I feel cheated. I was never taught ANYTHING about the real Presence..about our rich history/traditions..about what it really means to be Catholic....I was a cradle Catholic who just "went to Church now and then."

I sympathize but I have also seen the opposite happen in many places. Many people in my experience know all about Catholism and nothing about christianity from their church "education".

[SengirV]

How about no singing. In the last two Sunday masses I counted Four and Five songs before the SECOND READING!! It is getting ridiculously out of hand. Next thing you know they will be hocking CDs of that mass's performances while you leave the church. It's getting impossible to pay attention to THE MASS while the SEVENTH verse of some BAD obscure song is sung. Give us a break already!!!

[Campion]

Does everybody realize that this whole thread is about some Reuters (ack! ptooie!) shill's description of what he thinks some new document that the Vatican might promulgate could say? For all we know, the shill in question isn't even a Catholic! ("wafer"? "wine"? huh?)

I mean, people, read the actual primary source when it's published, and lets talk about that. (Of course, anything good it says will be ignored by the American church anyway, but ...)

[NYer]

And the results are on the front page of the press and on threads like this - IMHO

Many people are woking diligently within the church to eliminate much of the "novelty" that has entered the church. You may find great worth in reading this document. It helped me to fend off liturgical dance in my parish. You can and should challenge your pastor, bishop and the USCCB any time you know that abuse is present.

IS YOUR MASS VALID?

the Church I grew up in is gone

No, it's still there. If you prefer to attend the Latin Mass, you should check with your diocesan office to learn where the Indult Latin Rite mass is said. Or, check here:

LATIN LITURGY ASSN.

[smith288]

I know you guys do that. But you know it is an entirely different thing than it is in the Catholic Church.

Yea...and Im not thinking about a debate. haha.

[Desdemona]

I attended CCD in the late 70s/early 80s and I feel cheated. I was never taught ANYTHING about the real Presence..about our rich history/traditions..about what it really means to be Catholic....I was a cradle Catholic who just "went to Church now and then."

Well, I went to church every Sunday, but ditto. And when I asked about it I was told it wasn't important and that we have new traditions and new music. It all now sounds so protestant.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

The Vatican better start setting up more seminaries in Africa if they want more priests.>>

No, the Vatican had better start firing the feminazi crazed nuns and the queer-eyes-for-the-straight-guys priests they have as "gatekeepers" specifically to ethnically cleanse believers from seminaries.

[Podkayne]

As for altar girls being reliable, the last time I saw one, she was running about the altar so much, the priest had to rebuke her. This, of course, was in between the congregation applauding itself, swaying to bad music and lining up in hordes to receive Holy Communion from a man in a light blue leisure suit. Yuck!

The visuals for that are very interesting!

I spent 45 years as an Anglican in an "high episcopal church" and ended switching to RC because of the female priest issue and the lack of respect for the traditional service now apparent to one and all. My husband and I will never forget the worshipful dance performed during a service by a "liturgical dancer". She must have been 45 years old and she wore a leotard and matching skirt of tight electric blue spandex. She dance up and down the aisles of the Catherral with her protruding nipples bouncing up and down. I thought I would not get out of there without laughing and breaking down into fits of giggles.

I like the traditional book of common prayer and a more sedate RC mass. I can't make the rules at my parish so we just "go with the flow".

It still beats the abortion taking place in the episcopal churches!!!

[miss marmelstein]

Uh, you do know, don't you, that your female Catholic therapist should not even be THINKING about herself during those 50 minutes you are dearly paying for, much less TALKING about herself. If I were you, I'd shop around for a new one.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Next thing you know we will all be wearing hats and veils again.

Why not? Maybe you could wear gloves and dresses again too, so that the appearance of going to our most important meeting of the day or week - to meet and receive the Lord Jesus - is outwardly shown.

The hair of a woman is given to her as her glory. Any woman knows that her long hair is one of her most remarkable and attractive features.

"But if a woman nourish her hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering." (1 Cor. 11.15).

But in Church, we are there to glorify God, not to show off ourselves, as so many seem to think today. So women should veil their head in Church, as a part of their overall modest attire that St. Paul lays out elsewhere:

"In like manner, women also in decent apparel: adorning themselves with modesty and sobriety, not with plaited hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly attire: But, as it becometh women professing godliness, with good works." (1 Timothy 2.9-10)

Dressing up and showing off feminine beauty and glory is fine OUTSIDE of Church, not within, when all the glory is God's.

Its funny that Catholic women will abide the rule of veiling and modest dress for meeting the Pope, but not for meeting Christ in the Eucharist.

I'm going to ping several other Catholic women on this for their remarks.

[dansangel]

ping

[Aliska]

You are more accepting of the status quo than I am.

Why is it everyone is so eager to put me down because I don't think exactly like the rest of you, but no one, not one, is willing to admit that some of what I say is true?

I am the product of a patriarchal family where things worked like they do in yours. I am the product of a patriarchal family with a father who finally realized that maybe it wasn't fair to expect the women to have to wait on the men like servants and why his beloved sister chose to walk a difficult way rather than kowtow to demanding, unappreciative men. I wish the churchman would acquire the wisdom given to my father. It wasn't like he sought to change anything other than his attitude. That's all I'm asking for. A change in attitude. Not in the way things are done.

[Alberta's Child]

Nobody is "afraid" of altar girls. It's just that it doesn't make sense to have females serving in what is often a first step in the ordination process when they can't be ordained anyway.

[BlackElk]

Catholics who think the issue through will realize that Southern Baptists are in many vital ways, our brothers and sisters in Christ.

That is not to minimize important differences.

The history of the Baptist Church in the United States, even at times of greatest distrust between Baptists and Catholics, has never suggested a desire of Baptists to control us Catholics. Rather, your church has been a pillar of religious liberty, as I understand it. Today, your church stands consistently and courageously for that which is moral in the public square in humble obedience to our Lord and Savior.

Catholics need to recognize and respect the Godliness of your church, whaever our differences as to worship or belief. We agree on MANY MORE POINTS than those upon which we disagree.

God bless you and yours.

[fml]

--Dressing up and showing off feminine beauty and glory is fine OUTSIDE of Church, not within, when all the glory is God's.--

I'm a Catholic woman and it works for me.

[Aliska]

Uh, you do know, don't you, that your female Catholic therapist should not even be THINKING about herself during those 50 minutes you are dearly paying for, much less TALKING about herself. If I were you, I'd shop around for a new one.

See, there you are, locked into roles again. Why shouldn't she mirror some of the things I come to her with with some of her own experiences?