I was wondering the other day about just how much exactly Catholics have lost over the past x-number of years. I'm coming at this from the point of view of someone who has stumbled across bits and pieces (considered by some people to be a bit of an irrelevance, or old fashioned) and had to find out about the Faith rather than having it expounded and explained.
So, apart from things like loss of reverence for the Blessed Sacrament, absence of silence in church, music that you've outgrown by the time you've left infant school, and the focus of Mass very often being on us rather then Him, what devotions do you think could be brought back that would show people the richness of the heritage it's almost embarrassing to talk about?
What would you like to do in your own parishes - apart from the Latin Mass - that could interest the post V2 generation for whom it might be a bit confusing?
11 comments:
Communion on the tongue whilst kneeling and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in latin.
Absolutely to both of those!
I echo the comments of MC Man but also bring back the EF mass to all our churches sweep away all the brain rot we have to endure and I am sure all the old devotions would naturally follow.Open the doors and reveal all the treasures that have been denied the faithful down the years.
MC Man has beaten me to it. I would, and do, say the same. Also, make the Tabernacle the central focus again and communion kneeling requires Altar rails. (Bishop please note). And how many people genuflect these days apart from the faithful rebels that go to EF Masses?
Robert Hugh Benson’s excellent ‘Lord of the World’ has the Tantum Ergo pealing out at the end of this world. “Then this world passed, and the glory of it”. A difficult read, but quite prophetic in many ways and well worth the effort.
Some parishes do attempt to have Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. In ours we have a weekly 2 hour slot – but it is sometimes difficult to maintain two watchers throughout this short period. But then we have a Sunday Mass attendance of only about 800!!
I greatly regret that Indulgences seem to be a thing of the past – few people understand them and only a few of the few actually believe what Holy Church teaches.
I don’t remember processions in the small market town where I was a child, but I do envy (again) Blackfen Parish for what Fr Tim Finigan is doing there. But let’s have some of them too.
Not a devotion in itself but bring back The Westminster Hymnal, without any politically correct alterations, and put the organ and choir back upstairs!
On a positive note, it does seem to me that the Rosary is more “popular” than when I was a teenager pre Vat II. Or perhaps I wasn’t aware of it then. Am I wrong?
In my spiritual life, the two things closest to my heart - both of which I am actively involved with - are ongoing, adult orthodox catechesis and 'quality' liturgical music. The latter is most appropriate here, and when I say 'quality', I'm in no way being subjective or elitist: I'm referring to the best of artistic glory which God has distilled through his people, and that includes Missa De Angelis plainchant, every bit as much as Mozart's Requiem. The point is that 'modern, dumbed-down, easy-peasy liturgical musac' in no way celebrates the glory of God, and what He has made possible through the artistic abilities of His people. There are few things more spiritually uplifting than hearing the Credo III being proclaimed enthusiastically and devotionally by a unified body of worshippers in a small, rural church.
David I think that you must accept that although the EF mass is here to stay it will not replace the OF mass in normal parish life.We must ensure that the OF mass is celebrated with reverance according to the rubrics by devout priests and supported by devout congregations.Frequent use of incence,quality vestments,well trained servers,good music etc.Its no use boycotting OF masses and just travelling around to EF masses our energies should also be channeled into helping our parishes get it right in the OF mass supporting our priests who are trying to support The Holy Fathers endevours.
The OF mass has become a meal not a sacrifce with altars the size of a postage stamp until greater reverence is shown to the Blessed Sacrament with the tabernacle not shoved into some out of the way corner.I pray one day i will awake and find that what has happend post V11 has been a horrible nightmare.
If EF Mass cannot be arranged - for whatever reason - then at least EF Benediction, preferably preceded by Rosary. And PROPER sermons, i.e., more about orthodox Catholic doctrine and teaching; yes, penny catechism stuff.
As to OF Masses, let it be noted that there is nothing in the documents of VatII concerning priests facing people, altars being shifted, sanctuaries extensively (and expensively) 're-ordered', etc. As to OF Masses, just do them the way the Oratorians do (go to Brompton and see for yourself). Surely priests who are dead set against the EF could find it in their hearts to 'do' the OF Brompton-style, perhaps even sometimes in Latin? It would all be perfectly consonant with the VatII of which they say they so fond.
The OM can be said reverently, and communion can be received kneeling. So much can be done to make the OM resemble Catholic worship. If a parish is truly Catholic in its outlook, it will accommodate both rites side by side. But there is a heck of a long way to go when you look at the average parish. Two generations of dire liturgy and modern (if any)catachesis will take a long time to correct.
Martin:
I don't recall any really Catholic catechesis apart from the RCIA programmes (which I've never done) from any parish I've ever been in, and I don't think I missed it! On, for example, Corpus Christi it would be so easy to have a homily on the Real Presence,why genuflecting isn't an option for the able, and why silence is so important, but I've never heard one in a parish.
So yes, SurreyC, why not have the penny catechism used!
An OF Mass can be reverently said, trouble is they are usually so noisy - not a single moment of silence before, during, or after Holy Communion, the sanctuary so full of extra special ministers bustling about, that reverence gets lost in the square dance of handing round chalices. Receiving only from the hands of a priest would also completely change the atmosphere of an OF Mass, as well as being *allowed* to kneel.
MC:
You are absolutely right about not abandoning our own parishes in search of the EF. Trouble is, I can't do without my fix of real reverence, peace, and prayer. Those three things I don't get locally, therefore I have to travel, and it's not at at all ideal (and not having to sing or hear I Watch the Sunrise is always a real treat).
I would love to hear indulgences, novenas, the rosary, devotion to the Sacred Heart - I could go on and on - mentioned from the pulpit... *sigh*...
BENEDICTION
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