Sunday Obligation
My local parish.
For a few months now I have been attending daily Mass at my local parish. There is a new pastor there and he celebrates Mass according to the the prescribed ritual, wears vestments, genuflects before the Blessed Sacrament, etc.. The previous pastor left much to be desired as far as the celebration of Mass and theology.
I still prefer to attend Sunday Mass elsewhere, since the Sunday Mass at my local parish tends to be a bit more raucous - although I will attend, as I did yesterday.
The church has an organ, but they use the piano in the “piano bar” up front. I arrived about 45 minutes early to pray, but the singers were practicing, so I prayed my rosary - out loud. No one else was there so no one could hear me and I went unnoticed. Praying out loud helped me to recollect myself amidst the noise. The singers were laughing and talking really loud - but I could tune them out, and I wasn’t angry about their having fun in Church.
The office of Greeter and Usher.
I was finishing the last decade of the rosary about 5 minutes before Mass - silently now, as people were coming in. An elderly usher grabbed my hand and said good morning, which I thought was nice, and we exchanged a few words about the weather. He slapped my shoulder and thanked me for coming. Huh? Everyone else was talking and greeting one another, but I simply took it in stride.
After the entrance procession and venerating the altar, Father has the habit of asking everyone to sit down while he walks the “audience” to ask where people are from, at the end we all clap to welcome them. Then we all stand and say good morning and introduce ourselves, etc. Finally, Mass begins. At the sign of peace - the entire thing is repeated. After his homily, one guy from Richfield stood up and applauded Father and said “Bravo!” - which seemed kind of nuts to me.
To make a long story short, it felt as if I had just been to a tapeing of Letterman or something. Far too much stimulation for worship. In fact, the entire Mass was not at all conducive to worship or prayer. I’ve been so patient about this for months, but I don’t think I can take it much longer. Daily Mass is fine - but these week-end “gatherings” are getting to me.
Decorum - what’s that?
No wonder everyone comes to Mass in shorts and t-shirts. I honestly don’t really care how people are dressed, or if they come late and leave early, and if there is chatter, I can even endure that - to a point - but don’t conduct Mass like a talk show. And if the “community” has to talk before and after Mass, keep your voices and the bar-room laughter down - people exhibit more discretion at a wake than they do in Church.
The altar girls were totally untrained, without reverence - they do not even fold their hands in an attitude of prayer. During the Eucharistic prayer, one girl was looking out into the congregation, another fixing her hair, while another appeared to be scrapping nail polish off her nails. The cantor was a big busted woman, wearing a tight, nearly flesh colored top, and when she parted and raised her arms to conduct the congregation - well you get the picture. It was like “Animal House”.
I left Church realizing I had not been recollected throughout the entire Mass. I can’t go there on Sundays any longer. Everything militates against authentic prayer and worship. The family behind me talked through the consecration - they obviously did not even realize what was going on at the altar.
I had to wonder if that is what fulfilling the Sunday obligation is all about - you know, just being there?
(My apologies - I hate “whiner” posts like these. Oh, and the photo is not my Church - it is some Church that had a bike up for auction during Mass. Yeah - you tell me.)
July 9th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Any explanation for the pillow?
July 9th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Jeffrey - I haven’t the slightest idesa, except thinking it may be a book stand during the Eucharistic prayer?
July 9th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Blech. What an experience. I think it starts at the top though. Father has to teach and train.
July 9th, 2007 at 11:35 am
You sure that picture isn’t from some sort of memorial Mass? That looks suspiciously like something a parish school would do…
July 9th, 2007 at 11:37 am
That’s horrible - you did a lot better than I would have. I don’t care what people wear to Mass either, as long as it’s modest & not distracting. But the talking. Oy, the kibbitzing! It grates on my nerves to no end. The only Mass I’ve found I can stand at my home parish is the 7am on Sundays; the others have too much “community sharing” going on. I’ve taken to driving the 22 miles down to our Cathedral Basilica for the 5pm Sunday Mass a lot lately. Abp. Burke wouldn’t stand for a “piano bar Mass” or other shenanigans.
July 9th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
nab - you are right - it looks like that - I googled for photos and this came up saying it was a bike auction - but I wonder if it isn’t some sort of memorial after all?
July 9th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Personally I ‘do’ care what people wear to Mass. If I have to see one more butt-thong I think I’ll scream …but I’ll try not to do it during the Mass…
…. and the talking during Mass, oh, that grates, big time. I have the most unchartitable thoughts about banging peoples heads together during the Mass….and then I have to ask for forgiveness because I need to rise above all of those annoyances and get back to where it’s really at. Me and Jesus, coming face to face.
But then I think of the Altar girls and boys who look bored rigid and who are picking their noses and other orifices and ….well, I specifically asked my son to seriously consider not being an altar server when he showed such reluctance to serve. (and he chose not to serve anymore, admitting his heart was not in it).
Anyone who doesn’t have a heart for it, shouldn’t be doing it IMO.
Oh how I hate whiney comments like this…but it does help me to let off steam, so thanks for that.
And clapping….(what can I say, I like dots)….I absolutely refuse to clap for anything in church.
There, that’s better. Phew.
July 9th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
ukok - that is what posts like this are for - letting off steam.
July 9th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Terry: Your blog is starting to scare me. First the bull dyke gang post and now this!
Talking before and after Mass bugs me and you already know how I feel about apparal at Mass.
I should do a post on altar server training or lack therof someday. I’ve noticed how bad it can be too.
July 9th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Cathy, I want you to do that. Post on altar servers - something must be done. No, really - it’s a problem.
And please talk to the women about wearing tight tops - especially with writing on them, or I am going to start wearing bicycle tights to Mass.
July 10th, 2007 at 9:47 am
All the Saints save us please! Anything but that. I’ll put a sign up. Better yet, I better rent some billboards. I wonder if Pro-Life Across America would mind if I just “borrow” their boards for my message?
July 12th, 2007 at 11:28 am
Terry, I completely relate to your experience with Sunday vs. Daily mass. My parish is great for daily Mass - reverent, good following of rubrics, clear to-the-point homilies.
Then comes Sunday and it seems like a performance in which the priests/liturgical people are putting on a show. I am not exaggerating when I say I suffer terribly through the entire thing - from the meet and greet(s) to the lousy music. On Sunday, our day of obligation I must resist fleeing and screaming in pain. I deal with it by bowing my head and offering my suffering to Jesus in the Tabernacle. Walking into Mass on Sunday is like walking into the desert…I pray sometimes over and over “I thirst!”