There is no place for prayer at Sunday Mass…
It’s a celebration!
I left Mass this morning looking forward to the peace and quiet of my home. For some reason, today’s Mass was more like a concert; before and after Mass there seemed to be a continuous roar of the crowd. Mass started off with the processional, which comprised the untrained altar girls, the lectors, and about 20 kids with sparkle-pinwheel-wand things - and then Father of course.
Missa Add-on.
When everyone made it to the sanctuary, Father, as is his custom, had us all sit down while he does his welcome-all-the-visitors-and-find-out-where-they-are-from schtick. Of course, we offer our welcoming applause - then all of us stand up, greet one another, shake hands, laugh out loud, yell across the church, etc. After the penitential rite and a jazzy Gloria, the kids are sent out in a procession for their own liturgy of the word, followed by the adult Liturgy of the Word - punctuated by an incredibly long, sappy responsorial psalm-type number. After the Gospel - no homily - Father introduces a husband and wife comedy team - on two different mikes - pitching a volunteer promo for parishioners to sign up and get active in the church. The husband’s cell phone went off, and guess what - it was God calling to ask for volunteers!
Thanksgiving after Communion din.
After Communion and more awful hymns, we had another stand up - for the people who are doing something this week - we pray over them - then we all stand. Finally, after the final blessing and another awful hymn, all hell breaks loose again. I couldn’t wait to get out of there.
I don’t think Mass is supposed to be so annoying. I have to start going to another church on Sundays. (Sorry to whine, but it is really getting frustrating - the liturgies in the Catholic churches of South Minneapolis are far too protestant for me.)
November 11th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
It sounds like another parish may be your better option. As for it being too “Protestant”, a lot of Protestants wouldn’t think the scenario you describe was reverent or respectful, either.
November 11th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Try the Tridentine Mass Terry - it is really beautiful!
November 11th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Telesia - I think I may do that.
Melody - I think many Protestants wouldn’t have liked it either.
Weekday Masses are fine - Sundays just get to be too theatrical.
November 11th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
I am so blessed. Our little country parish is relatively peaceful and prayerful, even on Sunday.
November 11th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
Ter: Having grown up in South Minneapolis, welcome to my world! The appalling churches is one reason I would have to think REALLY hard about moving back to Minneapolis. Yes, there may be a few that are ok but they are few and far between.
I thought you were driving to St. Agnes on Sundays? I know you’ve been sick lately so maybe that’s why you stayed home. What about St. Helena’s?
November 11th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Terry, the same events are happening here.
Weekday masses(the earlier the better) are prayerful, but the Sunday Mass—it’s seriously depressing, because the “forced frivolity” is bizarre and odd.
November 11th, 2007 at 8:32 pm
Cath-
I do go to St. Agnes, but if I don’t make it to 6:30AM, then I don’t. I also go to Holy Family, but with work on the Crosstown and highway 100, I havent tried to get there. I might go to St. Augustines for the TLM - but trad people freak me out. There is no normal anymore!
November 11th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
Terry–that’s horrible! In our chapel everyone has been trained by our current Priest to be quiet. If someone starts taking Father–gives them the “look” or a gentle tap at the back of the neck. Visitors quickly learn to be quiet.
I’ll pray for you to find a parish with a Priest who respects the reason we go to Mass–to worship God!
November 11th, 2007 at 10:12 pm
I fourth St. Agnes as an oasis of peace and reverence.
November 12th, 2007 at 8:19 am
still in deep deep rural southwest france, terry. internet access almost impossible. back to us for 30 november. have you visited vultus? i was able to make a few posts from the home of friends near nans. love, fr mark p/s root of the problems above? facing the folks. simple.
November 12th, 2007 at 8:41 am
Wow, sounds like a place I’d never set foot in again! Try as I might I can’t think of a good reason to stay at a parish which makes the mass a joke when there is an alternative available. Why not the Basilica of St. Mary, or the Cathedral of St. Paul? They have splendid and solemn masses - I’ve never been disappointed at either place.
I can sympathize with you though. Mass should never be made into a joke, nor a profane celebration of community. Your conscience ought not trouble you to quit such a parish.
November 12th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Sounds horrible! My problem with the chattering before Mass seems small compared to what you are going through.
November 12th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Terry, you poor thing. I’ve experienced the “where y’all from?” queries prior to the opening prayers. Ack! I cringe at the thought (in fact, I just got goosebumps). Pinwheels? Laughing at the sign of peace? If I were a parishioner there, I’d probably start cutting myself. I drive 25 miles each Sunday to attend Mass at our archdiocesan basilica. No fun & games, no nonsense. Just beautiful liturgy.
November 12th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
At Mass yesterday they sang “I’ll fly away” (from O Brother where art Thou). I know I shouldn’t venture far from St. Agnes or risk my sanity.
Nativity has an 11am (I believe that’s the time) that is more traditional and it’s not too far across the river from you. You could also try Holy Trinity in SSP. It bites having to scout out a church that you feel comfortable in.
November 12th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
I’ll Fly Away is one of the most recorded gospel songs of all times. It was written by Alfred Brumley in 1929 and first recorded in 1932. I taught it to my youth group and they did sing it at Mass. It is a way better song than some of the slop served up in Glory and Praise.
November 13th, 2007 at 4:10 am
Adrienne, I agree that I’ll Fly Away is a great song. But that doesn’t mean it’s appropriate for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. (Not as bad as pinwheels, I guess, which I also like in their proper place!)
Terry, I feel your pain! I hope you are able to find a parish that offers the Mass reverently.
November 13th, 2007 at 7:34 am
have you ever noticed the volume of comments is higher when the topic is of this nature?
Yet there is so much on this blog to comment about, the stirring posts, the beautiful imagery and insightful spirit filled posts.
Just an oberservation.
November 14th, 2007 at 8:39 am
Yes, but the terrible masses, the dreadful songs, the ex temporaneus speeches by priests and laity, the applause, ad naus. is worth commenting on too because the salt of the earth, the faithful, are being persecuted by their own clergy in the Church so that the clerics may indulge their academic affectations and post-Woodstock fashionability rather than serve God and the servants of God, His people.
November 15th, 2007 at 12:21 am
Everyone, I must say “mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa!” Talking before Mass annoys me, too, but I do it myself. It’s so easy to when everyone else, even the priest, does it at my parish. I’m sorry.
December 10th, 2007 at 11:00 am
Hi Terry,
Just working my way through the St. Blog’s list of active blogs, and Abbey Roads is at the top. Scanning through the archives and came across this post about the awful liturgy. I felt bad for you.
I really am spoiled at my parish — Holy Trinity in Westmont, IL. The pastor is liturgically correct (was a scholastic at a Benedictine monastery when he was in college), the music is well-done and balanced in its mix of contemporary and classic hymnody, the altar servers, lectors, and lay EMs are well-trained, special occasion Masses are splendid, Eucharistic adoration is strong, and so on. I am so spoiled by this parish that I was actually surprised to hear that shenanigans like the ones you described are still going on. That kind of stuff is so 20th century…
If, by the end of Mass, you are seething with annoyance, you probably should find another parish. When I lived in California I came across many parishes where liturgical abuses were common, stayed briefly with a view toward thinking I could actually do something about it, then moved on when I realized my own faith and charity would suffer if I stayed.
Not sure if you’ve been following any the of the Golden Compass/Phillip Pullman/His Dark Materials stuff, but I’ve compiled a bunch of links and posted them to my blog to assist other Catholics in their research:
http://claresiobhan.stblogs.com/2007/12/10/stack-o-links-the -golden-compass-phillip-pullman-and-his-dark-materials/
Hope your spam filter is working okay. Doesn’t St. Blog’s/Wordpress have that Akismet spam filter thingy? Try that.
Clare