Press title for long, good article:
Reflections on authority in liturgy today
Editor’s note: This essay was presented in a slightly different form as a plenary address to the Colloquium of the Church Music Association of America in Philadelphia on July 3, 2019.
Introduction
In some Anglican circles the acronym “WVL” raises a smile. It is not infrequently employed when visiting clergy ask about the type of service celebrated in a given church or chapel. It stands, of course, for “What the Vicar likes”.
Last night I visited friends I have known since 1969 when I worked at the Dairy Queen/Brazier in Augusta as a 15 year old. They were one year older than me and married as 17 year olds just graduated from high school, both Catholic, married in the Church and still married since 1970! Last night I became a 15 year old for better or for worse!
But I digress, this couple had other family members over and I got into a discussion about liturgy with one of them. In fact, I was impressed how many of the extended family remain practicing Catholics. The guy I was discussing liturgy with who is active in his parish, one the finance council told me that the new pastor there is a traditionalist and this is running off people from the parish because he uses more Latin, chants and uses incense. The worse offense, in his mind, is that he no longer allows altar girls. I don't think he's gone ad orientem yet or ballistic for that matter.
Let's leave Latin and ad orientem out of it, what is traditionalist about a sung Ordinary Form Mass with the use of incense? What would this offend anyone.
In the extraordinary Form of the Mass, there are basically three versions of the Mass. The Low Mass, a Mass that is not sung, although hymns might be inserted, a sung or high Mass, with or without incense and the Solemn High with deacon, subdeacon and a variation of more complicated ceremony. The latter was/is very rare in most parishes.
The point being, the priest or the congregation did not decide how the Mass would be celebrated apart from the various gradations. Most parishes had low Masses and maybe a weekly high Mass at the same time, what was called the principle Mass.
Today, though, the priest or the congregation have all kinds of ideas of how to celebrate the Ordinary Form and it becomes a hybrid of all sorts of things, depending on the priest or what the congregation wants. No music, some music, causal, formal, worship and praise, chant, ad orientem or not, Ordinary Form or Extraordinary Form. And the rubrics? These are sidestepped or mutilated depending on the personality and wants of the priest. In other words, the Mass as become a reflection of a designer priest or congregation.
Thus the article I link above this post hits the mark. But with all the liturgical diversity today, I see almost no hope to a return to a uniform liturgy that every Catholic in the world could attend and recognize as the same no matter where they go. So much for Church unity.
20 comments:
"Why would this offend anyone?" (Use of incense).
Well, it depends on the dosage...I have seen some people react uncomfortably when there is too much of it, or a certain type...be sure when you use it, there is a good ventilation system! At the parish in 30327, we use it mainly on the major feast days, like the Easter Vigil and Christmas, but not typically on an ordinary Sunday. Of course if you have a Mass outside, the incense can just flow naturally into the sky (though it is pretty hot in Georgia this time of year to have anything outside---the Lord has our weather pretty much on "auto pilot" until September---high temps and humidity day after day, with little variety.)
A friend of mine who attends Atlanta's Episcopal cathedral says incense is not used as much at their Evensong service because some of the choir was allergic to it.
Just more malformation following Vatican Disaster II! If pastors simply told their congregations what Sacrosanctum Concilium actually says about Latin, Gregorian Chant, etc., the problem might eventually go away, but for some "strange" reason they choose to withhold this vital information. I guess it's kind of ecclesiastical "Omerta."I now belong to the Diocese of Fort-Wayne South Bend having escaped the Archdiocese of Chicago run by faux catholic Cupich which is still shedding Catholics and parishes.
Apparently the bishop in FWSB is supportive of traditional practices, such as ringing of the offertory bells, encouraging the use of Latin, the exclusive use of altar boys and other traditional liturgical practices. So the lefty busy-bodies complaining to the bishop will not find a sympathetic ear here! In my small parish, the Church is now packed, no one is fleeing or clutching their pearls. The young pastor is amazing. He took himself to Chicago to St. John Cantius and he ow says the EF once a month. This is our future, Thanks be to God. .
As the Priests procession goes from the back of the church to the sanctuary, I often think of Peter walking on water.
"faux catholic Cupich."
So, TJM, if he is a "false" Catholic, does that mean the sacraments he offers are invalid? Like are his ordinations as (in)valid as an Anglican one? Anyone confirmed by him?
Chicago is shedding Catholics and parishes? Really? Maybe something to do with people moving below the Mason-Dixon line/ I mean, is it not as if Illinois these days is a model place in which to do business---high taxes and regulations, out of control public pensions...kinda like Connecticut, New Jersey and New York too? Florida's population has tripled since 1970.
Anonymous K,
I assume Cupich was validly ordained, but he went off the rails long ago. He supports every left-wing loon interpretation of Catholic doctrine, hence PF loves him. I used to live in Chicago. There were many parishes filled with Catholics within walking distance of the church who simply no longer went to Church and paid into the til, and the parishes closed. This dynamic is ongoing. Vatican Disaster II "success" stories abound in Chicago where Cupich allows openly gay priests to run parishes and gives racists like Pfleger free rein, but orthodox priests are harassed and driven out. I guess Cupich follows PF's "mercy" model - mercy for apostates but none for the orthodox.
Father McDonald,
Off topic but I couldn't resist sending you this comment from a priest posting over at Father Z's:
@FrDaveNix
Walking through NYC in a cassock all day today. I find overwhelming kindness from people of all races, ages, classes and religions…all except white liberals who glare at me the same way they would have stared at a black person 100 years ago.
If we could start by getting people to return to the propers of the Liturgy, this might help the west, following the Liturgical texts, it might begin to remedy some of these things.
The Liturgy ideally should be a symphony, each doing the part that belongs to them. The Liturgy is a gift received. Unfortunately many just treat the Liturgy as something to be trampled down upon.
The problem with the Novus Ordo is that there are so many options that it is impossible to say which is normative - unless variety itself is regarded as normative. When I am not singing for the EF I attend a solemn Latin Novus Ordo Mass which could almost be seen as a 'Use' of the Roman Rite were it not the product of deliberate and some would say arbitrary choice.
Most parishes have a vernacular spoken Mass punctuated by hymns, some of them 'traditional', some 'modern'. The Roman Canon is rarely used. I would find it almost unbearably dull, but it is most people's customary fare, so I'm not knocking it.
When the new translation came out in 2011 I downloaded the chanted version and sang it through, including the Scripture readings (ICEL's website shows how to point the chant for these). Perhaps this is what the creators of the Novus Ordo had in mind? It certainly solves what they regarded as the 'Low Mass problem'.
But it is hardly, if ever, resorted to.
TJM:
"If pastors simply told their congregations what Sacrosanctum Concilium actually says about Latin, Gregorian Chant, etc., the problem might eventually go away..."
But SC is the problem. How can one have a magisterial document that says "Do this", and a few words later say, "But you don't have to do this when..." with all sorts of exceptions that follow which can easily become the rule:
"36. 1. Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites.
2. But since the use of the mother tongue...." SC
The clever document, mostly with ideas by the radical Josef Jungman, is filled with this Modernist ploy to bring about the already envisioned radical changes of the Liturgical Movement at a later date.
Where was the parish in question where the traditionalist has been "running off" parishioners?
Speaking of "running off", Democrats are doing that with their mouths in the latest episode of "Trump Tweets", Pelosi and crowd wanting to pass a resolution condemning Trump for supposedly racist tweets about the 4 "you know who" (some might say the modern-day 4 Horsemen of that last book in the Bible). Maybe Republicans should make a deal here: We'll agree to a resolution condemning Trump for supposedly racist tweets if the resolution also condemns another form of racism or eugenics---the millions of deaths of innocent black babies thru abortion. I mean, what could be more racist that not even being allowed to live? But I doubt there would be any House Democrats agreeing to such a deal, as in that party, abortion is basically and unfortunately a "sacrament". Heck, Pelosi won't even allow a vote in the House on legislation to stop late-term abortions....
"The worse offense, in his mind, is that he no longer allows altar girls."
Lol. So did you set him straight?
Hopefully you told him that sure the liberals will leave but given time they will be replaced by Tradition minded folk.....and young families.
Anonymous at 12:15 (definitely no K),
Fake catholics who post here and vote for the Dem Party aka the Abortion Party are supporting intrinsic evil and are no longer worthy of being treated as Catholics, and that includes bishops and priests. Archbishop Cordileone, whom I used to respect, is a coward. He should have excommunicated Nasty Pelosi years ago.
Anonymous from 30327 agrees with TJM on Pelosi. Oh, and the irony of my congressman, ultraliberal John Lewis, speaking out on the Trump resolution yesterday and saying he knows racism when he sees it---really? I wonder what percentage of babies aborted in his district are black? Yet you are as likely---or unlikely---to hear him ever condemn abortion as you are to see snow being cleared from the streets of Savannah this time of year, or Pelosi ever admitting any domestic spending (non-defense) can ever be cut.
Father McDonald said..."But with all the liturgical diversity today, I see almost no hope to a return to a uniform liturgy that every Catholic in the world could attend and recognize as the same no matter where they go. So much for Church unity."
Father, Church unity does not rest upon liturgical uniformity.
For example, within the Latin Church, the typical pre-Vatican rushed 20-minute Low Mass, which betrayed the Latin Church's liturgical tradition, differed dramatically from the liturgical experience that one encountered via the Solemn High Mass.
Nevertheless, the Church remained united.
During the past few Pontificates, our Popes have offered solemn Novus Ordo Latin Masses, as well as Masses that were heavy on inculturation.
Nevertheless, the Church remained united.
Anyway, I agree that the notion of unified liturgy (within the Latin Church) is out the window.
To connect to God in the manner best suited to them, some Latin Catholics require the TLM, others the Novus Ordo.
Some require Charismatic Masses. Some require inculturated liturgy. Some require the Ordinariates.
Unity in diversity.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
"Hence the Church which has Christ for its founder is not to be characterized by any merely accidental or internal spiritual union, but, over and above this, it must unite its members in unity of doctrine, expressed by external, public profession; in unity of worship, manifested chiefly in the reception of the same sacraments; and in unity of government, by which all its members are subject to and obey the same authority, which was instituted by Christ Himself."
Whether one celebrates the Sacraments, including the mass, in an Eastern Rite, the Novus Ordo, the Anglican Use, the EF style, the Mozarabic Rite, or some other Catholic format, the Sacraments are the same. Celebrated in Latin or English, with hymnody or Gregorian chant, the Sacraments are the same. The priest celebrant can wear a maniple or not, a conical or gothic chasuble, he can conjoin his thumb and forefinger or not - the Sacraments are the same.
Unity is too often confused with uniformity.
Father,
Our Local Roman Catholic Church had a priest who reintroduced incense, traditional statuary, and the use of Latin. Many of the older folks in their 70s and 80s vehemently protested to the Vicar, Chancellor and Bishop. Others left. And, this was an OF mass, not an EF.
On the other hand, the young were attracted - the more traditional the liturgy and more devotions the more families are attracted.
The priest died and the parish was combined, so that they have three priests and a deacon. There is a clear push towards tradition amongst laity in their twenties in this particular case.
Since I am a Ukrainian Greek Catholic, I enjoy introducing young Roman Catholics to Pseudo-Dionysius and St. Symeon of Thessalonika. Once they understand the mystagogy of the divine liturgy, they are no longer satisfied with the normal praxis of a Novus Ordo, but want reverence and a more traditional orthopraxis for the Novus Ordo.
I have heard that the devil does not like incense.
Yes unity is in the Sacraments (T will be with you always), but it is also in the teachings of Jesus (Doctrine...if you love me you will obey my commandments). Liturgy is the highest form of catechesis so if you have watered down liturgy, yes you still have the sacraments but unity is affected due to liberal attitudes towards Doctrine. In fact the theology behind the sacraments might also be affected by a liberal view.
In a similar vein, “His Beatitude Sviatoslav advised how to enlighten the Liturgy”. The articles’ “Google translate” can be viewed at this address
Mike
Congregations at Mass (greatly attenuated in recent years) are not necessarily what is meant by 'the laity'.
Congregations tend to be resistant to change. Most of them only know the 'four hymn sandwich' and resist any attempt to modify it. The fact that Bugnini was saying in 1967 that hymns at Mass were no longer appropriate, or that there are better ways of celebrating the liturgy in 2019, makes no difference - remove one hymn, or ask that they sing the Propers in a simple English version, and they will first complain and then leave.
So what of congregations in the 1960s? Surely they had to put up with a much greater disruption? Indeed they did, but the culture of 'obligation' and obedience was far stronger then than it is now. It only began to be eroded after 1970 which is when the haemorrhage kicked in.
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