This is, of course, the Ancient Roman Missal Mass. But the Modern Missal Mass could look like this if one was so inclined to make it look like this. Is this off-putting to the 88% of Catholics who do not go to Mass any longer? Or did this look of the Mass cause the 88% to stop coming since Vatican II?
I ask; you answer.
6 comments:
I come from an Irish Catholic Family. My father and his siblings (8 in total) all attended Sunday Mass prior to the Council. Once the changes started coming, 2 of the 8 stopped going unless it was for a wedding or funeral. Over time, another 2 stopped going. So the "reforms" did not resonate with them. The other 4, including my father, went out of a sense of obligation but thought the changes were nuts. My father particularly detested Communion in the hand. In terms of my siblings (a total of 5 of us) and products of Catholic schools, only 2 of us go regularly go to Mass anymore. In terms of our children, the picture is grimmer. There is a demographic sinkhole that is upon us. But the New Springtime is just around the corner! FYI, no one gives a tinkers dam about the Synods.
The feast of St Philip Neri this year (28 May, transferred because of Ascension) marks the 400th anniversary of his canonization and will be celebrated by the Fathers of the Oxford Oratory with 'especial solemnity'. To be honest, it would be hard to make the regular Solemn Latin OF Mass any more solemn than it is already!
The celebrant and preacher will be none other than HE Cardinal Pell. No doubt he will have packed his cappa magna ...
TJM, since your children’s generation are not practicing the Catholic Faith, although I presume brought up as Catholics, what reason do you believe for this and do they ever have a conversation about it. Why are they not practicing?
Father McDonald,
A few of my children's generation, including my children, still pratice the Faith, notwistanding the Church's best efforts to extirpate their Faith with the idiocies we see coming out of the Vatican almost daily. But if I had to point to one major factor is that they were malformed in the Faith by the post Vatican II Church. The typical Novus Ordo parish has done an abysmal job imparting the truths of the Faith. It's all about LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. But as I have pointed out here before: Jews love, Protestants love, heck, even Atheists love, so if that is what you are selling, you do not have a compelling product. In our day, they taught us about the sacraments and how the sacraments help you to get to Heaven. Personal sanctity was important. I recall going to a class in our Novus Ordo parish when our youngest was about to be baptized. No priest was there but some of his select lay minions were there to instruct us. There was ZERO discussion on the sacrament of Baptism and what it meant to be baptized. They droned on and on about fellowship and love. I was the lone dissenter when I expressed the view if I was looking for fellowship and love I would join the local country club. Keep in mind, I was active in the parish: cantor, choir member, and soloist and my wife taught CCD. So I think lack of compelling message is a big factor, but also dismal, banal liturgies bereaft of tradition have played a huge factor. My pastor thought he was impressing my children when he said the Youth Mass on Sunday Night would be "loosie-goosie." They were unimpressed and never went. I stopped in one Sunday night to see it and the "Youth Mass" was largely attended by grey hairs reliving their "Youth." I could go on but I see these as the primary culprits. And no Synods will fix this.
TJM isn't alone with family members no longer practicing.
The ones who don't, not just family, but, generally, seem easily angered when probed. With some, that anger over being questioned turns into: "So, you're still going to the Church run by pedophiles?" The scandals have been weaponized, unfortunately.
Many run to the embrace of "I pray to God, I don't need Church or, some priest telling me how to live my life _____ (then, enter something about the scandals here)". I've heard others proudly announce something to the effect of: "I haven't been in a church since Aunt Helen's funeral 8 years ago".
Let's face it: The new mass isn't particularly beautiful, it's functional. To me, it's almost beyond tedious to sit through on the very rare occasion that I attend one (I mostly plan my life around always being able to attend Divine Liturgy somewhere). The scandal excuse is weak, but, it evidently is the excuse many were longing for to be free of a problem-plagued institution constantly demanding money with veiled threats regarding participation and salvation. This is the feedback that I've heard. With many, there's just not talking to them. Too many have just moved on never to return. It's a shame.
ByzRus,
The clerical scandals came to light long after the initial damage caused by the Vatican II "reforms" so I agree with your point. The dumbing down of the Mass was the initial catalyst that drove folks out. Somehow "They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love" just does not compete against Mozart's "Ave Verum."
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