In Monday’s (Jan. 21) Vortex, Michael Voris discusses this
news from Rome via Zenit:
You can read the entire (short) article here. Some of the
highlights are these paragraphs (my emphases):
…The prefect of the
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments criticized existing abuses such as showmanship, and praised moments of
silence "that are action," which enable the priest and the faithful
to talk with Jesus Christ and which exclude the predominance of words that
often becomes showmanship on the
part of the priest…
…The cardinal criticized the
effort to make the Mass
"entertaining" with certain songs -- instead of focusing on the
mystery -- in an attempt to overcome "boredom"
by transforming the Mass into a show.
Well,
it sounds like they’re on the right track! I’m happy that a new publication
will be addressing these issues, but as Michael Voris comments at the end of
the Vortex, the people who are invested in liturgical abuse will not be happy
to receive the news, and they will likely ignore the instruction. After all, we
have had a couple of instructions already – notably, there was Redemptionis Sacramentum, in 2004. That
document, while claiming “liturgical reform inaugurated by the Council has
greatly contributed to a more conscious, active and fruitful participation” in
the Mass, also acknowledged that “shadows are not lacking”, and that
In this regard it is not possible to be silent about the
abuses, even quite grave ones, against the nature of the Liturgy and the
Sacraments as well as the tradition and the authority of the Church, which in
our day not infrequently plague
liturgical celebrations in one ecclesial environment or another. In some
places the perpetration of liturgical abuses has become almost habitual, a fact which obviously cannot be allowed and must
cease. (RS, 4; my emphases)
Some of
the wording, as you see above, was pretty strong. RS even called some abuses “reprobate”! And yet…not much attention
was paid. Not much changed as a result of that document.
But,
hope springs eternal! Maybe Michael Voris is right; maybe this new document does mean that the powers-that-be are
starting to seriously consider the effects of 50 years of bad liturgy.
Here’s
the Vortex, with the script below:
Script:
In further evidence of the epic failure of Church leadership over the past 50 years – AND a sign of encouragement that at least some in the Church are finally trying to change course – the latest news out of the Vatican is noteworthy.
The
Vatican is preparing what amounts to an instruction booklet for priests AND the
faithful on how to properly attend Mass - meaning with reverence and piety and
a worshipful soul.
Imagine
this for a moment. Things have gotten SO bad that the Vatican has to issue what
is essentially a “Mass for Dummies” handbook.
Underscoring
this, late last week, San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone gave a
speech in London England and during the Q & A he lamented rather
dramatically – according to those in attendance – the woeful and near
disgusting lack of silence in the Church before and after each Mass.
What
Catholics – the average Joe Catholic sitting in the pews – have failed to grasp
is the enormous drop off in authentic worship that has overcome a HUGE number
of people sitting at Mass each week.
They
simply do not know or understand – AND have no real grasp that they DO NOT KNOW –
just how bad things have really gotten at Our Lady of Suburbia. And what’s more,
a large number of priests are equally in the dark.
They
haven’t been trained enough in theology; they haven’t been formed sufficiently spiritually
to grasp just how miserable conditions are at Mass each Sunday. Not that all of
this is their fault.
Ignorance
of the truth does excuse a person, to a degree. Just exactly to WHAT degree will
be adjudicated by Our Blessed Lord; but
in the meantime, this ignorance must be overcome.
So…enter
the Vatican’s new manual that they are hoping will be out by the summer. We’re
told there are some rather direct (THANK YOU!) comments in there about priests
needing to stop being showman. Yep.
The Mass
isn’t about Fr. Nice. It’s about worshipping God. It’s supposed to say that in
there as well. The Mass isn’t about gathering as a community and having some
feel good emote-in. It’s supposed to say that in there, too.
The
Mass is the central act of worship, the HIGHEST expression of our Catholicism, because
it is offering to and worshipping God in the precise manner in which He Himself
has commanded it: DO THIS IS MEMORY OF ME.
Stated
in another way from the Vatican cardinal leading the work, the Mass “is the adoration
of God and the salvation of men, which is not a creation of ours, but source
and summit of the Church.”
The
cardinal also blasted the idea of entertaining music being played and certain
songs being sung that are meant to evoke an emotional response and help
overcome boredom.
Yep.
Clearly he’s been to practically any parish in the United States on any given
Sunday, where the “audience” is treated
to a nice rendition and medley of Protestant hymns like “Amazing Grace”, as
well as syrupy-sappy 1970’s and 80’s Catholic hits suitable for banjo and drum
accompaniment.
We’ve
attached a link to the news article that offers more detail. It’s well worth
the read; but in the meanwhile, it’s worth considering, again, that: a) this is
being done…GOOD! And b) that things are so off track, it NEEDS to be done…BAD!!
Now
this is gonna go over like a lead balloon with many of the baby boomer
Catholics who rather like this Church of Nice – and we’re talking about priests
as well as laity. They don’t go to Mass to worship God, they go to worship
themselves – so instructions from that old man in Rome are not gonna be
received joyfully, will be opposed, will be spoken of in derogatory terms
either explicitly or implicitly and slyly by the more career-minded.
But
they can throw fits and whine and yell that the Church is out of step, is
trying to return to the Dark Ages, and all their usual talking points all they
want. The fact is, things are severely messed up, and little by little, steps
are being taken to fix them.
While
it is proving to be ONE VERY LONG day, this much is certain: the sun is continuing
to set on the modernist Catholic crowd. Pray that a peaceful night will soon be
upon us.
