Some Liturgical Considerations

As the bishops debate liturgical language modifications they might do well to consider more substantive liturgical abuses.

Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified

Full of meaning when celebrated on Good Friday, but a pretend mass and regurgitated communion service when used in the absence of a priest is something that totally misses the significance of the offertory by the faithful of the bread and wine which is returned to the people as the body and blood of Christ by which it is and they become the people of God and themselves the Body of Christ.

The Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the tabernacle for the sick, not to be used as snack food in a prayer service. This practice which is an abomination should be abolished.

The Movie Mass

Television provides a great service when those at home can participate from a distance in a Mass actually being celebrated elsewhere but not when it consists in the playing of a tape or movie DVD totally mechanical recording of a pious past event. Another abominable violation of everything Eucharistic Liturgy is meant to be is to “fake” a future liturgy in a recording studio. While the Mass at the time of recording might be valid, it is a movie, not a Mass when preserved and subsequently shown on film.

In the future are we going to send videos to parishes for Sunday Mass or could I buy a DVD of Sunday Masses for Lent and stay in bed and watch.