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.

Americans need not, no, do not, apply.

The news from Chicago reports the ordination by Cardinal George of eleven new priests for the Archdiocese, none of whom were born in this country. Fifty-one years ago, 45 new priests were ordained for the Archdiocese, virtually all of whom were natives of the Chicago area. One wag commented that “priesthood is a job Americans won’t do today.” Another replied, “Not true. Those who can’t make it in the competitive job market can become priests as late vocations and be secure for life, especially nice if they are gay“.

Some will respond with individual examples, here and there, of good young American born priests being ordained, but these are few and far between and do not reflect the overall situation. All this in spite of constant urging over the past 20 years to pray for vocation . What’s going on? One must wonder if the Catholic people really care as more and more born Catholics depart to other churches because there are no priests to serve them.