Our two daughters have been on vacation at their grandparents' house in Corpus Christi. God bless their Lutheran grandparents who love their Catholic granddaughters enough to make sure that they got to Mass this morning. Unfortunately, the Catholic Church closest to my in-laws house is not the most orthodox. (It has a Noah's Ark puppet theater at the front of the church. Enough said.)
Over the years of traveling with our children, we have been to too many bad Masses. Offensive music, made up liturgies, and just general craziness have led us to teach our children the value of validity. From the first grade on, our children can recite the four requirements necessary for transubstantiation to take place and the Mass to be valid. They are:
1. A validly ordained male priest.
2. Intent of the priest.
3. Matter- unleavened bread and grape wine
4. Form - The priest must speak the words "This is my Body" and "This is my Blood."
As long as these four requirements are met, we have met our Sunday obligation no matter what other kind of wackiness takes place. I have no words to express the depth of my sorrow that these lessons have to be taught to my children at all.
This morning after sitting through the bad garage band music and the puppet show at the offertory, the Consecration took place and it was indeed according to the rubrics. My eldest daughter told me of her relief as the priest spoke the necessary words and she knew that God was truly present in the Eucharist. He was there despite the insult and the watered down liturgy, in spite of the lack of reverence which made my daughter's voice quiver in the retelling, the Eucharist was the Body of Christ.
Her text message to me as they left the parish parking lot said it all. "It was a valid Mass. They had a puppet show. I was a valid Mass." Thank God that it was, and that my girls knew enough to recognize it for what it was.
19 comments:
Thanks so much for visiting my blog! I'm glad you liked the charm. I actually got mine from the hospital. They have a perinatal and prenatal loss program, and that is one of the things they give grieving moms. But, if you google "baby feet heart charm," you can find MANY sites that sell the exact charm. That's where I got my image for my post. I hope you find one you like!!!
I'm trembling in shock and sadness at the close of Corpus Christi Sunday, as I happened upon your hurtful and judgemental characterizations of the Holy Mass. It is horrifying to read you are raising children via a heartless prism and sans prayer paradigm of a pharisee. I could never fathom the Blessed Mary ever thinking such sacrilege and offending Her Son.
Although thankfully there are few who hold such an extreme perspective, you are scary. I sincerely pray you never face the degree of scrutiny which you inflict upon other servants of Our Lord.
We have the same level of liturgical abuse that happens in Michigan. It is hard going out of town or going on vacation because one can never be sure if it is a Catholic Mass or a protestant prayer service being held in a Catholic church. In many ways we are back in the catacombs, but our Lord and the Blessed Mother are with us as promised in Holy Scripture. Keep voicing these good Catholic posts! -Loretta
As a converted Catholic married to a cradle Catholic, I am saddened that you are so judgmental. It reminds why it took me over 20 years to join my husband's faith. I hope your children one day learn tolerance and realize there is joy and spirituality in celebrating Mass whether or not it meets your narrow definition of what an acceptable Catholic mass is.
To lwilson: you would also have to say your last sentence to the Pope (and all previous Popes), because the Popes are the ones entrusted with the 'definition of what an acceptable Catholic mass is', NOT the owner of this blog. The blog only stated solid Catholic teaching. Oh, and, if the Mass is not valid, then there is NO Mass going on. -Loretta
@lwilson and @sensus fidei - The Mom is just reflecting Catholic teaching, nothing more and nothing less. You might be hurt by that but there's no point blaming her, she didn't create the Church. God did, and gave the authority to Peter; he passed it to subsequent Popes and the bishops. They teach, inter alia, through Catechism of the Catholic Church. In what way has the Mom departed from the CCC?
To all those who see departure from the rubrics as 'participation', and 'involvement' in the celebration of the Mass...last time I checked, a puppet theater was not amongst the approved options. Go ahead and get a copy of the GIRM, and the CCC. It isn't lightweight reading, but apparently it needs to become standard.
The Mass is not what *we* make it. It is what God makes it. And, Mom, thank you for teaching your children how to recognize a valid Mass. Goodness knows, it is so terribly sad that it even has to be taught...but I am glad that they know (and glad that they didn't have to try and find another Mass to go to, that would hopefully be valid).
I just wish more people would realize that the Mass is not some "let's go with whatever we feel like adding/subtracting from the Mass" free-for-all...gag...that's part of why I reconciled myself to the Church and converted in 2006. Left that protestant nonsense and mindset behind...only to find it in certain circles in the Church...
(the thought of a puppet theater makes me want to go bleach my mind, btw)
The remedy can be summed up as follows...
Traditional Latin Mass (alias -- Extraordinary Roman Rite).
But I don't think it's sad that #1 knows the definition of a valid mass. I think it's glorious!
Still parents could properly catechize their children (which I know you do) without the scandal.
What I think is sad is that Sunday mass-goers who know that reverence in front of the Blessed Sacrament is essential for proper worship and our own sanctification are made to feel like Super Catholics, instead of ordinary ones.
OK, I'll go crawl back to my blog-free cave now.
God bless The Mom!
The truth of this post (the validity of the Mass) is what makes me want to join the Catholic Church.
The mentality of this post (judgments and over-generalization) makes me want to forget the whole christian thing.
It's kind of a daily battle in my head.
Young Mom - yes, we can be a quarrelsome bunch. But don't let our own shortcomings give you pause to join the Church founded by Christ. It is true and it is beautiful.
No one who has posted here wants to be an impediment to your full conversion. I will pray for you, and I hope you will pray for me as well.
LarryD-You beat me to it!
Young Mom- If something in either the tone in which I wrote or the tone in which you read it caused you distress, I profoundly apologize. I love my Church with all that I am because it leads me to Christ. Seeing liturgical abuse not only saddens me, but makes me spitting mad. I rewrote and deleted several times this morning in an attempt to be charitable and still make my point.
I have read your own blog long enough to know that you would agree that a repilca of Noah's Ark which is 3 ft tall x 4 1/2 ft long, and has beanie babies glued all over the "deck" with a person inside of it with the Noah hand puppet...which is then wheeled out to the center aisle during the offertory so that children can bring up their parents' offerings and hand them to the puppet really has no place in what should be a holy and reverent thing. Add this together with a band that said "thank you" at the end of every song and a priest who ad- libbed his way through the whole Mass and you will get to the point I am at. I am sorry if my hurt and outrage offend you, but this is the church I love and my children are being brought up in. That my 13 year old kept looking at the books in the pew to confirm that it really was a Catholic Church should never have had to be.
I thank God that my in laws were willing to take the girls to Mass, but I am saddened that this was the Mass they went to.
As a new parent I am sooooo hurt and scared by:
Sensus Fidei
&
Lwilson
My reasons:
SF:
How is being judgmental on your end ok? But you indict The Mom of being the same? Not only that... Corpus Christi Sunday? (be charitable Joe.... be charitable)
As parents, must we not instruct the young and the properness of the faith? Should they not know what their faith truly is, in such an authentic way, that should they encounter a "false prophet" they know it for what it is? The greatest trick the devil ever played was convincing the world he doesnt exist. I would say his second greatest trick, is convincing the faithful that he HAS NOT INFILTRATED the CHURCH... because he has.
LW:
Joy and Spirituality are wonderful things. They are not however effects or products of the Mass solely on intent. In fact GRACE is the major component of output from most Sacraments. That being said, what IS THE PROPER definition of the Mass? You say The Moms is too narrow, what is the CORRECT definition? where do we find it? Why is it TRUE? The faith CAN NOT and SHOULD NOT be all things to all people... it must contain the truth.
Wow... I usually dont participate in such threads but I am done with all of this nonsense in our faith. It isn't that I think I am 100% right... I just can analyze what I read as truth: the Bible, the Catechism, the GIRM, the patristic historical narrative, Hagiography, etc... and when I compare modernist views of the Church with my own... one is alot closer to the Truth!
The Catholic Church is big enough to have EVERYONE under its nice big tent... but what we MUST NOT do is change what it means to be CATHOLIC simply to suit our own desires and ideas. WE MUST conform our ideas and desires to that of the FAITH!
UGH! This is why Churches are empty, parishes are divided, and our children our diseased, dying, and lost. We can't even agree with ourselves, when we have the ANSWERS WRITTEN DOWN FOR US! It is like we are failing an open book exam... it is so sad.
- Puppets have no place in a Mass. Ever. Ever. EVER!
- The Mass has rubrics, norms, AKA RULES! They... just like the bible are descendant from God's will and word. PERIOD.
- The Faith is not all things to all people. It is the truth. Some people really want to believe and truly believe in the IDEA of God and maybe even God, they just dont FOLLOW HIS COMMAND. This means they are astray. They could be wonderful and amazing people... but they do not follow the TRUTH. Look at MORMONS. Great people... just horribly misguided and wrong about their religion.
- Tolerance isn't the acceptance of all things as GOOD and TRUE. In fact the most common FIRST definition is to endure hardship or pain... something tells me going to a PUPPET mass is the representational DEFINITION OF TOLERANCE!
- I want a sword... really... a flaming sword...
- We must teach our children to be ready to DIE for their faith. Not in a "kill other people while youre at it" sort of way, but a Joan of Arc, St Lucy, St Agnes, St. Perpetua & Felicity, sort of way... CLING to the TRUTH, THE FAITH, and yet... be willing to give up this temporary place for Heaven!
Ugh... I am done, I am hot... this mentality is what is destroying our parishes around the world... it must end... not for our own sake, but for our CHILDREN... and more importantly for the GLORY of GOD.
First off, no single person is responsible for my soul's health.
But, I've heard this same mentality from many Christians, Protestant and Catholic. Puppets admittedly aren't my cup of tea, but that approach may have been very edifying to many of the people gathered there. One person's liturgical abuse is another person's way of relating to God. Who am I to judge? Yes, a valid mass is a reasonable rule for Catholic worship but as your children noted, this mass was validly conducted.
As a pastor's wife, I've heard complaints of, "that service was boring", "the sermon seemed too scripted", "the music was too loud", "too soft", or not "Spirit filled" enough and every other critique imaginable. Too many people want everyone else to worship God exactly as they do.
If I had a dollar for all the put downs I've heard on Catholic worship from Protestants I'd be rich. What appeals to me about the Catholic Church is her unity with diversity. Both the Latin Mass and the Vatican II Mass (even with puppets and drums) is a valid mass. That's something I really appreciate from my Protestant history. As a kid the Baptists thought the Methodist were going to hell. This Protestant mentality is evidently a human mentality and if I do decide to convert I evidently won't be escaping the "too modern" "too dull" and "overly somber" judgments on worship from people called Christians.
Irregardless, the Mass isn't there for our entertainment. The Mass is enough when the rubrics are followed.
I became Catholic in 1996 . . . I learn something new every day. I find out the WHY to my questions so I can understand it. When I try to explain it, I must do so in charity.
I think the mom is spot on teaching her kids the proper form - and I do not think she's doing it in a way that makes her children unforgivably discerning. I have attended many Masses where there were wild things going on (not according the the rubric). I just pray and try and stay focused on Jesus. I may NOTICE when things are wrong, then I ask God to love us anyway. Love them for their mistakes and love me for even being slightly critical of them. It's hard, but it can be done. I ask Him and Mother Mary to guide my thoughts and actions every single minute.
Young Mom:
You are spot on in one major regard: the validity of the Mass is the crucial element, but due to the fact that you are looking at the Mass through a protestant lens may blur some of the edges.
Validity alone does not end the discussion. In other words... passing is one thing, getting an "A" is wholly another. Therefore I offere some guidance...albeit lacking in fulness...but hopefully it will add a Catholic perspective... with CITATIONS
Please use this website for looking up the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) references, just enter the number in the search bar: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm
1. The Mass isn't about the PEOPLE. It is about God. The unity is not from us, the faithful, necessarily coming together to WORSHIP, our unity comes from the EUCHARIST, and its creation of the Body of Christ (see CCC #1382, 1396, 1398, 960). Protestant worship lacks this feature, the Eucharist, and therefore the unity of diversity may be a goal of the protestant faithful, however it is not true for the Mass.
2. That being said, diversity can be a part of the Catholic faithful, and even the Mass as long as its ENDS do not actually creaty DISUNITY, which we often find when PUPPET SHOWS and other such things occur. The reason why folks call them liturgical abuse is because it creates "schism, and provke tensions." (CCC: 1206, 353, 1382, 1202.)
3. The Liturgy has a set of BARE minimums to be considered a MASS. We should attempt to move beyond that, to strive for the Sacred. The structure is Sacred and ANCIENT. It derives not from the needs of MEN but from the DESIRE OF GOD. Mass is our way of abiding God's command to: "Take, Eat; and Take, Drink." It is directed heavenly, it is Sacramental, it is Sacred, it is (CCC: 1071, 1202, 1346, 1074, 1111, 1204, 1679, etc...)
My comment will leave absent reference to the writings of the Pope or other theologians, instead I wish to only show what the TEACHING of the FAITH says about it. So you are not far off... again I think you just view the MASS as SIMILAR to Protestant Worship, when it is a very different thing. Yes it is WORSHIP, rightly so, but the MASS is not SOLELY the UNIFIED WORSHIP of the Faithful. In fact, Mass does, and MUST occur by the Priesthood even sans congregation.
What I the original poster was saying, or at least what I feel is that when the MASS is altered, in a way to be "made relevant" to the faithful, or a certain GROUP of the faithful, the entire FOCUS of the Mass is shifted in a very offensive and incorrect way. And although a Mass still might occur within the other ACTIONS of the people, the periphy of the celebration is in no way PART of that Mass. (Think of a Wedding Party... and think of a TABLE, celebrating the birthday of a guest. That birthday, just happens to be AT the Wedding, and the celebration of the birthday, although tied by TIME AND PLACE to the wedding is not requisite of the Wedding, and in fact, may be seen by many as OFFENSIVE AND DETRACTING of the main celebration the purpose of the gathering. Although it does not destroy the VALIDITY of the WEDDING, it still detracts from it... by removing SOME FOCUS FROM THE PARTY. (I speak of these only in terms of PARTIES, not in their SACRAMENTAL NATURE.)
I hope this helps, and I in no way mean to be OFFENSIVE, CONDESCENDING, or PATRONIZING. I hope it adds clarity... if nothing else, perspective.
Joe- While I completely agree (based on over 2 years of study into the Catholic faith, as well as my husband's 3 years in Seminary) that the Catholic and Protestant ideas of worship are very different, I have found that Catholics and Protestants share a common humanity.
I use that link for the catechism all the time for writing on my own blog. We have our own paper copy and I am excited to say we are about 30 pages from being done reading it all the way through, out loud as a family.
I appreciate all the great perspectives in the Church, including your's.
I was done.... but then I saw this:
"America, it is said, is suffering from intolerance.
It is not.
It is suffering from tolerance of right and wrong,
truth and error,
virtue and evil,
Christ and chaos.
Our country is not nearly so much overrun with the bigoted as it is overrun with the broadminded…
In the face of this broadmindedness,
what America needs is intolerance."
~ Archbishop Servant of God Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)
I was thinking about the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the fruit it produces. The more traditional the worship, it seems that there are more vocations to the priesthood and to religious life. Jesus talked a lot about bearing fruit. Young people want meaning in their lives. Will they give up everything and follow Jesus for a puppet show? I think they are looking for something more authentic than that. By their fruits you shall know them--The Benedictines at Clear Creek Monastery can barely house their monks because so many are joining. It's the same with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter--they are having a different sort of vocational crises--not enough room in their dormitories! Just my two cents.
Love, Suzanne
wow... a puppet show...
we've had some interesting Masses too... I try to remind myself that God lives within us and that we will be home to our parish soon!!!
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