First, Happy Feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius everybody! ;)
Okay, I just need to write about my experience at Mass yesterday. Boomz and I usually attend the Traditional Latin Mass, but this weekend we were at my parents' house because I had to go bridesmaid dress shopping for my sister's wedding (which is going to get a whole post of its own), so we went to the local parish. We've had awful experiences at this parish before, so we went to the 8 AM Mass thinking (for some reason) it might be a little better. Well, it wasn't. lol
Walking in, I had super high hopes because it was blessedly silent in the church, which isn't usually the case. Before Mass, Father gave a short talk about the theology behind some of the parts of the new translation of the Roman Missal. I was so proud of him for putting forth the extra effort to educate his congregation! The entrance hymn was wonderfully solemn (I can't remember what song it was). Unfortunately, it all went downhill from there. lol
The Gloria (which is one of my favorite parts of the Mass) was just horrible. It started off fine... I mean I was actually excited at first because it almost sounded like Gregorian chant, but when it came time for the congregation to sing, instead of "Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on earth", they sang: "Spirit of the Lord Who lives in me, Spirit of the Lord Who loves in me, Spirit of the Lord Who lives in me, Spirit of the Lord Most High!" Um...WHAT?! WHAT?! And it was in this weird Native American style. THEN, when the cantor was supposed to say "You alone are the Holy One, Lord Jesus Christ", he left out "Jesus Christ"! AND they didn't even sing the whole Gloria! They massacred it. It was bad.
Everything was fine until the Prayers of the Faithful. Because it was "World Marriage Day", we had "special petitions" (did anyone else have these?). One of them particularly annoyed me. It said something like, "Protect us from boredom and routine, which are the enemy of marriages". I actually let out some kind of annoyed noise at that one. I find a tremendous amount of comfort in the little routines Boomz and I have. Ugh, I can't even articulate how much that statement annoys me. Not only did we have special petitions, but the responses were changed. Instead of "Lord, hear our prayer", we said, "Lord, make us one." Ughhh...
I seriously don't understand why people change the words of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Seriously. Just don't do it. Just pray the Mass like it's supposed to be prayed. I could go on and on about this (I love liturgy), but this post is already too long, so I'll save my liturgical rant for another day.
P.S. I'm sorry I've been such a bad blogger lately. Nothing fertility related is happening here (seriously, still no AF), so I don't have as much to write about! Also, I didn't proofread this because I'm tired (and cranky...booo), so I'm sorry for all the grammatical errors! :)
Oh wow. That's horrible. I would have been having a nervous breakdown in the pew.
ReplyDeleteI bought Paul a T-Shirt that says "Save the Liturgy, Save the World" for Valentine's day today, and it popped into my mind when I read this post.
I just don't know what drives people to think they can change the words to the Mass!
aw sorry you're tired and cranky! hope tomorrow you are not!!!
ReplyDeleteI can't stand going to "uncomfortable" Masses like that!!! Uncomfortable was the best word I could thing of. So sad.
"Feel good" celebrations of the Mass are no "fun" at all. Yuck. That Church sounds really out of touch as to why they it is there--FOR JESUS CHRIST.
ReplyDeleteHope you don't have to go back there soon.
We go to a NO Mass, and maybe it is because it is the high Mass and we have 2 priests who are liturgists at our parish, but it is usually well done. When we sing the Gloria, we sing it in Latin. That said, it doesn't mean jazzy ditties don't happen at our parish....we just don't go to the "children's mass."
ReplyDeleteFor what it is worth, I've been at such masses though. My parents' parish likes to sing, "Gloria! Gloria! In Excelsis Deo" but they clap twice after each Gloria. I always refused in protest. Their parish has been where I have most of my most horrible Mass memories. I remember one priest once said, just after Communion, "The Eucharist is nice, but with a choir like that...!" Yeah, I'm sure we all go to mass for the choir, right? Geez! That was also the parish I once got a "homily" from a rabbi! I'm not sure how to top that but I have no doubt some parishes are still trying.
It really makes you appreciate the well-said reverent Masses though, doesn't it?
Boredom and routine are the *enemy* of marriage? LOL. Actually I prob shouldn't laugh. But that is just... wow. No, THINKING that your spouse is supposed to entertain you and surprise you 24/7 is one of many enemies of marriage. GRRR! Okay, now I am the one ranting. Sorry you had to go through that... it can be hard to focus when the Mass gets so changed up like that.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you had such a terrible experience. When I am attending a Mass fraught with liturgical abuse, I try to put forth extra effort to focus just on the Sacrifice itself.
ReplyDeleteIf it makes you feel any better, it is actually permitted to use a different response at the prayer of the faithful (at least this is the case in religious oratorys, so I'm 99.9% sure that it is fine at parishes as well).