"Manhood & the Liturgy." (Or How We Must De-Fag-a-Fy the Priesthood!)
Some of you may have head of, or are fans of “Catholic Answers” located in El Cajon, California. They have been around since 1991, and are the largest Catholic Apologetics organization in the world. They have produced the excellent apologetics magazine “This Rock” for almost two decades.
They are very solid individuals, completely loyal to the Holy Father, and to the Magisterium. They are what we call conservative Roman Catholics, vice progressive (liberal), or traditional Roman Catholics. They are of the Scott Hahn variety. Not big advocates of pre-Vatican II ecclesiology or the old Mass, but they certainly are not against it.
They are big believers in the “Reform of the Reform” movement started by Father Joseph Fessio of Ignatius Press, and a certain Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. The “Reform of the Reform” movement seeks to properly implement the massive changes to the liturgy since the introduction of the Novus Ordo in 1969 (the Mass of Paul VI, or the Ordinary form of the Roman Rite) in line with Sacrosanctum Concilium.
They are very solid individuals, completely loyal to the Holy Father, and to the Magisterium. They are what we call conservative Roman Catholics, vice progressive (liberal), or traditional Roman Catholics. They are of the Scott Hahn variety. Not big advocates of pre-Vatican II ecclesiology or the old Mass, but they certainly are not against it.
They are big believers in the “Reform of the Reform” movement started by Father Joseph Fessio of Ignatius Press, and a certain Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. The “Reform of the Reform” movement seeks to properly implement the massive changes to the liturgy since the introduction of the Novus Ordo in 1969 (the Mass of Paul VI, or the Ordinary form of the Roman Rite) in line with Sacrosanctum Concilium.
I am attaching a link to the Catholic Answers web site and their radio broadcasts. They have been on the air since the late 1990s with a one hour (now two hour) program.
The attached link will direct you to a show that aired on March 26, 2008. It consists of an interview with Dr. Anthony Esolen, Professor of English at Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island.
The title of this program is “Manhood and the Liturgy.” It is absolutely brilliant! What Dr. Esolen discusses in detail is why the new Mass, as it is currently celebrated in about 99.9% of parishes today, fails miserably in its efforts to produce vocations to the priesthood, bring people into the Church (especially men), and why belief in basic Catholic doctrine is at an all time low.
Now before you start to roll your eyes thinking that PreVatII is on another rant regarding the beauty and majesty of the old Mass, and pre-Vatican II ways….this radio broadcast doesn’t even mention the old Mass at all. This is entirely about the new Mass, and how the priesthood has suffered immensely due to feminism, modernism, the influx of the laity, and a loss of the sacred. It also goes into detail about strange behavior by the laity, that up until a few decades ago was never a part of our Catholic culture: Holding hands during the “Our Father,” laity raising their hands in the “Orans” position of the priest, altar girls, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Communion in the hand, and a slew of other things that have turned people (mostly men) away from the Church, and has had a devastating effect on vocations to the priesthood. He even goes into detail regarding what he calls “Catholic Karaoke,” referring to the atrocious music that we have been assaulted with since the 1970s (“On Eagle’s Wings,” “Here I am Lord,” or anything by those clowns, Marty Haugen and David Haas).
Take an hour over coffee (or a few shots), and listen to this interview. It is, as I said, brilliant. It goes to the heart of what I have argued with other laity, priests, and even bishops these past many years.
The attached link will direct you to a show that aired on March 26, 2008. It consists of an interview with Dr. Anthony Esolen, Professor of English at Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island.
The title of this program is “Manhood and the Liturgy.” It is absolutely brilliant! What Dr. Esolen discusses in detail is why the new Mass, as it is currently celebrated in about 99.9% of parishes today, fails miserably in its efforts to produce vocations to the priesthood, bring people into the Church (especially men), and why belief in basic Catholic doctrine is at an all time low.
Now before you start to roll your eyes thinking that PreVatII is on another rant regarding the beauty and majesty of the old Mass, and pre-Vatican II ways….this radio broadcast doesn’t even mention the old Mass at all. This is entirely about the new Mass, and how the priesthood has suffered immensely due to feminism, modernism, the influx of the laity, and a loss of the sacred. It also goes into detail about strange behavior by the laity, that up until a few decades ago was never a part of our Catholic culture: Holding hands during the “Our Father,” laity raising their hands in the “Orans” position of the priest, altar girls, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Communion in the hand, and a slew of other things that have turned people (mostly men) away from the Church, and has had a devastating effect on vocations to the priesthood. He even goes into detail regarding what he calls “Catholic Karaoke,” referring to the atrocious music that we have been assaulted with since the 1970s (“On Eagle’s Wings,” “Here I am Lord,” or anything by those clowns, Marty Haugen and David Haas).
Take an hour over coffee (or a few shots), and listen to this interview. It is, as I said, brilliant. It goes to the heart of what I have argued with other laity, priests, and even bishops these past many years.
posted by PreVat2 at
5:48 PM
6 Comments:
Great stuff. A know some great young priests and will be sending them this info!
I've just gotten to the caller question, "What can we, the laity do about crappy liturgy?" and heard Dr. Esolen say, "Well, essentially, nothing."
Despair is a sin! Do not give in to it! So what if the DRE and the Liturgy committee can go directly to the Chancery? We can go directly to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ, and we most emphatically should!
I was visiting a "liturgically orthodox" priest yesterday (Oz time), and, out of obedience to his Bishop, he said a Mass for a happy-clappy parish. Honestly, at 32, I was the youngest adult there. You should have seen the look on the trouser-suited grannies and feminist nuns when I knelt down and stuck out my tongue. In fact, you'd get less hostile stares if you knelt to fellate the priest.
I went to the TLM this morning and prayed the Rosary in Latin before Mass. Kind of like a penance for passively encouraging such irreverent liturgy... On the other hand, receiving on the tongue must have left those old farts who think LBJ is still your President, in no doubt where I stood, liturgically speaking. Of course at the TLM, there are a lot of people present who don't remember the Clinton Presidency. Compare and contrast, eh?
Arkanabar,
I agree with you that a better bit of advice could have been given. For my part, I would urge all Novus Ordo Catholics to take on priests, bishops and those damn "Liturgical Committees." Know what you are vtalking about, know the rubrics, and know the G.I.R.M. of the Mass of Paul VI. Hammer the points home!
However, my best advice is to leave the Novus Ordo for good, if you can. If available, attend a FSSP, ICKSP, or diocesin Traditional Latin Mass. If a SSPX is available, don't walk....run to their chapels. You will NOT be "excommunicated" any more then SSPX priests are excommunicated. Their Masses are valid, and you will receive the Faith!
Remember: In the old Mass, we worship God. In the Novus Ordo, we worship each other.
what can the laity do about crappy liturgy? i stay in the damn woods! i cannot sing the Lord's prayer again...its just one step back from an "up with people" sing a long at a theme park.
nor can i ever again attend tre ore at my *former* cathedral where instead of leaving us alone to contemplate the body of Christ we are instead subjected to a day camp like program of stupid little songs, dumb self serving prayers and - im not kidding- petitions for buggerers in our parish!
my advice to these new age catholic mass advocates: STFU!
I can still find Christ, Our Lady and all the saints in the forest.
TLM is the way to go!
In the meantime, submarine your way onto these liturgical committees, fire everyone, and then Masses will be said correctly.
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