My schizophrenic liturgy attendance
Living in the Washington, DC area has many advantages, one of which is the rich cultural diversity found here. Just about every community on earth seems to be represented in some form in this city and its suburbs. This diversity also exists in the various Catholic communities found locally, and this has impacted my own spiritual life. On a regular basis I attend four different types of Mass:
- On most Sundays I attend my parish’s regular Novus Ordo Mass.
- For daily Mass, I usually go to the local charismatic Catholic community.
- About once a month I attend the Extraordinary Form of the Mass on Sunday instead of the Novus Ordo.
- About 3-4 times a year I visit a Melkite Greek-Catholic church which celebrates the Eastern Divine Liturgy.
All of these liturgies are faithfully and reverently said and I like aspects of each of them. I admit that I prefer some forms more than others (I’ll keep coy about the specifics), but I acknowledge that such preferences are often a matter of personal tastes and not based on fundamental theological principles. But I’ve found that among those who believe in the importance of the liturgy (as I do), I’m a bit of an anomaly. It seems (at least online) that most people who are passionate about the liturgy are passionate about one particular form of the liturgy and believe all other forms to be inadequate at best and harmful or even heretical at worst. But although I am passionate about the liturgy, I do think multiple forms are possible and can even be complimentary.
Fortunately, I have found a kindred soul – and he is even here locally: Msgr. Charles Pope, a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington. Msgr. Pope is the pastor of an African-American church which has a Gospel-style Mass, but he also regularly celebrates the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. From his unique experience he has found many similarities in the two types of Mass, which he explains in this video:
Of course, neither Msgr. Pope or myself are advocating chaos in the liturgy: there must be order and the Church is the one to impose that order. No one can make up their own liturgy and the liturgy must abide by certain standards and structures. But the Church herself allows for some diversity within those standards and I think she is wise to do so.
I understand!
I lead the youth choir at our parish. My music selections come from praise&worship and traditional hymns.
People who talk to me about my youth-choir work, seem to assume that my goal is to use all p&w during Mass. Far from it.
I want to use good music, whether it was composed last year or 1,000 years ago.
I’m also gently suggesting to our pastor that he consider the “Benedictine Arrangement” of the altar for all our Masses.
I understand as well. I do not have regular access to a variety of liturgies, but as much as I love liturgy well done, I do not believe that one form of the Mass is inherently more reverent/correct/acceptable.
In my limited experience with non-NO masses, I can see that they can all be done well.
Tim, I once started up a children’s choir. I insisted that we would do good liturgical music, not ‘kids’music. We did old and new, English and Latin and French. The kids loved it. It was the adults who tsked the Latin.
Eric, I’m the same way as you and Msgr. Pope. I used to think we were rare birds out there. But I’m beginning to think that a lot of sensible Catholics just don’t like to fight the liturgy wars; as a result, the people we hear from are those that do.
That’s why I avoid the well-known blog “The New Liturgical Movement.”
Best,
Mike
Count me in as one who can appreciate a good liturgy, regarless of form. The person who ‘battles’ me most on this is my husband. He prefers a ‘no-nonsense’ liturgy with no music. Maybe that’s why he was so agreeable to Latin Mass when we lived in Maryland ~ the low Mass only had a closing hymn sung. But, I like variety in my life and can be happy floating between sedate and lively Masses. When I’ve been active in Music Ministry, there has been variety of music to complement and enhance the liturgy. I just take issue when people do not hold true to the liturgy and attempt to do things to ‘attract’ and ‘hold’ the congregation. Too bad some don’t fully realize that having Jesus fully present should grab our complete attention.
Visiting my brother and his family in McLean, we once stumbled upon a noon Latin Mass at St. John the Beloved…probably not too far from you Mr. Sammons. While in a modern type, theatre-in-the-round setting of a church there was a lovely and traditional choir in red cassocks, a dozen altar boys and we were pleasantly surprised….expecting one thing and finding another. Yes, a reverent Mass can be said by a reverent Priest and like Laura O said, that usually happens when the focus is on our Eucharistic Lord and not “the show.” In our experience, we find that more often in the EF.