Halloween Mass

Angel and devil musicians, witch sings responsorial psalm, she-devil extraordinary minister, and then pastor, dressed as Barney the dinosaur, dances around altar.
Halloween Mass

Parish website

Parish Bulletin announcing Halloween Mass

Liturgical Gestures (Jesters)

Whenever I enter a new church I scan the sanctuary in search of the telltale red votive candle that tells me that the Lord is present in the tabernacle. I always hope I can find it or else determine that it’s absent before I reach the pew so I’ll know if I should genuflect or just bow before sitting down. It may be a small thing, and certainly a small effort, but I have this little panic thing going that says, “If there’s no one home in the tabernacle and you genuflect, then you’re genuflecting for nothing, and mindlessly at that. But if you bow and the Real Presence is there, a bow is not enough as long as you are able to genuflect.” But what if it’s there, and off to the side and I don’t see it before I have to take my seat? The Curt Jester calls the resulting affliction “tabernacle whiplash.” It comes from quickly looking back and forth while trying to find a tabernacle. It never used to be a problem when we all had tabernacles front and center.

Last week, I suffered this little panic at a new church where I saw no tabernacle. I got to my seat and noticed no kneelers either. “We’re not in Kansas anymore,” I thought. At the beginning of Mass the priest, following his script so far said, “…let us call to mind our sins.” Without pause the drummer’s sticks clicked a tempo and the band launched into a Kyrie with added non-liturgical text. There was no time to call to mind my sins, and no “I confess…” During the Mass I had to marvel that these people and I were of the same religion.

There was clapping during the Gloria, led by the professional praise band, and during the Gospel Acclamation all the people made an odd gesture. They raised fists in the air, moving their wrists in a circular motion during the “allelu…” and then at the “ia” they opened their raised hands. I learned later that this is British sign language for Alleluia. Yes, the Alleluia was the Celtic Alleluia, and of a British composer, but I was in the United States. As this was the only part of the Mass that was signed, my spouse noted, the Mass, to any British deaf person sounded like, “blah, blah, blah, Alleluia, blah, blah, blah.” Of course to any American deaf person if didn’t sound like anything.

It was clear that they were not accommodating the deaf. This was this just a fun gesture that helped the assembly participate. I felt as though I were living a real-life Barney show. Is this what active participation has come to mean? Mindless gestures with no liturgical basis? What happened to the gestures of genuflecting or kneeling at Mass or even the mental participation exercise of calling to mind our sins? The gestures that come packaged in the rubrics of the Mass are exquisite, but most people don’t understand them. They grew up monkey see, monkey do, never understanding, never thinking, and so have replaced the gestures with ones they understand. Believe me, this is not an improvement

Pastors and catechists, teach your flocks what our beautiful true liturgical gestures mean so they will be able to participate with mind, soul and body. Ignorance is causing the people to reach out for clown acts.

Food for Thought

"The time I burned my guitar it was like a sacrifice. You sacrifice the things you love. I love my guitar."
Jimi Hendrix

Trinity Episcopal Clown Mass

This link will let you view an entire clown mass at Trinity Episcopal in NY. While there are many creative and even touching moments in this video, there is a place for such interpretations--a theater. I wonder what they did the following week.
Trinity Episcopal Clown Mass

A Real Clown Mass

Real Clown Mass

Where to report examples of GOOD liturgy and music

To report examples of GOOD liturgy and music go to Treasure of Inestimable Value

Report Liturgical and Musical Abuses of the Mass

Do you know of a church that has created a circus while trying to "improve the liturgy?" Ridiculous music, outrageous antics? Be it shoddy or gaudy, let the world know.

VATICAN CITY, NOV. 16, 2005 (Zenit.org).- The Mass is a moment of reflection and encounter with God, rather than a form of entertainment, says Cardinal Francis Arinze...
"The local church should be conscious that church worship is not really the same as what we sing in a bar, or what we sing in a convention for youth. Therefore it should influence the type of instrument used, the type of music used....
People don't come to Mass in order to be entertained. They come to Mass to adore God, to thank him, to ask pardon for sins, and to ask for other things that they need."