Sunday 18 September 2011

I knew there was something else

At today's Mass, we had a visiting priest, and he was, (how can I put this?) grand-standing.

He was a big personality, and clearly saw it as his role to stimulate a response, from his initial booming Good Morning Everyone, through to lots of (not-rhetorical) questions both in his introductory remarks and his sermon.

And there was an elusive thought at the back of my mind after Mass, apart from the obvious reflection that such patronising behaviour (reminiscent of junior school assemblies) could not happen at an Extraordinary Form Mass. Then I remembered: a year ago today, we had the Holy Father in this country, offering a startling contrast to this approach to liturgy.

2 comments:

Patricius said...

So what is the correct response to "Good Morning, Everyone" in the new Missal?
Another thought occurs: perhaps the proper response to creative liturgists among the clergy who make things up is for laity to respond in kind. To "Good Morning, Everyone." one could reply, "Top hole, Father! Blooming cold for the time of year!"- or with some such other colloquial pleasantry.

Ben Trovato said...

Patricius - don't tempt me!

I think the correct response is probably to pray for the priest who clearly doesn't know what he's doing (quite literally: he has probably been educated in a trivialised understanding of both the Mass and his role).

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful etc would seem appropriate...