Isn't it bad enough for the bishops to cancel days of obligation without your parish deciding to hold only one mass, and do it at a time that conflicts with darn near everyone's work schedule?
Seriously, is it really us working stiffs they're worried about, or is it that they don't want to make all their parish priests celebrate three or more masses in a day when they've just dealt with a weekend? It seems like if anything they make it harder than usual to get to mass on days of non-obligation.
Sigh...
The first step leading to the downfall of feasts such as this was the secularization of society. 500 years ago, everybody took the day off from hard labor, went to Mass, had a big party, and enjoyed themselves.
ReplyDeleteIf parishes wanted to put the verve back into holy days, they'd just have a nice family dinner in the parish hall after Mass. I'd show up; would you?
It is a frustrating thing that working people such as myself cannot easily make it to Mass on such days. However, we were blessed with the most fantastic liturgy I have ever been blessed to have witnessed.
ReplyDeleteBlessed Sacrament parish (run by Dominicans) celebrated Mass at 7:00 p.m. (That's just enough time to eat and run, and fight traffic to be there on time.) The choir sang, or rather CHANTED quite a bit. Many Mass parts were in latin chant. Gloria. Sanctus. Agnus Dei. And of course, most of the hymns were Latin, one of which was accompanied by Harp (the rest a capella). Something about it just draws me deeper into the Sacred Mysteries.
Indeed, Todd. Sounds like a good idea to me. I'd be there. (Come to that, I'm there at most parish activities that give the kids a chance to tear up something other than the house...)
ReplyDeleteMr.Ferlderhoff,
I take it that that would be _the_ Blessed Sacrament, of Mark Shea fame? You've traded up in the world...
Yes, of Mark Shea fame... although I don't know much of what he does besides a few articles on Catholic Exchange. We heard about this Mass that was to be celebrated on the Assumption, and decided to make the journey. Our regular parish is rather similar to St. Eliz, but without the Fr. George controversies.
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