I have commented before on how the Liturgy has lost the joy and spontaneity of the celebration of God’s love that prevailed in the post-Vatican II era. Everything seems to be structured, restricted, mandated, every action choreographed. We seem to be returning to a meticulously rehearsed play where the congregation is once again an audience rather than participants.
A couple of details in recent weeks have occasioned my unease. It started some weeks ago when our pastor suggested that we sing parts of the Mass in Latin, the Kyrie (actually Greek), the Gloria, the Sanctus and the Agnus Dei. I’m not sure why we changed. Since we have many Hispanic Catholics, singing some parts of the mass in Spanish would make sense, but other than the priests and a few octogenarians, no one knows Latin. Of course it might encourage the
members of the Society of St. Pius X, though I believe they will only accept the Tridentine mass, even in Latin.
At the same time the ritual bows and gestures of the participants were more exactly outlined and prescribed. The customary entrance procession at mass was changed to eliminate the participation of the readers. It occurs to me that we are downgrading the non-ordained ministries by this action.
Today we sang a familiar hymn, but not the familiar words: Jahweh, I know you are here. Instead the hymnal had a footnote that we were no longer allowed to use the word “Jahweh” in the liturgy. In a few months we will not be allowed to use the current excellent English translation of the prayers for the celebration of Mass, but forced to endure an imposed translation foisted on us by inept English-speaking bureaucrats from Rome.
Welcome to the Church of the Middle Ages!
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