Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Critical Mass

Regular visitors to St Blog's wouldn't know it to read this weblog, but I'm a specialist of sorts in matters liturgical. That is to say, over the last twenty years I've read too much on the subject for my own good. For example, I've got reports on liturgical translations that most parish priests never see. And when the latest proposed English draft came out, I was one of a few outside the press that got a hold of it before it got snatched off the web. (Seems they're playing the cards closer to the chest these days.)

I've read a commentary at Amy Welborn's site recently, with references to other sites contained therein. I could easily join the frey.

The problem is, I wouldn't know when to stop. Really.

But I did pull something out of the closet that I wrote about six years ago, when Arlington got a new bishop, and everybody in the pews was salivating over two things; the Old Latin Mass, and altar girls. I did a commentary on the latter, in defense of the traditional males-only practice that prevails in Arlington, as well as one other diocese in the USA. It'll be up later in the week.

After that, and when I get up enough nerve, I'll write something on that other hot button issue. Stay tuned...

1 comment:

Mr. Nixter said...

This is slightly off the liturgy topic, but sometimes I'm amazed that some folks get upset by the homilies our parish priest delivers on Sundays. He maintains the hard-line that war is evil. This stance, in turn, is interpreted by some thin-skinned parishioners who make the assumption, justified or not, that he's anti-America. The offended ones can be seen leaving the Chuch via exit doors, pompously sniffing and holding their collective noses up in the air.

I have a friend that once commented to me that the good father (a.k.a. priest) generally has but a few minutes to reach us on a weekly basis, that being done in the aforementioned homilies he delivers during Mass. Those few minutes, a mere fraction of the 168 hours in a week, are the only time to reiterate the doctrines of the Church. Can people really be so offended that a priest's words can prompt them to leave Mass in a self-righteous huff with family in toe? Or, did they perhaps have another "agenda" and the priest's words merely gave 'm and excuse to get a start on their other Sinday duties?

Hey, was IS evil. But, perhaps there are times when such activities are necessary. the purpose of this rant is not to justify/condemn the situation our country is in today, but rather point out the utter power, the command one parish priest has as he can actually get folks on their feet & move 'em out the back doors merely by espousing one of the Ten Commandments...Thou Shalt Not Kill.

As I've been known to say, gives one pause, doesn't it?