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From: jemurray@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (John E Murray)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: quality of Catholic liturgy
Message-ID: <Apr.10.05.30.16.1993.14313@athos.rutgers.edu>
Date: 10 Apr 93 09:30:17 GMT
Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu
Organization: The Ohio State University
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Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu

I would like the opinion of netters on a subject that has been bothering my
wife and me lately: liturgy, in particular, Catholic liturgy.  In the last few
years it seems that there are more and more ad hoc events during Mass.  It's
driving me crazy!  The most grace-filled aspect of a liturgical tradition is
that what happens is something we _all_ do together, because we all know how to 
do it.  Led by the priest, of course, which makes it a kind of dialogue we 
present to God.  But the best Masses I've been to were participatory prayers.

Lately, I think the proportion of participation has fallen, and the proportion
of sitting there and watching, or listening, or generally being told what to do
(which is necessary because no one knows what's happening next) is growing.
Example.  Last Sunday (Palm Sunday) we went to the local church.  Usually
on Palm Sunday, the congregation participates in reading the Passion, taking
the role of the mob.  The theology behind this seems profound--when we say
"Crucify him" we mean it.  We did it, and if He came back today we'd do it
again.  It always gives me chills.  But last week we were "invited" to sit
during the Gospel (=Passion) and _listen_.  Besides the Orwellian "invitation", 
I was really saddened to have my (and our) little role taken away.  This seems
typical of a shift of participation away from the people, and toward the
musicians, readers, and so on.  New things are introduced in the course of the
liturgy and since no one knows what's happening, the new things have to be
explained, and pretty soon instead of _doing_ a lot of the Mass we're just
sitting there listening (or spacing out, in my case) to how the Mass is about
to be done.  In my mind, I lay the blame on liturgy committees made up of lay
"experts", but that may not be just.  I do think that a liturgy committee has a
bias toward doing something rather than nothing--that's just a fact of
bureaucratic life--even though a simpler liturgy may in fact make it easier for
people to be aware of the Lord's presence.

So we've been wondering--are we the oddballs, or is the quality of the Mass
going down?  I don't mean that facetiously.  We go to Mass every Thursday or
Friday and are reminded of the power of a very simple liturgy to make us aware 
of God's presence.  But as far as the obligatory Sunday Masses...maybe I should 
just offer it up :)  Has anyone else noticed declining congregational
participation in Catholic Masses lately?

John Murray
