Ho. Deja vu all over again. I sing in the choir, but the only way to get good, strong music in is to point out that the latest piece by the director's good buddy is a piece of ... you know, with sappy lyrics, lousy tune, bad arrangement, etc., etc. Once in a great while it actually works. Fortunately, the director really does love and know music ... which means we get a semi-healthy minimum requirement of Palestrina, Mozart, Tallis, etc. Once in a great while even one of the new pieces doesn't make you barf, but don't hold your breath (unless that's the only way to keep from upchucking).
Just try to suggest a new program or an improvement on an existing program for the parish as a whole, however. Oy, I say, Vey. The craft circles look at you as if you have two heads if you suggest that, instead of making crappy sewn articles that nobody wants or needs to sell to purchase, e.g., (really cheap) furniture for the poor, you get the men with home shops together and build (better quality) furniture directly (and less expensively), selling off "extra" pieces to finance the effort. Somehow emulating St. Joseph and doing actual work as a carpenter isn't Christian.
Submit a plan to put the parish bookstore on a profit-making basis to contribute to the $6 million renovation needed to keep the parish plant from falling apart. Nope. Not our way. Set up an internet bookstore? No. Organize a factory to manufacture furniture (see above), providing employment (and ownership) for the poor, with a rakeoff for the parish in the initial stages to compensate for the effort? You've got to be kidding. Select readings on request for a special musical program ... and have every single one changed to something so incredibly saccharine that you get artificial diabetes just listening to it? Not again.
By and large the attitude toward anybody who tries to break the mold of limp-wristed sappiness is the command to "Pay Up, Put Up, Show Up, Shut Up," thereby maintaining the image of an "Upbeat Community." Insisting on logic and truth (or TRVTH?) is a BIG no-no, especially if somebody is advocating something out of "concern" or "solidarity" for or with the poor. Usually they have no idea what solidarity is (acceptance and internalization of the principles that define that group as that particular group), and go ballistic if you start to insist on consistency with basic principles of natural law -- so cold and unfeeling, y'know.
The prancing of altar girls doesn't improve matters any.
Vent, vent, vent. Maybe I'll start the First Church of Me, Misanthrope.
Ho. Deja vu all over again. I sing in the choir, but the only way to get good, strong music in is to point out that the latest piece by the director's good buddy is a piece of ... you know, with sappy lyrics, lousy tune, bad arrangement, etc., etc. Once in a great while it actually works. Fortunately, the director really does love and know music ... which means we get a semi-healthy minimum requirement of Palestrina, Mozart, Tallis, etc. Once in a great while even one of the new pieces doesn't make you barf, but don't hold your breath (unless that's the only way to keep from upchucking).
Just try to suggest a new program or an improvement on an existing program for the parish as a whole, however. Oy, I say, Vey. The craft circles look at you as if you have two heads if you suggest that, instead of making crappy sewn articles that nobody wants or needs to sell to purchase, e.g., (really cheap) furniture for the poor, you get the men with home shops together and build (better quality) furniture directly (and less expensively), selling off "extra" pieces to finance the effort. Somehow emulating St. Joseph and doing actual work as a carpenter isn't Christian.
Submit a plan to put the parish bookstore on a profit-making basis to contribute to the $6 million renovation needed to keep the parish plant from falling apart. Nope. Not our way. Set up an internet bookstore? No. Organize a factory to manufacture furniture (see above), providing employment (and ownership) for the poor, with a rakeoff for the parish in the initial stages to compensate for the effort? You've got to be kidding. Select readings on request for a special musical program ... and have every single one changed to something so incredibly saccharine that you get artificial diabetes just listening to it? Not again.
By and large the attitude toward anybody who tries to break the mold of limp-wristed sappiness is the command to "Pay Up, Put Up, Show Up, Shut Up," thereby maintaining the image of an "Upbeat Community." Insisting on logic and truth (or TRVTH?) is a BIG no-no, especially if somebody is advocating something out of "concern" or "solidarity" for or with the poor. Usually they have no idea what solidarity is (acceptance and internalization of the principles that define that group as that particular group), and go ballistic if you start to insist on consistency with basic principles of natural law -- so cold and unfeeling, y'know.
The prancing of altar girls doesn't improve matters any.
Vent, vent, vent. Maybe I'll start the First Church of Me, Misanthrope.
When I was in seminary I went to a campus ministry Mass with another friar. Right off the bat I noticed that 90% of the congregation was female. Why? 1) the walls of the round chapel were painted shocking pink and 2) decorated with drawings made by 2nd and 3rd graders; 3) the music was happy-clappy Oprahesque goo, including 4) versions of the Gloria, the Sanctus, and the Agnus Dei that required vigorous clapping and bouncing. At the beginning of Mass 5) the swishy presider introduced the officers of the Catholic Student group: 6) all rather butchy women in sensible shoes (ahem), one of whom commenced 7) to berate the gathered souls for their poor attendance at some sort of 
lefty solidarity with some oppressed group or another thing. One of 9) the womyn served the Mass as an EM, running around the chapel with a plate full of 10) consecrated bread (fully leavened and sweetened, btw) 11)asking people: "More Jesus?"
There was one poor frat boy who looked like he wanted nothing more than to die and be absorbed into the floor. His girlfriend was constantly ribbing him to sing or whispering urgently in his ear to participate. I told the other friar afterward: "He'll never step inside a Catholic Church again."
Fr. Philip
When I was in seminary I went to a campus ministry Mass with another friar. Right off the bat I noticed that 90% of the congregation was female. Why? 1) the walls of the round chapel were painted shocking pink and 2) decorated with drawings made by 2nd and 3rd graders; 3) the music was happy-clappy Oprahesque goo, including 4) versions of the Gloria, the Sanctus, and the Agnus Dei that required vigorous clapping and bouncing. At the beginning of Mass 5) the swishy presider introduced the officers of the Catholic Student group: 6) all rather butchy women in sensible shoes (ahem), one of whom commenced 7) to berate the gathered souls for their poor attendance at some sort of lefty solidarity with some oppressed group or another thing. One of 9) the womyn served the Mass as an EM, running around the chapel with a plate full of 10) consecrated bread (fully leavened and sweetened, btw) 11)asking people: "More Jesus?"
There was one poor frat boy who looked like he wanted nothing more than to die and be absorbed into the floor. His girlfriend was constantly ribbing him to sing or whispering urgently in his ear to participate. I told the other friar afterward: "He'll never step inside a Catholic Church again."
Fr. Philip
The inimitable Fr. Philip has returned!
The inimitable Fr. Philip has returned!
This is a huge problem in the Catholic Church, especially in the US. Hopefully the new translations will aid in the situation, but I don't think it'll be resolved until the Bishops take action to imitate the most successful dioceses, rather than continuing the "soft-soap" approach.
An interesting statistic that I can't find the source to, is that attendance at Novus Ordo masses is at least 60% women, at traditional masses it's at 50/50. This is certainly my anecdotal observation.
This is a huge problem in the Catholic Church, especially in the US. Hopefully the new translations will aid in the situation, but I don't think it'll be resolved until the Bishops take action to imitate the most successful dioceses, rather than continuing the "soft-soap" approach.
An interesting statistic that I can't find the source to, is that attendance at Novus Ordo masses is at least 60% women, at traditional masses it's at 50/50. This is certainly my anecdotal observation.
I gotta show that one (Campus Mynistry "Mass") to the Po' L'il Ol' Lady I take shopping on Saturdays ... whose grandpappy was in the Army of Virginia under Robert E. Lee. I just know I'm in for another lecture on how things have gone downhill ever since "The Wrong Side Won," but it's too good to pass up.
I gotta show that one (Campus Mynistry "Mass") to the Po' L'il Ol' Lady I take shopping on Saturdays ... whose grandpappy was in the Army of Virginia under Robert E. Lee. I just know I'm in for another lecture on how things have gone downhill ever since "The Wrong Side Won," but it's too good to pass up.
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