Using original customs to revitalize worship today
The following is the conclusion of St. Justin’s description of the Mass as celebrated in Rome around A.D. 150: “…on that day which is called after the sun, all who are in the towns and in the country gather together for a communal celebration. And then the memoirs of...Read full story »
Thursday, May 19, 2016
More examples of changes in liturgical symbolism
Several more examples of liturgical actions no longer used for their original intended purpose. Most people do not notice that the priest/deacon pours a drop of water into the wine during the Preparation of Gifts. This custom originated because the wine used to be thicker or heavier so...Read full story »
Wednesday, May 04, 2016
Exploring the tradition of our Mass
In the previous article, we presented the idea of “Ressourcement,” meaning that the bishops at Vatican II wanted theologians and liturgists to return to the earliest ancient treasures in the Church’s storehouse. Their intention was to understand the spirit imbuing these anci...Read full story »
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Mass changes result from liturgical evolution
We must remember that Jesus did not lay down guidelines regarding how Mass was to be celebrated throughout the centuries. The structure of the Mass evolved. You may have seen paintings of the Last Supper with the Apostles kneeling and receiving communion on their tongues. This is not what actually...Read full story »
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Weekend Mass from one priest's viewpoint
Let me share with you what I (and probably other priests) see from my side of the altar during a weekend Mass. When processing down the aisle at the beginning and end of Mass, I hear the most singing in the front one-third of the church – even when we sing traditional songs like “O Come...Read full story »
Wednesday, March 02, 2016
When does Mass really begin?
Have you ever asked, “When does Mass really begin?” We would probably answer with the entrance song. Actually, Mass begins way before then. Mass begins the moment we decide that we want to join others as a faith community to worship God. Some people do thi...Read full story »
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Current Mass encourages active participation
The Latin Mass (really the Tridentine Mass since we may celebrate the new ritual in any language) with its beautiful Gregorian chants was definitely inspiring. The Tridentine Mass shaped the faith of our people since the 1500’s. However, there were some things that it did not enco...Read full story »
Wednesday, February 03, 2016
Vatican II changes meant 'relearning' the Mass
In my last column, I contrasted two priests’ reactions to the changes in the Church since Vatican II. One had a deep desire to learn more; the other did not want to stay up with the latest guidelines. These attitudes are present in every one of us. We can desire to learn more in order t...Read full story »
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Taking a closer look at the Mass
In 2015, Mark’s Gospel was proclaimed at Sunday Masses. Since his Gospel has only 16 chapters, five weeks during the summer are devoted to John’s Gospel Chapter 6 about Jesus as the Bread of Life. The Sunday prior to John’s Gospel was the multiplication of the loaves a...Read full story »
Wednesday, January 06, 2016
Pope Francis calls us to be 'spirit-filled evangelizers'
Pope Francis concludes The Joy of the Gospel with a chapter on “Spirit-Filled Evangelizers.” Baptism calls each Christian to invite others to believe in Jesus. This goes contrary to our American mentality because we all learned the three things we are never to talk about ...Read full story »
Thursday, December 17, 2015
