Catholic Exchange

“They say it isn’t the ‘real’ Mass.”

Written by

Rich Leonardi

in

"Dad, a couple of kids at school don't receive communion."

"That's too bad.  Why don't they?"

"They say it isn't the 'real' Mass?"

"What?"

"The Mass at our church.  They say it isn't right."

"Hmm.  Those aren't the same things — whether it's 'right' or whether it's real."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that, even if there are things done at Mass that shouldn't be done, it doesn't mean that the Mass isn't real.  Unless things go really bad, a piece of bread and a cup of wine still become the Body and Blood of Jesus."

"I see."

"When the priest says 'This is my body' and 'This is my blood,' the 'this' he's describing really happens, regardless of what else has happened."

"Yes."

"It's good, noble even, for us to want the celebration of the Mass to be reverent and faithful.  It's something else to suggest that the Mass isn't 'real' because it doesn't go the way it should."

Comments

  1. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    This is one of this life's biggest consolations, that Jesus comes to us Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity dispite our bunglings and rudeness. He owns the Mass, not the Creature.

  2. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    This is why I love the words of Pope St. Pius V who sought to protect the Roman Rite by codifying the Traditional Latin Mass in the proclamation "Quo Primum" in 1570.  The words stated in his bull are, "At no time in the future can a priest, whether secular or order priest, ever be forced to use any other way of saying Mass.  And in order once and for all to preclude any scruples of conscience and fear of ecclesiastical penalties and censures, we declare herewith that it is by virtue of our Apostolic authority that we decree and prescribe that this present order and decree of ours is to last in perpetuity, and never at a future date can it be revoked or amended legally……And if, nevertheless, anyone would dare attempt any action contrary to this order of ours, handed down for all times, let him know that he has incurred the wrath of Almighty God, and of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul."

    In my opinion, to be sure that the Mass you attend is truly valid, with all the nonsense going on in the New Liturgy today ie. invalid bread, false teachings from the pulpit, grave disrespect for the Holy Eucharist, etc…attend a Traditional Latin Mass.  

     

     

  3. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    skbohuslav:

    Although I do attend the Traditional Latin Mass and sympathize with your concerns, let us not forget that a pope can not empose any discipline on future popes.  

     

  4. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    impose, sorry

     

  5. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    his.image:

    Do you have any church document that states that a pope can not impose any discipline on future popes?  Is this in Canon Law?  I'm just wondering where you've read or heard this as I am not aware of such statement. 

     

     

  6. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    I wonder if what we see as the Christianity that has redeemed the world is the same as how the Pope saw it in the 16th century, or how B16 sees it. I wonder how it differs from how Our Lord sees it. 

    I wonder what the Church in unity would look like  — I mean in our current day and age across not only modern Europe and North America, but Africa, India, South America and China. 

    While the teachings the Church are unchanged, do we really think it will be a duplicate of 16th century Europe – before Luther?

    My fear is that 16th century Europe is the only thing some of us might accept.  I wonder what the Holy Father's vision is for the Church united in our world today.

    PTR!

    "If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion." ~ St. Maximilian Kolbe

  7. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    The Traditional Latin Mass is eternal, timeless. It does not belong to any one era. The new mass is a contrived, self conscious creation of the 1970’s; forever stuck in that decade. Go to You Tube and see the Halloween Mass and the Barney Blessing with the Priest dressed as Barney the purple dinosaur and the eucharistic ministers dressed as devils, handing out communion. Sure, it’s the real eucharist, but it is more respectful not to participate and probably important not to participate.

  8. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    I think the "Barney Mass" on YouTube doesn't conform to the GIRM for a Novos Ordo Mass, so I don't see the connection.

    And while I think people, in say Indonesia or the Congo, are not attracted to the Barney Mass, I think they are not interested in the Traditional Latin Mass either. 

    So again, can we ask ourselves if the only thing we will accept in 2007 is if the whole wide world adopts the 16th century liturgical style for their religious worship?

    Is the Tridentine liturgy really what we should be focusing all our energies on?

    Is that really what Christ meant when He prayed that we be one, as He and the Father are one?

    Is that our vision of a unified Christianity?

    Is the (proper) Novos Ordo Mass really the problem?

  9. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    The matter is not whether one “sees” it or not. It is not about anyone’s personal opinion or perception. In his 1997 book Salt of the Earth, then-Cardinal Ratzinger wrote: “I am of the opinion that the old rite should be granted much more generously to all those who desire it. It’s impossible to grasp what could be dangerous or unacceptable about that. A community that suddenly declares that what, until now, was its holiest and highest possession is strictly forbidden makes the longing for it seem downright indecent, calls its very self into question.”

    If any one wants a Barney mass, an Indonesian mass a Congo mass a liturgical dancing mass, or whatever, have at it. No one is trying to deny you it; but mere mention of the Tridentine Mass makes those who are responsible for the loss of the Faith of millions, quake in their boots.

  10. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    What I mean is that, even if there are things done at Mass that shouldn't be done, it doesn't mean that the Mass isn't real.    —

    does the word rubrics mean anything to anyone ?

  11. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    Amen to obedience and following the rubrics!

    But I am just concerned that we do not limit what we accept as worthy because then we risk becoming like the Pharisees.

    Whenever we think we have God figured out, He surprises us and does not stay in His box. 

    He's bigger than any box. I mean, He became a human being and went to the Cross for love of sinful people.  Go figure.

     

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