HERE’S THE NEXT FIVE PROPOSITIONS FROM THE SYNOD ON THE EUCHARIST.
Proposition 16 continues the discussion of how to catechize the faithful properly, particularly children receiving the sacraments. This is pretty standard stuff.
Proposition 17 is much more interesting. It proposes that either the Vatican or the episcopal conferences write
a Eucharistic Compendium project, or an instrument of pastoral aid that
brings together, at the same time, liturgical, doctrinal, catechetical
and devotional elements on the Eucharist, to help develop faith and
Eucharistic piety.This compendium could propose the best of patristic teaching, the
experience of the Latin Church and of the Eastern Churches, and
devotional prayers. It should include an appropriate catechesis on the
nature and structure of Eucharistic prayers.
This sounds like a really good idea, but (1) I’d want the Vatican to do it and (2) they need to KEEP IT SIMPLE AND PRACTICAL. They’ll hamper its effectiveness if they get too flowerly and high flown in it.
Proposition 18 deals with the role of the Liturgy of the Word in Mass. Much of it is pretty standard, but it does say some interesting things. Among these, it praises "the impulse of parish groups that prepare the Sunday Mass with a
prayerful study of the Readings themselves, and liturgical practices
such as silence or a few introductory words that help for greater
understanding."
It also praises lectio divina, Bible study groups, and small parish groups.
It also say, mysteriously:
An expression must be found for the prayer of the faithful that is
related better with the Word of God, with the needs of the assembly and
more broadly with those of the whole of humanity.
I’m not sure what they mean by this, but it could be that they have in mind a kind of fleshed-out guide for how to relate the prayer of the faithful at Mass to the Scripture readings.
I’d welcome any help in that area that could serve to depress the relentless liberal politicization of the intentions of the faithful that I hear at Sunday Masses in my parish.
Proposition 19 deals with the problem of BAD HOMILIES. The news here is that the fathers propose:
taking recourse —
stemming from the triennial lectionary — to "thematic" homilies that,
in the course of the liturgical year, could address the great topics of
the Christian faith: the Creed, the Our Father, the parts of the Mass,
the Ten Commandments and other arguments.These thematic homilies should correspond to what has again been
authoritatively proposed by the Magisterium of the Church in the four
"pillars" of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and in the recent
Compendium. With this objective, the elaboration of pastoral material
was proposed, based on the triennial lectionary, which puts the
proclamation of the Scriptures in relationship with the doctrines of
the faith that spring from the same.
YEE-HAW! This would be great!
The fact is that many priests you encounter today have been so badly formed in seminary that they aren’t capable of preaching a good, content-rich homily without help, and official Church help oriented toward getting more of the content of the faith into homilies is an outstanding idea.
They’ve been taught to put too much emphasis on style over substance (and their style is often more polished than Protestant preachers), but they’ve really got to get substance back into their homilies.
Proposition 20 is another theological reflection that doesn’t say much except that human work is related to the Eucharist because everything is related to the Eucharist.
Where do those introductory comments before Mass come from, Jimmy?
They are tiresome, and often sound like something straight out of We Are Church, or some other bizarre group.
About Prop 17: it would be really nice if homilies started getting better, but I’m concerned about priests who are going to give heterodox homilies anyway. If they’re required to talk about things like the Lord’s Prayer or the Creed, won’t their rants just be even more sickening, or even blasphemous?
“Among these, it praises “the impulse of parish groups that prepare the Sunday Mass with a prayerful study of the Readings themselves…It also praises lectio divina, Bible study groups, and small parish groups.”
I’m ready to see this happen. I’ve been preparing and leading lectionary-based Bible studies for several years, and even though my span of influence is small, it is always time well-spent.
“taking recourse — stemming from the triennial lectionary — to “thematic” homilies that, in the course of the liturgical year, could address the great topics of the Christian faith: the Creed, the Our Father, the parts of the Mass, the Ten Commandments and other arguments.”
Our pastor occasionally does this and when he does, that’s when his sermons are at their best.
“They’ve been taught to put too much emphasis on style over substance (and their style is often more polished than Protestant preachers), but they’ve really got to get substance back into their homilies.”
Both style and substance are missing in the homilies at our parish.
Words cannot express how much I want #17 and #19 to become reality. I’d also like to see lectio divina encouraged.
Both style and substance are missing in the homilies at our parish.
Ditto. And I’m saying this about more than one parish I regularly attend.
What do you mean by the relentless liberal politicization of the intentions of the faithful that I hear at Sunday Masses? Are introductory comments going to be announcements? I absolutely hate announcements, especially the ‘turn off your cell please’. I like to pray before Mass begins without any distractions, except maybe, and maybe soft organ music. I think the thematic homilies are a great idea. As for “style and substance”, way back in the Middle Ages when most people could not read or write, the only way to teach the Catechism was with the priest teaching EVERYTHING mostly during the homily. It is also another reason they had so many frescoes, etc. So teaching the parishoners about their faith is a great idea.
Speaking of heterodox homilies, I’ve seen priests dressed as clowns so to speak. Wearing hats at the pulpit. And using props at the pulpit. Every sermon these days is about love. How much of that can one take? It’s like Father Corapi said, “When you dissent in truth its like everything turns ugly.” Just look at how much heresy has been spoken from the pulpits on Sunday’s. Stuff that started in the seminaries, made its way into Catholic Universities and made its way into Churches. The ‘higher critics’ who started these nonsensical raves bare a majority of the responsibility. I vote for catechesis during sermons. A lot of the heresies coming from pulpits are actually old ones that are reoccuring or old ones.
Jimmy, these commentaries on the propositions are a lot of fun–and such great discussions in the combox! I’m impressed with everyone commenting as well.
Just a note–prop 20 reminds me of the theory put forward by Bellarmine (and others) that what made the mass a sacrifice was our oblation of bread and wine that we either made or bought. While this theory has been rightfully abandoned, it does capture a neat moment in which nature–man’s labor to produce certain foods–prepares for grace. Doesn’t seem like it would take much meditative thought on this point to arrive at the idea that it symbolizes Christ’s redemption of the created order, which I take to be the point of prop 20.
I’ve seen priests dressed as clowns so to speak. Wearing hats at the pulpit. And using props at the pulpit.
In my ten years as a Catholic, traveling around the coutry, I’ve never seen anything like this. The worst “liturgical abuse” I ever saw was putting the Creed before the Homily –a move highly unlikely to undermine anyone’s faith.
So I have to ask: Where the heck are these things taking place? Where are you going to Mass to find this stuff?
Every sermon these days is about love.
All homilies should be about love. Why would you want a homily that isn’t about God and His commandments?
“‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love…. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you…. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you…. These things I command you, that you love one another.”
“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love…. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”
Our priest (at a parish in Austin, TX) uses a prop every weekend for his homily. It’s never anything too big (usually a picture or trinket that means something to him), but he always has one. I guess it helps him to “interact” with the congregation during his homily … or whatever. I could do without the props, but there are other things I’d like to see changed in order of importance on my list. We’re getting a new priest in January (this one is retiring) so it’ll be interesting to see what, if anything, changes.
Our priest (at a parish in Austin, TX) uses a prop every weekend for his homily. It’s never anything too big (usually a picture or trinket that means something to him)
I just assumed, perhaps wrongly, that Nicholas was referring to “props” comparable to dressing like a clown. Using the word “heterodox” seems to imply something that would undermine or distort people’s faith, or something grossly irreverent.
Jeremy,
Do you watch EWTN? Do you listen to Father Corapi’s sermons? You should be. You would know what I’m talking about.
“In my ten years as a Catholic, traveling around the coutry, I’ve never seen anything like this. The worst “liturgical abuse” I ever saw was putting the Creed before the Homily –a move highly unlikely to undermine anyone’s faith.
So I have to ask: Where the heck are these things taking place? Where are you going to Mass to find this stuff?”
I’ve seen worse then that. Like using “God’s Church” instead of His Church after the priest says “Let us pray brethren that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God our almighty Father.” The inclusive language is used because the Bishops will say “we have a right to ‘inculterate.'” There’s even masses where the Priest and Extroadinary Ministers consumed the Eucharist at the same time! Liturgical dancing! Its out there these abuses exist. Songs being sung like “Mary did you Know.”
“All homilies should be about love. Why would you want a homily that isn’t about God and His commandments?”
Do you realize that many priests homilies are about love but yet not one, NOT ONE is about penance or sacrifice i.e. carrying your cross. Priests who teach about love but don’t talk about sin. How can you talk about God’s love without talking about sin? Can’t do it. Its like they do this with a “Guru” approach, and in the process take all the divinity out of religion.
Many priests will say;
“The Pope is not infallible.”
“Mary was not perfect.”
“There’s no need for the sacrament of penance.”
“You don’t have to do penance.”
“Women should be priests and priests should be married.”
“There is no Heaven or Hell or Purgatory.”
They deny the existance of the Devil.
The list goes on and on. Our church is a absolute mess! Hopefully in time the Holy Spirit will correct these errors.
I thought it was interesting that Proposition 18 promoted the use of instituted lectors: “It is appropriate therefore that the readings be proclaimed with care, if possible by instituted readers.”
My experience and impression is that bishops do little to encourage this ministry. So the inclusion of this may indicate a significant change.
Compare the 2005 Proposition 18 with the 1987 Proposition 18: “the motu proprio Ministeria Quaedam be reconsidered, bearing in mind the present practice of local churches and above all indicating criteria which ought to be used in choosing those destined for each ministry.” (as quoted in the Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici, n. 23.)
The 1972 Ministeria Quaedam was about instituted ministers, so the 1987 proposition seemed to suggest they were a mistake. John Paul II established a Commission to look at the question, which (as far as we can tell) decided instituted ministers were a good idea. This 2005 Proposition 18 seems to endorse this.
these abuses exist
But they’re really not very common.
Do you realize that many priests homilies are about love but yet not one, NOT ONE is about penance or sacrifice i.e. carrying your cross.
Not one? That’s absurd. I hear homilies about them all the time!
Many priests will say;
“The Pope is not infallible.”
“Mary was not perfect.”
“There’s no need for the sacrament of penance.”
“You don’t have to do penance.”
“Women should be priests and priests should be married.”
“There is no Heaven or Hell or Purgatory.”
They deny the existance of the Devil.
Again, in ten years as a Catholic, traveling to parishes around the country, I’ve never heard a homily suggesting any of these, either explicitly or implicitly.
You must be really going out of your way to hunt down these things.
“Again, in ten years as a Catholic, traveling to parishes around the country, I’ve never heard a homily suggesting any of these, either explicitly or implicitly.”
Tell that to Father Levis.
“But they’re really not very common.”
Really? Is that so? Would you believe me if I told that in many Dioceses, Vatican II was implemented the wrong way. That’s exactly what Cardinal Ratzinger said before he was elected Pope. It was on Raymond Arroyo’s interview with Ratzi on EWTN. How can you possibly say the abuses are not common.
Before we were married, my wife and I had to go to one of those pre-Cana retreats. It was at a parish about 40 miles away from ours. It was horrible. While the couples were introducing themselves, one young lady informed the group that she was a nurse at a Planned Parenthood clinic. This greeted by an approving “oh, okay” from the retreat leaders– who were both on their second marriage and repeatedly talked about their “first husband” and “first wife.” Later the pastor came and told us that we could use contraception if we wanted.
When we went to Mass– which was a regular parish mass that was an optional part of the retreat– the congregation stood after the Alleluia, but to our surpise the priest did not read the Gospel. Instead he gave his homily! After he finished talking, he said “please be seated for the reading of the Gospel.”
At my parish attended by some of my other family members the deacon gives pro-homosexual homilies about twice a year, and there are little pamphlets in the pews instructing non-Catholics that they may receive Communion if they pray about it and think it’s appropriate. The other parish in their town is even worse…
Clarification: the retreat leaders were both divorced and remarried, not just “on their second marriage.”
Really? Is that so? …How can you possibly say the abuses are not common.
Yes, really. If someone can be Catholic for ten years, visiting numerous parishes across the country, and never see these things firsthand, it really cannot be too common.
Would you believe me if I told that in many Dioceses, Vatican II was implemented the wrong way.
Sure I believe that. But the kinds of abuses being discussed here are still not common or widespread.
With due respect to all..If there is a problem with your local church, as we have had NUMEROUS problems and concerns here in surrounding parishes in New Jersey. You need to first contact your Priest in that church and then write a letter to your Bishop!! Many times the Bishops are unaware of the discontent and unfulfillment of their parishioners and are very open to parish discussions and meetings. JMJ
I urge all to watch EWTN. Father John Corapi is outstanding and right on.!!!
*****REBUILDING CATHOLIC CULTURE ONE SOUL AT A TIME*******
http.www.aquinasandmore.com