During a recent discussion on the liturgy in my Exodus 90 group a priest said that ‘Vatican II has not yet been implemented.’ Vatican II was the herald of a ‘new springtime in the church,’ where the laity would become more involved, where the church would gain new tools for evangelising the world and where our liturgy would be renewed organically in line with Church Tradition. Liturgically, what we have today seems to be very far removed from this vision.

If one watches too many posts on YouTube one might fall into despair. The latest liturgical abuse being an Italian priest saying mass on an inflatable raft in the sea with the congregation in their bathing costumes. This can be added to the litany of abuses coming out of America, from priests on roller skates to blessing with an upturned guitar to bubbles being blown at the congregation. Even in Ireland we have ‘liturgical dancers’ at Christmas mass in Armagh Cathedral (where was that in Sacrosanctum Concilium?) Then we have the 30 plus clergy at Knock sitting down while lay people administer the Eucharist. Even in Kerry we have priests that feel the need to perform, to crack jokes and get the congregants to see how jolly and friendly they are. Other priests see how un-catechised most of the congregants are and feel it their duty to give a running commentary and explanation of every part of the mass. Then there are my two big bug bears…talking before mass and clapping, especially the choir as if they are there to a give a performance. Mass is not a performance, we are all there for one purpose and that is to worship God.

Where has the solemnity gone? Where is the acknowledgement that we are in the presence of Almighty God? I am not surprised that more of the faithful are discovering the Traditional Latin Mass. Where is the crack down on abuses of the Novus Ordo? Where is the development of the Novus Ordo in line with Sacrosanctum Concilium? And what has led to our current state of affairs?

I recently discovered a Catholic Truth Society pamphlet from 1974 which proclaimed that Pope Paul VI was trying to role out the new mass of 1970 in line with Vatican II. Take a look…

Vatican II called for the predominance of both the sacred language of Latin and of Gregorian Chant. This pamphlet proclaims that Pope Paul VI is trying to involve the laity in both these aspirations. Latin and Gregorian Chant are clearly seen as a source of unity for the whole church. ‘God grant that what we all pray for may be realised: in this graceful and religious music may the heart of the church at prayer resound loud and joyfully throughout the whole world.’

It is very clear what his vision for the mass is…but in most parishes today, we have something very different. We have priests facing the congregation, we no longer have altar rails, we have reception of communion in the hand, we have guitars and drums and pop songs…and we have dwindling congregations. None of this was envisaged by Vatican II. So the question is why? How did this come about?

It is not an easy question to answer but I think it has come about through both a shift in theological thinking and in cultural changes.

In order to effect ecumenism and closer bonds with the churches of the reformation we have entered into a process which I describe as Christian minimalism. In order to effect a greater unity among Christian denominations you find the lowest common denominator on which we can all agree and make that your focus. Therefore the mass becomes more of a meal and less of a sacrifice…the altar becomes a table that we all gather around.

There seems to be a fair amount of abandonment of culture and tradition in western countries. This has obviously impacted how many of our congregants behave and believe. There has been little pushback by our bishops and more of an accommodation of cultural changes than anything else. This is sad, as you don’t see the Orthodox Churches turning their backs on their own traditions and liturgical practices.

I think the tide might be turning in so far a there are signs of a renewed hunger for the sacred. Maybe the CTS should re-publish that little pamphlet!

Postscript

Thomas Howard on Gregorian Chant…

‘Real craftsmanship… works the materials so that their own properties are released. Gregorian Chant, in its subtle austerity, performs this service for biblical texts. Whereas we commonly hear them read aloud by an individual who invests the words and phrases with his own interpretation, high blown or understated, allegretto or largo, Gregorian Chant lifts the texts away from this private milieu and arrays them simply, out there where we may encounter them the way we see the stars glittering on a clear night or hear the music of Bach, so utterly satisfying to our deepest imaginings.

Chant belongs to the public, not the private order of things. Very few Christians will want to chant their private prayers, and this is as it should be. In the public order we are delivered from the small confines of our own breasts. We do not want intimacy here. The attempt to make public worship personal, intimate and informal is misbegotten. It confuses the public with the private and in doing so it betrays both.’

Evangelical is not Enough – p.52. Thomas Howard