CONCERNING AN INCIDENT AT A MASS IN THE PN DIOCESE YESTERDAY

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Ash Wednesday was celebrated in Palmerston North by a bunch of Rad Trads (Catholics faithful to the Church's Magisterium), gathered in a private home to hear an international expert on Apologetics and Defence of the Catholic Faith.

If I hadn't heard his talk, I'd probably draw a veil over an incident at Holy Mass in a church in the Palmerston North Diocese yesterday, the First Sunday in Lent. But his talk made us realize that veils have been drawn over wrongdoing in the Church for far too long, so here goes.

A faithful Massgoer, having proclaimed the readings (beautifully), had moved from his pew straight across the aisle, after the Prayers of the Faithful, to an empty pew right behind the three small altar boys sitting at the front. 

The faithful Massgoer had noticed (who hadn't?) that the boys didn't know what to do (like Brown's cows they were, said an onlooker afterwards, and she was so pleased the F.M. had moved behind them). 

Father's M.O. is to tell the altar servers what they're supposed to do, audibly, throughout Mass. I suppose Faithful Massgoer thought he could assist silently, from the pew behind them so save Father instructing them from the altar. I'd seen him do this in the past.

But this time, Father interrupted Holy Mass to address the Faithful Massgoer by name, loudly enough I should think for most of the congregation to hear, and told him to return to his pew. He told him his help wasn't needed, the servers didn't need 'other adults' to tell them what to do. Faithful Massgoer did not return to his pew; he stayed put and kept his head down. 

But at the Consecration, the altar server on the end of the pew looked round for Faithful Massgoer's Mum, who for years has indicated to them that they should kneel for the Consecration, and again after the Lamb of God. It's going against the grain for them the poor kids to do it, as almost all of the congregation sit and the kneelers were whisked away years ago, with only little kneeling pads as a substitute. F.M.'s Mum can't remember because she was pretty upset, she said, but she thinks that as usual she gave them the nod and they knelt.

And this was the real issue: lack of reverence for the Holy Eucharist.

In the church foyer after Mass FM's Mum could hear, while giving another Massgoer a basketful of home-grown apples, that Father and Faithful Massgoer were having a conversation. Father sounded conciliatory. Faithful Massgoer sounded calm and measured. 

He was explaining to Father how he'd been a small altarboy himself once, and had been very grateful for the sacristan who nodded and gestured and encouraged him from the pews when he had to serve Mass for a crusty old priest famous for hitting Faithful Massgoer,  during RE at their country school, over the head with a map of the Holy Land.

He also explained to Father that it was good to be humiliated, and thanked him for the opportunity. He told me afterwards that Father probably thought he was being sarcastic.

He wasn't.

Thank God it was  Faithful Massgoer who Father picked on. Many, many people have left the Church because of something "Father said", and it wasn't something said in front of the whole congregation during Sunday Mass; and Faithful Massgoer would be sorely missed by an aging, dwindling congregation. 

Fortunately for Father, Faithful Massgoer is exactly that. Faithful.

That international expert on Apologetics also told the Palmerston North Rad Trads that the Latin Mass is more pleasing to God than the Novus Ordo. 

This incident clearly illustrates one reason why that is so: In the celebration of the Latin Mass it would not be possible for the priest to interrupt the Sacred Rites to tick off a Massgoer for helping little altar boys, or for any other reason. It is inconceivable that such a thing could happen.

Because the priest isn't facing the congregation. He can't see the altar boys (always boys, not girls) or any unruly Massgoers. He's facing the altar and facing God, serving God.

What's more, the altar boys are well trained - before, not during, Mass. They have to be, because the Ritual must be scrupulously observed by them as well as by the priest. The Latin Mass is taken seriously, even by the altar boys - who don't sit in the pews with the congregation, but separate from the hoi polloi, in the sanctuary.

Go figure.

That's why the sanctuary of the Latin Mass is a breeding ground for future priests. If you don't believe me, ask the SSPX.

Donna Te Amo says:

Actually the altar servers did know what to do as they had served Mass earlier that week -one boy suffers from anxiety which is why he looked uncomfortable. We are lucky to have such a wonderful priest in our area!

I say:

We're certainly very blessed to have such a priest - in fact, any priest. I believe it's because of St Therese's intercession in response to her Prayer for Priests at Adoration in our church, for so many years, that we have a priest, and we must pray for him and for all priests. 


Linda Clarke says:

I don't believe a priest should interrupt the Rite except for an
extremely serious reason.

There is a lot of talk these days about 'Parish Family' and
'Community'.   Wasn't the F.M. working exactly with the intention of aiming to be helpful and instructive to children who were unsure?    A priest not happy with a parishioner's aim to help could easily speak pleasantly to them later on in private.

Satan doesn't care how people are distracted at Mass, so whether they are distracted by altar boys being taught during the Rites or by being aghast at one of the faithful being humiliated, is all the same to him.

Thank you again, Julia, for pointing out the reverence due to our
Lord.   The more Protestant that Catholic Churches become, the less the Catholic truths will be honoured.  Let's not forget that most Protestants do not believe in Transubstantiation, and the remains of the 'meal' may even be thrown to the birds, as I have seen done.

I say:

I actually deleted a lot of what I'd written before making this post this on last Sunday's Mass, the reason being that the next morning I was reminded, in Divine Intimacy, of the text, "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful" (Lk 6:36).