From the Cafeteria with a frowning biretta tip o{]>:¬(
Worst Mass ever ?
Via CathCon, who never fails to find such atrocities. From the cathedral of Auch in France come these screenshots of a televised Mass. What the hell this is supposed to be, who knows. It makes matters worse that they dragged children into this stupidity. Remember, it was the French bishops who had the biggest aversion against the Motu proprio.
Just how utterly DERANGED does one have to be to come up with such an idea ? Televised, to make matters even worse. What was the idea – "Two-for-one ! Get the gym class and Mass combo!" Nothing says Christ is Lord like gigantic inflated balls in church, I guess.
Comment by a priest responsible for this:
Many told me of their wonder: a cathedral enlightened as never before! Young people of Pop Circus moving about with a lot of grace and solemnity (for which we even earned the praise of the producer of the broadcast of the "Day of the Lord" Brother Arnaud de Coral, who was somewhat stressed at the outset by the idea of integrating "circus" into the liturgy). We all have preconceived notions and the circus is actually just not clowning around… And then with André de Lavenère and Damien Supiot as presiders, there were no worries… The movements of the students from Pop Circus melted naturally into the action of grace celebrated in the magnificent jewellery box which is our cathedral.
In the comments (below) Andrew added: "Shouldn’t the bishop issue some guidelines and procedures to make sure that all jugglers are properly qualified?"
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????? ???????, ?????? ???????, ????? ???????.
Satan at his best!!!!
Oops. It didn’t translate.
Kyrie Eleison.
Christe Eleison.
Kyrie Eleison.
I wonder if the local Ordinary embraces this type of travesty, but opposes the Traditional Latin Mass. A copy of this should be sent to Rome.
[sigh]
What? No elephants!?!?
What’s the world coming to when there are no elephants in the liturgy.
Oh, I forgot, the elephants are in the living room, “planning” the “future” of liturgy.
All sarcasm aside, I hope someone sends these pictures to the CDW.
It’s amazing that while some bishops are trying to strictly “regulate” the EF, the OF has run amok and unchecked for over 40 years.
I think it is not enough that this abuse be exposed to the public. An “ecclesial litigation” should be done here by Vatican authorities. It is really a bold move of the devil to boast his grip of the French that he even allowed it to be televised! It is perhaps a desperate move of the Evil one, due to the huge influx of the Traditional Latin Mass “infecting” the Catholic Church.
Visit http://prodeoetpatria.blogspot.com
I would like to humbly add, let us pray for the responsible priest.
We should make acts of reparation when we see such things. Adoration is most fitting, as are Mass intentions.
It is only by the grace of God that I know how wrong it is to do these things in the liturgy. Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.
Diane writes, “ Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.
Yes, Diane, they do! Why else would Br. de Coral be “…somewhat stressed at the outset by the idea of integrating “circus” into the liturgy….”? He KNEW!!!!!!!!!
totally cool …. i cant wait to see then gargle with holy water and juggle mini curcfixs.
even better a priest can throw communion wafers in the air and they can catch them maybe on a trampolene with thier teeth???
the church has been making BLUNDERS like this for centuries, this is nothing new.
Remember your church history??
after baptizing the meso american indian children, they woud SMASH thier skull in so they wouldnt revert back to ther” pagan” ways.
thats a little more complex than the dumb show presented in your contemporar setting . but then again . its STILL DUMB. [ im SURE god wanted it that way.]
Ay Dios mio.
O sweet Jesus, whose overflowing charity for men is requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Thy altar eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries, to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject.
Amen.
Shouldn’t the bishop issue some guidelines and procedures to make sure that all jugglers are properly qualified? They aught to be cheeked by the diocesan “director of gymnastics and juggling” to test their competency. Otherwise, anyone might attempt this with who knows what results.
This is actually making me want to attend the LA Religious Ed Congress. It is sad from the same country that was the home to my patron St. Thérèse is also home to this mockery. Let us do acts of reparation as well as gettng to Mass for this. Sigh as someone who is part French, this is an embarassment.
Is that Mass going on tour? Las Vegas? Broadway? Just curious, because our choir has some really snazzy songs that are perfect for Broadway. Maybe we can get them to go on tour with the circus mass and leave us in peace for awhile. You know, if God hands you lemons, make lemonade.
Look at that beautiful Cathedral that those atrocities are taking place in!
The French Catholic Cathedral builders did not take two or three centuries
and untold sacrifice to build an edifice to house such utter nonsense. Those
great Cathedrals were built to house the even greater wonder: the Traditional
Latin Mass and the consecration of the Eucharist. Many of them used to have
beautiful roods above the altar to point to this significance (they were nearly all destroyed
during the Revolution.) Now, the only think keeping those Cathedrals from being
wreckovated by the type of prelates who would host a circus mass is the French
government itself. Very ironic!
Sattvicwarrior (s)trolled by and said: Remember your church history??
after baptizing the meso american indian children, they woud SMASH thier skull in so they wouldnt revert back to ther” pagan” ways.
Somehow I doubt you read that in any reputable and scholarly work of church history. If you really want to educate people about “the myth of religion,” as you say at your weblog, you really ought to educate yourself first. Catholics committed many sins in the process of evangelising Meso-America, but smashing in the skulls of newly-baptised children (not to mention atrocities such as sacrificing human victims and cannibalism) is the sort of thing that the pagan Indians would do, not the missionary priests.
And they didn’t even pass the juggling and tumbling test administered for the proper implimentation of liturgical circus performing. For shame!
Hmm… What is the point of this kind of Mass? Is it supposed to be a statement about how groovy the Church has become? If they are not explicitly trying to mock the Catholic religion I really don’t understand why they would be doing this…
It seems as though anyone with a shred of taste or common sense would find that spectacle to be most asinine and absurd. Is this supposed to attract circus performers to the Church?
These pictures seem to be saying that Catholicism is goofy and the Mass is a stupid joke. The attempts to try and make this event sound serious and meaningful, such as “The movements of the students from Pop Circus melted naturally into the action of grace celebrated in the magnificent jewellery box which is our cathedral”, really just seem to reinforce the absurdity and jocular nature of the whole affair. Do these people honestly think that this is cool?
It reminds me of that bit of anti-Christian Roman graffiti which depicts Christ as an ass (as in donkey) nailed to the cross. Is this an icon of their religion?
Is this really the norm in Europe or the USA? I don’t know of any circus Masses going on in my neck of the woods (even though College Station could use a TLM). I think we could post examples of these types of Masses all day, but we might fall into the false assumption that the OFRR allows for this type of stuff, and therefore, must be superseded by the EFRR. That’s a dichotomy that the Holy Father, himself, does not affirm.
Sympathy for the SSPX grows…
Andrew’s comment:
Shouldn’t the bishop issue some guidelines and procedures to make sure that all jugglers are properly qualified? They aught to be cheeked by the diocesan “director of gymnastics and juggling” to test their competency. Otherwise, anyone might attempt this with who knows what results.
What a great comment! Only problem with testing them, is that when they’re told to stop clowning around, everything grinds to a halt! Whoa … maybe thats a good thing.
To be fair… there’s a couple of old medieval French romances, and a modern classic short story, on the subject of “the jongleur of God”. A traveling acrobat feels called to join a monastery, but then feels like he’s not pulling his weight because he can’t chant the hours like the brothers or say Mass like the brothers who are priests. So he offers God his tumbling.
BUT — the story has the jongleur doing his tumbling (or juggling, in Tomie de Paola’s picturebook version) during but _away_ from Mass or the singing of the hours, or after the others are gone — always in a separate chapel, by himself. It is not done to entertain or educate or impress his brothers or the public; it is solely a private offering to God.
Every good action can be a fitting offering to God. But not every action is fitting in Mass.
Fr. Z said: “Remember, it was the French bishops who had the biggest aversion against the Motu proprio.”
1. Let’s hope the Vatican takes the French bishops as seriously as the bishops take the celebration of Holy Mass.
2. No wonder the SSPX has such a following in France. I pray that at least 1 French bishop will come out against this foolishness.
3. Oh, and I don’t doubt the French bishops have “guidelines” and “certification” for priests to celebrate the TLM, because, you know, they want to make sure Mass is celebrated reverently. ;)
Andrew: Shouldn’t the bishop issue some guidelines and procedures to make sure that all jugglers are properly qualified?
ROFL!
Okay,
I must ask. What on earth does ROFL mean?
I was able to get footage of that circus mass in Sarasota Florida:
http://d-rium.blogspot.com/2008/01/more-on-ave-maria-and-bishop-of-venice.html
ROFL = Rolling on Floor Laughing.
-KJS
Thank Kevin!
Btw, if these people are really interested in accetuation the “actions of grace” in the Mass they should take some tips from the Patriarch of New Rome. This is real liturgy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2MChixSMnM&feature=related
Just thought it would be nice to counter the effects of the circus video. ;-)
ROFL = Rolling on Floor Laughing
What can you do? If there’s a stable group of acrobats and jugglers at the catehdral parish, the bishop must accommodate them.
Tom Craughwell:
You’re right. But the stable group of acrobats must be a preexisting group, and must make the request. The Pastor cannot initiate a Circus on his own initiative. Assuming, of course, that all of the acrobats and assorted other clowns speak passable Circus.
I always wondered where Cirque du Soleil went in the off season. Now I know!
I do hope someone answers that question: what does ROFL stand for. I see a few other acronims (sp?) like that from time to time and am mystified. Take it easy on us olf fogies.
Whatever the Holy Father intended with Summorum Pontificum, many, including bishops, do see things incorrectly as this kind of a zero sum game: either a circus or the 1962MR. In France, people are not playing as desired, so that, it is said, more attend the TLM in France than the O.R.
Hmmm…that’s some sexy liturgy going on there. I wonder what the real motivation of the liturgists who came up with this are???
Looking at the photos of this Mass reminds me of French singer Serge Gainsbourg’s song “Comic Strip” with Brigitte Bardot saying, “SHEBAM! POW! BLOP! WIZZ!”
Sadly, the new liturgy has within it a great tendency to turn into entertainment and to seek to be “relevant” to special interest groups. “Hip” priests easily misuse and abuse it to spit in the face of the sacred and authentic tradition.
But reading this with sorrow, I take consolation in the words of the servant of God, John Paul I (spoken before he was pope):
“I have learned the truths of the faith as a child, they have remained the same, they’re always the same, they haven’t changed from when I became a priest until now.”
The sacredness of the liturgy will be reaffirmed and made clear by many of the good priests who read this blog. God will make sure it happens!
Richard…
Try this site:
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/r/rofl.htm
ROFL – Rolling On the Floor Laughing
With all the talk of elephants and gymnasts, no one has made the obvious comment about the clowns who allowed this. Why all the emphasis on novelty?
Father Z,
I regret to inform you that I will be sending you a bill for a new computer monitor & keyboard, as I have vomited on mine and shorted them out!
Pope Saint Pius X- Pray for us!
Saint Michael The Archangel- Pray for us!
This is why all Bishops need “Mystery Worshippers” who can check the level of heresy in all parishes and report to the bishop. This would be a help in many places, however many bishops are complicit in such heresies, so the Vatican needs to take control. The Vatican needs to stop having the foxes and wolves watching the LORD’s flock of sheep and ACTUALLY DO something about this instead of using red-tape and letters.
Paul Manigrasso said: “With all the talk of elephants and gymnasts, no one has made the obvious comment about the clowns who allowed this. Why all the emphasis on novelty?” Answer, from those who were the production managers:
In other words, analogous to what one brilliant commentator said on another post, what’s going on is that some people are afraid to let God, so to speak, work with us. They have to put themselves in front of us, as if the show would be stolen from them by letting people know about the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Little to they know that they are part of the “show” that is seen by everyone else, including the whole heavenly court, only they are not the important actors. All others continue to look to Christ even though they try to jump in front of Him, screaming frantically, “Look at ME! Look at ME! Not Christ! But ME!” We pray, in anguish…
My daughter is terrified of clowns, circuses and mimes. Apparently young children are not fond of such things. In Hungary painted “clowns” are forbidden in the circus because they terrify people.
There is something “devilish” about covering your true face/identity.
The children instinctively know what we suppress: God does not “mask” HImself from us. The devil does.
From such deception, “Libera nos, Domine!”
SSPX? NO WAY!! GO F. S. S. P.
God Bless St Pius X & Pope JPII
It is a truth universally acknowledged that it is quite impossible to parody the postconciliar church. This is because anything one can think of, no matter how outrageous or ridiculous, has in fact been performed somewhere in complete seriousness as liturgy.
This should be an object lesson to us all, regardless of our cultural sentiments, that the liturgy must never be appropriated by any group, it is the action of Christ and of the whole Church. The fact that the group in question is a circus troupe of children merely emphasizes in the extreme a point which could equally be directed against any liturgy whose theme is directed inwardly towards its participants rather than outwardly towards its object.
> From the cathedral of Auch in France
Auch… What a significant name for the city where such things are going on!
As someone now in there early 30’s, who has found everything that has gone on in my life-time so hard to understand. I was in the SSPX seminary, then left and even left practising the Faith and have now been working hard at restoring what I broke within myself, having been distracted by the storm raging around. I have found a good priest and confessor, who has long suffered the agony (like many clergy and laity I am sure) of enduring the difficulties of modern parish and diocesan life. His example has inspired me.
He said something to me last night that made me think, when I was talking to him about my difficulty with the liturgy and the abuses I see. ‘God has allowed this (all the abuses), why is uncertain, perhaps it is because of our pride, it is the sin of pride. We think we can fix everything, that it is up to us to save the church and the liturgy on our own. When it is Him, He will do it and it will be an even greater miracle. Just think of how alone Our Lord is in the midst of those abuses and bad liturgies, He desires us to comfort Him, be there and pray, give Him comfort and do not turn your back on Him.’
Hard one, but worth thinking about perhaps. Maybe we run away from these revolting things to quickly.
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that it is quite impossible to parody the postconciliar church. This is because anything one can think of, no matter how outrageous or ridiculous, has in fact been performed somewhere in complete seriousness as liturgy.”
Love the Jane Austen paraphrase!
And as Euripides warned long ago, whom the gods wish to destroy, they first they first make mad.
Whether or not the French episcopate has gone mad is a question
the Catholic faithful should consider.
As we read in Scripture, when people have a choice between Jesus and Barrabas…many will choose
Barrabas.
So, applied to the Liturgy, it’s not hard to see why people would choose a rediculous circus Mass, repleat with all kinds of entertainment.. over a devout and solemn Extraordinary rite Liturgy.
It’s a worldly thing….for those lacking knowledge of the True Faith.
Cirque Du Savior
This isn’t making Mass better…it’s just making the circus worse. Honestly though, why does it always seem that third or forth rate performers are the ones who always want to dedicate their “creativity” to the Lord these days. We used to have Michaelangelo and Bach and now we get bad folk music and crappy murals. Can’t we put up a set of standards. And (confession here) I studied at a clown school in Canada a few years ago (it was a research trip…long story), and I can tell you, clown can be a very profound art and there are some seriously brilliant clowns out there who could (outside of the sanctuary) do some wonderfully thought provoking work for the Lord. And honestly, why does everything have to be at Mass? This is an extreme example, but it pervades a lot of Masses. My thinking is that, because we are required to attend, bad performers have (thanks to well-meaning, but mis-guided clergy) a captive audience. If this weren’t church, we could vote with our feet and just walk out.
JLD
ADV posted: He said something to me last night that made me think, when I was talking to him about my difficulty with the liturgy and the abuses I see. ‘God has allowed this (all the abuses), why is uncertain, perhaps it is because of our pride, it is the sin of pride. We think we can fix everything, that it is up to us to save the church and the liturgy on our own. When it is Him, He will do it and it will be an even greater miracle.
I have been considering for a short time now, if it will not rightly be considered a truly great public miracle when the Catholic Church alone survives the assault of modern secular society.
Already it can been seen that the Catholic Church is slowly pulling back from the brink of the abyss, while most protestant denominations and sects have long since tumbled over the edge.
As weird and blasphemous as this is (the Novus Ordo Mass in France….what a surprise! And the wonder why Mass attendance in france in the usuall Novus Ordo parishes is down to about 2%. HMMMMM!)
I have seen worse. When I was in college (15 eyars ago), there were “pizza and beer” Masses where you could sit in couches and drink beer and have pizza during the Mass (celebrated on a coffee table(.
Also, I saw on YouTube right after Christmas (it might still be up), a clip of a bunch of really sicko Benedictine nuns in their late 60’s and early 70’s all in layclothes and waving colored scarves in their hands as they danced around the sanctuary accompanying the hymn “Emmanuel”
I know it was in the USA, but don’t know where.
The rest of the sisters (equally in their late 60’s & 70’s) sat here and there in choir stalls which 50-60 years ago of course would have been filled with nuns.
Really sick stuff. Totally sick. The only other “church” I have seen this kind of junk posed on Youtube is from the Episcopal “church”. Go check it out for a real eye-opener. Go into Google, click video, and then in the description bar on YouTube type “clown Mass” or “clown liturgy”. It’s an Episcopal “service”, but if you ever wonder where some of the junk in our Church came from….look to them and no further.
Denis:
Of course your daughter is terrified by clowns. “They’re ‘universally disliked by children,’ British researchers discover.” (See http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22685723)
Hmmm, now was it “suffer the little children to come unto Me”? Or “the little children suffer who come unto Me”? These pictures make me forget which.
If you believe that “some demons are only cast out by prayer and fasting,” it is fast becoming patently clear *which* demons our Lord is referring to.
The Clown of God is a beautiful children’s book by Tomie de Paola, and ironically, I believe it is based on a French legend. There is certainly a place for even clowns and circus performers to offer their art to God, but as others have said, why at mass?
Appropriately, even the visual artists (architects, painters, sculptors, etc…) aren’t actually doing that during the mass itself. A painting of Christ is appropriate to gaze upon during mass–a person painting Christ is a distraction. Ideally, even the musical performer is hidden from the view of the people taking the focus away from the performer and placing the emphasis on the music itself. The very nature of the visual performing arts is focus on the person and contrary to the purpose of the mass.
Why, oh why, can’t people understand that when the priest “turns his back” to the “audience” it isn’t about his ignoring the people–its about the people ignoring the person of the priest!
As ridiculous as this liturgy is, it is not an argument in favor of the Tridentine mass for two reasons. First, if the Tridentine mass were imposed on everyone tomorrow, these people would still be having circus masses, but in the context of the old mass. Second, the ridiculousness of the liturgy is an argument in favor of celebrating the new mass correctly.
Try to perform this circus in the context of the old mass. It would not be possible because of the clear dichotomy between the two. This nonsense can only be facilitated by the new mass.
Can anyone seriously doubt the accuracy of Lefevbre\’s assessment that the Church was (and still is) in crisis and that truly Extraordinary measures were (and are) needed? How much more proof do we need that the excommunications of the SSPX bishops were null and void due to the seriousness of the crisis in which we find ourselves? How much more sacrilege like this circus \”mass\” will be tolerated by those bishops who are supposedly in full communion with Rome, but who by their actions (and inactions) demonstrate that they are indeed in full, formal schism from Holy Mother Church? I pray every day for the full revocation of the Novus Ordo and its fruits (and nuts), and for the full restoration of Tradition. Until this happens, look for more circus masses, halloween masses and life teen masses to continue dessimating the Faith. Not since the protestant reformation have schismatics had such a hold on the Church. And it\’s not the SSPX I\’m talking about!
“Try to perform this circus in the context of the old mass. It would not be possible because of the clear dichotomy between the two. This nonsense can only be facilitated by the new mass.”
Of course it can. Have the clergy and servers do their bit, while the laity do their bit in the nave. If little old ladies can pray their rosaries during mass, then acrobats can do their thing as well. While the gospel is being read, contortionists can raise their candles. During the offertory, clowns can entertain the audience with bouncing balls to the tune of “The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down.” Rather than an organ or woodwind fanfare during the Elevation of the Host and Chalice, the clowns can sound off on their kazoos and throw confetti. There is absolutely nothing about the old mass that would NOT lend itself to this kind of travesty other than the fact that the people who, today, care most about the old mass are the ones most likely to perform it with care and exactitude. And this is especially true when one considers the fact that in the 19th century, all sorts of strange occcurances took place during mass, including “storm” pieces from the organ, shilling opera style music. And even in the 20th century during the supposed anti-Modernist deep freeze, the rulings of the Sacred Congregation of Rites on the proper way to celebrate mass were widely evaded in manners trivial and significan throughout the Continent, as the book “Ceremonial Curiosities and Queer Sightings in Foreign Churches” attests.
To be fair, a lot of “Ceremonial Curiosities” seem to have involved ancient granted rights and contemporary dispensations by bishops. But your point is well taken, and there’s probably always been a lot of tension between permissible variations and unpermissible ones.
Re: the circus vestments in Sarasota —
Actually, I think most of them were well thought out. However, a corporate logo, however well-intentioned in its symbolism, is just not a good idea. If it had been shown with, say, Jesus holding the globe in His hand as He often holds a cosmos globe, that would have been a lot better. (But take the lettering off, please….)
Re: the wedding party’s dresses
For the uninitiated, it is rather difficult these days to find a set of dresses that fits a large number of bridesmaids, in a color which is reasonably flattering. Expecting shoulders to be included in said dresses is probably asking too much. :) Besides, this wedding was being conducted in the evening. I will admit that some of the bridesmaids were showing more chest than others; but it’s not immodest, and probably wasn’t intentional.
The shawl solution is simple and flattering, but the logistics needed to be assisted by some concealed pins or fasteners. Any kind of shawl is bound to slip around, and satin is notoriously slippery. One could also have a nice visible brooch in front, or go with some kind of sash type look.
As for the flower girls — come on! They are little girls, and they are fully covered! I really fail to see how one could construe their clothes as immodest. I would worry more about them catching cold without a shawl. My diagnosis is that their mothers are holding onto their white shawls, because there was no good way for them to carry flowers without the shawls repeatedly slipping off and dusting the church floor.
Interesting that today’s anti-spam word is “Thank you Holy Father” …
The “Cirque du Savior” comment made me realize that we are leaving out a whole body of Saints.
SS. Barnum & Bailey
St. Ringling
St. Bozo, St. Emmet Kelly, and all the Clown Saints
(you can find more clown saints here:
http://www.clown-ministry.com/index_1.php?/site/articles/clown_ministrys_list_of_famous_clowns_of_the_circus_stage_screen_and_televi/
No clowning around (pun intended)! There is a real website called Clown-Ministry.com where I found the below “creed” (how can someone rationalize doing this during Holy Mass is beyond me); note the center of focus and intentions mentioned in paras 1 and 2:
————-
The Clown Creed:
Clowning is a performance art. We exist to perform. Our obligation is to prepare ourselves for effective and entertaining performances.
The primary expectation of our audiences is that we will bring humor into their lives. While delivering humor we can also do many important things such as teach lessons, praise God, help heal troubled souls, and many other worthwhile things. We do these things within the context of our art form and with the understanding that our primary purpose as clowns is to comically entertain.
Clowns are of human nature. Clowns are not representations of fictional characters. Clowns are not figments of the imagination. We are human, we are real and we are alive. The clown is an essential part of our human soul. We nurture and care for the clown in us so that it always continues to grow.
We respect and learn from clowning’s rich past. We also understand that clowning has always changed and grown to adapt to the society of its day. We must not force artificial constrictions on the development and advancement of clowning simply in the name of tradition. Conversely we must not abandon tradition for the mere sake of change. Change should come as natural extensions and adaptations of our tradition.
Make up and costume are merely two of the many tools we use in our clowning. They are not what define us. Costume and make up styles do change and evolve over the years and will continue to do so. This is a sign of dynamic progress in our art form. No style of make up or costume is ultimately right or wrong (except in a historical context). Its ultimate criteria today is its effectiveness in helping the clown comically entertain.
Character development, thought patterns and styles of action are no longer predetermined by any particular make up or costume design. Character development determines make up and costume choices that highlight and augment character. Character development determines thought patterns and range of action appropriate to each situation.
Individuals, alleys or clown organizations may freely choose to impose upon themselves restrictions concerning costume, make up or action. Failure to adhere to these self imposed restrictions, however, does not preclude anyone from the enjoyment of participation in the art of clowning. Alley and organizational rules are applicable only to those who want to belong to that specific alley or organization and do not speak for the entire clowning world.
Clowning is one of the most free and open art forms. It can incorporate aspects of all other art forms. Clowns are free to show expertise or feign incompetence. Clowns are free to explore. Clowns are free to succeed or fail in their endeavors. Clowns are free to laugh and cry. Clowns are free to relate to young and old.
Clowning is, and ought to be, inclusive and not restrictive.
————
Let us remember the prophetic words of St. Barnum, “There’s a sucker born every minute.”
Ah, but Patrick the priest and servers would be “doing their bit” ad orientem, and therefore apart from the “audience”.
“This way to the Egress”
Another favorite of Barnum.
Unfortunately after the liturgical revolution of the 70s, many Catholics seem to have taken this one literally and voted with their feet.
For those wishing to learn some internet acronyms,
please refer to the Internet Acronyms Dictionary
http://www.gaarde.org/acronyms/
Cheers
“Now, the only think keeping those Cathedrals from being wreckovated by the type of prelates who would host a circus mass is the French government itself. Very ironic!”
Yes. And very few people, especially in “civilized” America know this. In France, the church buildings belong to the state. The state maintains them for their intrinsic historical and artistic value. The local priest must seek annual permission to hold Liturgies in the churches from the mayor. It is the state that has saved all of these buildings from bishops, priests, and modernist decorators/liturgists/etc. wrecking them! The Church’s hierarchy couldn’t even replace a pipe organ with a piano over the last 40 years.
If you are against the Novus Ordo, are you not also a Cafeteria Catholic? Don’t blame France the daughter if the Mother keep her in line! If what you see here is against the rubrics of the Novus Ordo, then the question is still one of authority, for the Novus Ordo rests on the authority of the Papacy. I do wish someone could give me an answer to all this.
If you are against the Novus Ordo, are you not also a Cafeteria Catholic? If what you see here is against the rubrics of the Novus Ordo, then the question is still one of authority, for the Novus Ordo rests on the authority of the Papacy.
If Mass were offered ad orientem, the entertainment would look out of place. Since it is not, it is natural to think the priests are also watching the entertainment, which legitimises it all the more.
I know the Holy Father is doing his very best to be prudent in all matters…But I just don’t know why he doesn’t threaten people with excommunication if it will keep this nonsense from happening.
Simple reason: as with SP, the bishops will not comply, and all the excommunicated will have to do is flock to the non-compliant bishops. If he proceeds to excommunicate the bishops, they will just go schismatic. It doesn’t necessarily end up helping on the whole.
If I saw this Circus-Mass or a Holloween-Mass or any other type of looney activity occuring at a Mass I attended, I would stand up, right in front of the altar and demand of the priest who was conducting this travesty stop it immediately. If we don’t take action to express outrage at this kind of sacrilege when we see it, it will continue. I wouldn’t be afraid that my action of interrupting the “Mass” would be offensive to God, I’d be much more afraid my inaction was.
If I saw this Circus-Mass or a Holloween-Mass or any other type of looney activity occuring at a Mass I attended, I would stand up, right in front of the altar and demand of the priest who was conducting this travesty stop it immediately. If we don\’t take action to express outrage at this kind of sacrilege when we see it, it will continue. I wouldn\’t be afraid that my action of interrupting the “Mass” would be offensive to God, I\’d be much more afraid my inaction was.
Watch out for the trapeze.