JUNE 3, 2013

What’s happened to the Liturgy of the Holy Mass?

THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED REGULARLY FROM MY EMAIL ARCHIVES AND EARLIER REPORTS AS WELL AS FROM NEW INCOMING MAIL AND FROM NEWS STORIES

The Liturgy of the Holy Mass, especially on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, and more especially on the days when local church/parish/diocesan feasts/events are celebrated, has become an anything-goes occasion. Celebrants innovate and ad-lib and the rubrics are disdainfully ignored. In response to the bad example of their pastors and not knowing any better, the congregation becomes an irreverent gathering as at a concert or theater performance.

Forgotten, it seems, is that the Holy Mass is the “The Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, really present on the Altar“, and “therefore the source and summit of ecclesial life“. Also apparently forgotten is the truth that the celebrant is the ‘servant of the liturgy and not its protagonist; Christ is’ [to cite Cardinal Raymond Burke]. The 1917 Code of Canon Law — since superseded by a new code promulgated in 1983 — explicitly stated that a priest should “accurately and devoutly observe the rubrics of his liturgical books to beware lest he add other ceremonies or prayers according to his own judgment.” To consciously and repeatedly contravene liturgical law which demands that one “do the red and say the black“
as laid down in the Missal/Lectionary texts is to oppose and rebel against the teaching authority of the Catholic Church.

What does one say then of the bishops who turn a blind eye to liturgical abuse and error which have become the norm rather than the exception? What does one say when they collude in the concelebration of parish/diocesan Masses which are peppered with liturgical aberrations? And, what does one say when bishops, the appointed custodians, upholders and teachers of the Law become its violators when they themselves initiate liturgical abuses and aberrations?

In too many situations the clear distinctive line between the celebrant – who is alter Christus, another Christ — and the laity has become blurred and indistinguishable with the clergy becoming laicized and the laity becoming clericalized.

In the Indian context, there is the additional bane of the Hinduisation of the liturgy. While its protagonists exploit to the hilt the tacit support that they receive from the liberal theologians and bishops, the 1962 [Latin-rite] Tridentine Mass, known as the Extraordinary Form [EF], is not encouraged by the bishops though authorized by Pope Benedict XVI in the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, 2007. It would not be in the interests of the inculturationists to permit the EF to make a come-back because it would be a major threat to the new Church order in India that promotes the “Indian” rite mass with all its Hinduised embellishments.

Often occurring in tandem, the errors-abuses-aberrations and the Hinduisation, they have made assisting at Holy Mass an almost tortuous experience for Catholics who are aware of what is going on in the sanctuary as against what is actually supposed to be. The problem is that there are very few of such Catholics. If the average Indian parish is indeed blessed with these aware few, one wonders how many of them are endowed with the concern and courage to confront — and if need be — admonish the errant priest and/or the bishop.

I do not intend to go into specifics here. After over a decade of ineffective meeting with and writing to priests and lay leaders in Catholic charismatic ministry in India, to the directors and preachers of retreat centres and independent ministries, and to the bishops concerned, this ministry has decided to publish all related records on the errors propagated by them.

The list of already published reports may be found at the bottom of the present report.

I initiate this issue with a letter received from a friend who lives in the State of Uttar Pradesh:

I.
From:
Name withheld
To:
Michael Prabhu
Sent: Monday, June 03, 2013 3:43 PM

Subject: Re: WE COMPLETE A DECADE OF INTERNET MINISTRY, PRAISE THE LORD

Dear Michael,

I praise and thank God for your ministry and your email updates which go a long way in keeping me abreast of what is happening in and with the Catholic Church.

I am currently in Gorakhpur, UP which has been named a Syro Malabar diocese, although they continue to offer the holy sacrifice of the Mass according to the Novus Ordo rite. I belong to the Cathedral parish and I am pained to note that the changes brought about in the liturgy of the Mass from December 2011 have not been incorporated here. We have our share of Hinduisation for example burning agarbattis during Eucharistic adoration, the putting of tikka on the head of the Bishop especially at the annual celebration of the Feast of Christ the King.

One other issue that concerns me is that priests now simply wear the stole and the chasuble over the cassock and come out to say Mass. My understanding is that they should be also wearing the alb and the cincture. I was curious to know if this affects the licitness of the Mass.

Regarding music, I recently attended Mass in the Cathedral of St. Patrick, in Pune, and by the music being played I thought I might as well as have attended a party. All the hymns were sung to dance beats such as jive, foxtrot, waltz etc. This I believe diminished the sanctity of the entire liturgy. I recall Cardinal Arinze writing to say that the music of the church is Gregorian music and discouraged the use of beats at Mass.

Finally, I would like to state that the Extraordinary Form of the Mass has been authorized in all dioceses, but I don’t see any movement to restore that rite in India.

Thank you for all that you do. I will continue to pray for your ministry. God Bless you. Name withheld

II. [TO BE ENTERED]

LIST OF RELATED PUBLISHED REPORTS AND DOCUMENTS

OBEDIENCE TO THE BISHOPS-RON SMITH

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/OBEDIENCE_TO_THE_BISHOPS-RON_SMITH.doc

HOW TO FILE A CHURCH-RELATED COMPLAINT WITH YOUR BISHOP

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/HOW_TO_FILE_A_CHURCH-RELATED_COMPLAINT_WITH_YOUR_BISHOP.doc

HOW TO FILE A LITURGICAL ABUSE-RELATED COMPLAINT WITH YOUR BISHOP 01-RON SMITH

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/HOW_TO_FILE_A_LITURGICAL_ABUSE-RELATED_COMPLAINT_WITH_YOUR_BISHOP_01-RON_SMITH.doc

HOW TO FILE A LITURGICAL ABUSE-RELATED COMPLAINT WITH YOUR PRIEST–RON SMITH

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/HOW_TO_FILE_A_LITURGICAL_ABUSE-RELATED_COMPLAINT_WITH_YOUR_PRIEST-RON_SMITH.doc

THE GOLDEN SHEAF-A COLLECTION OF ARTICLES DEALING WITH ECCLESIASTICAL ABERRATIONS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/THE_GOLDEN_SHEAF-A_COLLECTION_OF_ARTICLES_DEALING_WITH_ECCLESIASTICAL_ABERRATIONS.doc

THE ONGOING ROBBERY OF FAITH-FR P K GEORGE, SJ

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/THE_ONGOING_ROBBERY_OF_FAITH-FR_P_K_GEORGE.doc

THE PAGANIZED CATHOLIC CHURCH IN INDIA-VICTOR J F KULANDAY [TO BE PUBLISHED]

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/THE_PAGANIZED_CATHOLIC_CHURCH_IN_INDIA-VICTOR_J_F_KULANDAY.pdf

MASS-WHEN WAS IT FIRST CELEBRATED?

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/MASS_WHEN_WAS_IT_FIRST_CELEBRATED.doc

SUNDAY MASS OBLIGATION-ANTICIPATED MASSES

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/SUNDAY_MASS_OBLIGATION-ANTICIPATED_MASSES.doc

SUNDAY MASS OBLIGATION-COMING LATE RECEIVING COMMUNION LEAVING EARLY

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/SUNDAY_MASS_OBLIGATION-COMING_LATE_RECEIVING_COMMUNION_LEAVING_EARLY.doc

THE LORD’S DAY

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/THE_LORDS_DAY.doc

CHIROGRAPH ON SACRED MUSIC
JOHN PAUL II NOVEMBER 22, 2003

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/CHIROGRAPH_ON_SACRED_MUSIC.doc

CONCERTS IN CHURCHES
CDW NOVEMBER 5, 1987

CONCERTS IN CHURCHES

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/CONCERTS_IN_CHURCHES.doc

DIES DOMINI – ON KEEPING THE LORD’S DAY HOLY
JOHN PAUL II MAY 31, 1998

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/DIES_DOMINI.doc

DOMINICAE CENAE-ON THE MYSTERY AND WORSHIP OF THE EUCHARIST
JOHN PAUL II FEBRUARY 24, 1980

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/DOMINICAE_CENAE-ON_THE_MYSTERY_AND_WORSHIP_OF_THE_EUCHARIST.doc

IMMENSAE CARITATIS-ON FACILITATING RECEPTION OF COMMUNION IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES
SACRED CONGREGATION OF THE SACRAMENTS JANUARY 29, 1973

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/IMMENSAE_CARITATIS-ON_FACILITATING_RECEPTION_OF_COMMUNION_IN_CERTAIN_CIRCUMSTANCES.doc

INAESTIMABILE DONUM – INSTRUCTION CONCERNING WORSHIP OF THE EUCHARISTIC MYSTERY
JOHN PAUL II/CDW APRIL 17, 1980

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/INAESTIMABILE_DONUM.doc

KEYS FOR INTERPRETING LITURGICAL DOCUMENTS
USCCB 2001

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/KEYS_FOR_INTERPRETING_LITURGICAL_DOCUMENTS.doc

LITURGIAM AUTHENTICAM AND COMPILED INFORMATION – FOR THE RIGHT IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE CONSTITUTION ON THE SACRED LITURGY OF THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL
CDW
MARCH 28, 2001

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/LITURGIAM_AUTHENTICAM_AND_COMPILED_INFORMATION.doc

MEDIATOR DEI-ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS XII ON THE SACRED LITURGY
PIUS XII
NOVEMBER 20, 1947

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/MEDIATOR_DEI-ENCYCLICAL_OF_POPE_PIUS_XII_ON_THE_SACRED_LITURGY.doc

MEMORIALE DOMINI-INSTRUCTION ON THE MANNER OF DISTRIBUTING HOLY COMMUNION
CDW
MAY 29, 1969

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/MEMORIALE_DOMINI-INSTRUCTION_ON_THE_MANNER_OF_DISTRIBUTING_HOLY_COMMUNION.doc

MUSICAE SACRAE – ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS XII ON SACRED MUSIC
PIUS XII DECEMBER 25, 1955

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/MUSICAE_SACRAE.doc

MUSICAM SACRAM AND COMPILED INFORMATION ON SACRED MUSIC
–
INSTRUCTION ON MUSIC IN THE LITURGY
PAUL VI

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/MUSICAM_SACRAM_AND_COMPILED_INFORMATION_ON_SACRED_MUSIC.doc

REDEMPTIONIS SACRAMENTUM AND COMPILED INFORMATION –
ON CERTAIN MATTERS TO BE OBSERVED OR TO BE AVOIDED REGARDING THE MOST HOLY EUCHARIST
CDW
APRIL 23, 2004

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/REDEMPTIONIS_SACRAMENTUM_AND_COMPILED_INFORMATION.doc

SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS AND COMPILED INFORMATION – ON THE EUCHARIST AS THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF THE CHURCH’S LIFE AND MISSION
BENEDICT XVI
FEBRUARY 22, 2007

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/SACRAMENTUM_CARITATIS_AND_COMPILED_INFORMATION.doc

SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM – CONSTITUTION ON THE SACRED LITURGY
PAUL VI
DECEMBER 4, 1963

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/SACROSANCTUM_CONCILIUM.doc

SPIRITUS ET SPONSA
– ON THE 40^TH ANNIVERSARY OF SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM JOHN PAUL II
DECEMBER 4, 2003

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/SPIRITUS_ET_SPONSA.doc

TRA LE SOLLECITUDINI
– MOTU PROPRIO OF POPE PIUS X ON SACRED MUSIC
PIUS X
NOVEMBER 22, 1903

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TRA_LE_SOLLECITUDINI.doc

VARIETATES LEGITIMAE – ON INCULTURATION AND THE ROMAN LITURGY CDW
MARCH 29, 1994

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VARIETATES_LEGITIMAE.doc

VERBUM DOMINI – ON THE WORD OF GOD IN THE LIFE AND MISSION OF THE CHURCH
BENEDICT XVI
SEPTEMBER 30, 2010

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/VERBUM_DOMINI.doc

APPLAUSE, JOKES, AND SAYING GOOD MORNING AT MASS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/APPLAUSE_JOKES_AND_SAYING_GOOD_MORNING_AT_MASS.doc

CHOIR AND THE LITURGY OF THE MASS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/CHOIR_AND_THE_LITURGY_OF_THE_MASS.doc

CRITERIA FOR CHOIR MEMBERS, LECTORS, COMMENTATORS AND CATECHISM TEACHERS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/CRITERIA_FOR_CHOIR_MEMBERS_LECTORS_COMMENTATORS_AND_CATECHISM_TEACHERS.doc

COMMUNION IN THE HAND OR ON THE TONGUE AND EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/COMMUNION_IN_THE_HAND_OR_ON_THE_TONGUE_AND_EXTRAORDINARY_MINISTERS_OF_HOLY_COMMUNION.doc

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/DANCING_AND_BHARATANATYAM_IN_THE_MASS.doc

HOLDING HANDS AND ORANS POSITION DURING THE OUR FATHER

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/HOLDING_HANDS_AND_ORANS_POSITION_DURING_THE_OUR_FATHER.doc

HOLY COMMUNION BY INTINCTION, SELF-COMMUNICATION AND HOLY COMMUNION UNDER BOTH SPECIES

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/HOLY_COMMUNION_BY_INTINCTION_SELF-COMMUNICATION_AND_HOLY_COMMUNION_UNDER_BOTH_SPECIES.doc

HOLY COMMUNION FOR NON-CATHOLICS [TO BE PUBLISHED]

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/HOLY_COMMUNION_FOR_NON-CATHOLICS.doc

HOLY MASS RUBRICS-FLOWER ARANGEMENTS, THE ALTAR, PRAYING IN TONGUES, NON-CATHOLIC LECTORS, ETC

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/HOLY_MASS_RUBRICS-FLOWER_ARANGEMENTS_THE_ALTAR_PRAYING_IN_TONGUES_NON-CATHOLIC_LECTORS_ETC.doc

HOMILY BY A LAY PERSON AND RELATED ABUSES

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/HOMILY_BY_A_LAY_PERSON_AND_RELATED_ABUSES.doc

INCULTURATION OF THE LITURGY AND SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM-JON ANDERSON-AND MY RESPONSE
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/INCULTURATION_OF_THE_LITURGY_AND_SACROSANCTUM_CONCILIUM-JON_ANDERSON-AND_MY_RESPONSE.doc

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/LITURGICAL_ABUSE-CATHOLIC_ANSWERS.doc

LITURGICAL ABUSE-CATHOLICS UNITED FOR THE FAITH

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/LITURGICAL_ABUSE-CATHOLICS_UNITED_FOR_THE_FAITH.doc

LITURGICAL ABUSE-EWTN

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/LITURGICAL_ABUSE-EWTN.doc

LITURGICAL ABUSE-OUR LADY’S WARRIORS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/LITURGICAL_ABUSE-OUR_LADYS_WARRIORS.doc

LITURGICAL ABUSES IN THE SYRO-MALABAR CHURCH-ORIGINS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/LITURGICAL_ABUSES_IN_THE_SYRO-MALABAR_CHURCH-ORIGINS.doc

SACRED SIGNS-POSTURES AND GESTURES IN CHURCH

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/SACRED_SIGNS-POSTURES_AND_GESTURES_IN_CHURCH.doc

SEVENTEEN MOST COMMON ERRORS IN THE LITURGY

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/SEVENTEEN_MOST_COMMON_ERRORS_IN_THE_LITURGY.doc

STANDING OR KNEELING TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION AND ALTAR RAILS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/STANDING_OR_KNEELING_TO_RECEIVE_HOLY_COMMUNION_AND_ALTAR_RAILS.doc

TEN MOST COMMON LITURGICAL ABUSES

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TEN_MOST_COMMON_LITURGICAL_ABUSES.doc

THE PAGANISATION OF THE LITURGY IN INDIA-C B ANDRADE

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/THE_PAGANISATION_OF_THE_LITURGY_IN_INDIA-C_B_ANDRADE.doc

THE TWELVE POINTS OF ADAPTATION FOR THE INDIAN RITE MASS-WAS A FRAUD PERPETRATED ON INDIAN CATHOLICS?

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/THE_TWELVE_POINTS_OF_ADAPTATION_FOR_THE_INDIAN_RITE_MASS-WAS_A_FRAUD_PERPETRATED_ON_INDIAN_CATHOLICS.doc

WASHING THE FEET OF WOMEN ON HOLY THURSDAY

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/WASHING_THE_FEET_OF_WOMEN_ON_HOLY_THURSDAY.doc

WOMEN EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION-RON SMITH

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/WOMEN_EXTRAORDINARY_MINISTERS_OF_HOLY_COMMUNION-RON_SMITH.doc

ARCHBISHOP OF MADRAS-MYLAPORE-LETTER 05-CONCERNING LITURGICAL ERRORS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/ARCHBISHOP_OF_MADRAS-MYLAPORE-LETTER_05-CONCERNING_LITURGICAL_ERRORS.doc

BHARATANATYAM AT HOLY MASS AT CATHEDRAL OF ST THOMAS IN MADRAS-MYLAPORE ARCHDIOCESE

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/BHARATANATYAM_AT_HOLY_MASS_AT_CATHEDRAL_OF_ST_THOMAS_IN_MADRAS-MYLAPORE_ARCHDIOCESE.doc

CHARISINDIA ERRORS-02 –
EULOGIES AT FR. RUFUS’ FUNERAL MASS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/CHARISINDIA_ERRORS-02.doc

HINDU FLAG POLE AT CATHEDRAL OF ST THOMAS IN MADRAS-MYLAPORE ARCHDIOCESE

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/HINDU_FLAG_POLE_AT_CATHEDRAL_OF_ST_THOMAS_IN_MADRAS-MYLAPORE_ARCHDIOCESE.doc

LOTUS AND THE CROSS-THE HINDUISATION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN INDIA

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/LOTUS_AND_THE_CROSS-THE_HINDUISATION_OF_THE_CATHOLIC_CHURCH_IN_INDIA.doc

NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE 19-INDIAN CHURCH’S SYNCRETIZED BIBLE EXPORTED

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/NEW_COMMUNITY_BIBLE_19-INDIAN_CHURCHS_SYNCRETIZED_BIBLE_EXPORTED.doc

PETS AT HOLY MASS AT CATHEDRAL OF ST THOMAS IN MADRAS-MYLAPORE ARCHDIOCESE

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PETS_AT_HOLY_MASS_AT_CATHEDRAL_OF_ST_THOMAS_IN_MADRAS-MYLAPORE_ARCHDIOCESE.doc

THE HINDUISATION OF MUSIC IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/THE_HINDUISATION_OF_MUSIC_IN_THE_CATHOLIC_CHURCH.doc

THE HINDUISATION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN PICTURES

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/THE_HINDUISATION_OF_THE_CATHOLIC_CHURCH_IN_PICTURES.doc

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