At Mass in Dublin today. Treated myself to visit to the Jesuits on Gardener Street. The Pro-Cathedral is ghastly and the Blessed Sacrament Chapel on Bachelors Walk is claustraphobic. But one thing they all have in common is that almost no one in the congregation uses the "new" translation of the Mass. Loads of "and also with you"s. And no one, but no one says "it is right and just". The Sanctus is confused mess. The Non Sum Dignis likewise. The priest doesn't even know the acclamation of faith. And the dismissal has become a meandering "Go, and proclaim the gospel with your lives and live it with your peace" sort of thing.
Mustn't grumble though.
My
six year old announced on Sunday that she wished she were a pagan as she was fed up going to Mass.
Her mother responded: "Of course there'd be no Christmas, no Easter eggs".
Six year old: "Well there'd still be Hallowe'en".
Continuing the digression, what to do when a bunch of local kids or teenagers decide that your front wall is the perfect place to congregate. I was advising a neighbour recently that he should do what St John Bosco {or was it Philip Neri?} did, get a tight rope and some balls and teach them to juggle.
Gardiner St is not a Catholic church - being Jesuit, and all. I had to suffer its particular pseudo-religion for 8 years when it was my normal place of worship. A challenge to survive with one's faith in the One True Faith intact.
ReplyDeleteAu contraire, they offer a lovely, normal weekday Mass at 1pm - in my experience anyway. Fr Peter McVerry, for whatever faults he may have, says a nice Mass.
ReplyDeleteI stand over what I said. Most Jesuits in this country and elsewhere are chronically disobedient to the doctrine of the Church and do not offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass according to the rubrics. My son in his Jesuit school is taught not Catholicism but a kind of pagan New Ageism. Peter McVerry, as he calls himself, is a long-time leading dissident along with his colleagues in the ACP. When it comes to the Holy Mass, what matters is that it is valid and licit, no ad libbing, or other liturgical abuses. Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi. Some Jesuits are orthodox, obedient to the Church.
ReplyDelete"Most Jesuits" home and abroad? I'd say you're drawing some general conclusions from a very narrow range of experiences.
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ReplyDeleteExperience and more importantly, authority; and not just my personal experience. I've read quite a bit about the Society - and it was once great and orthodox. Popes don't take over governance of an order for no great reason. I won't say anymore. I think you're just trying to provoke me, as is your wont!
ReplyDeleteI am hurt by your suggestion.
ReplyDeleteCan we call a truce lady and gent. Just an observation. The picture of the Priest and the overly happy looking kids, has a touch of the Kim-Il-Sung ( or whoever the present one is ) North Korean type poster about it. Nice, in a garish type of way.
ReplyDeleteThat's your version of calling a truce, attacking the Salesians?
ReplyDeleteNot at all. Just a simple observation about the poster. I'm sure the Salesians are fine. I experienced the methods of the De La Salle Brothers ( unfortunately the majority ) at school, not very Catholic or Christian. So I'm very wary of idealized posters. Chill !.
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