Faith
I really enjoyed this episode of "Pints With Aquinas". It's good for Catholics to express concerns and questions in honest conversations like this, especially where the participants are able to challenge each other, and not get defensive or angry. God gives us the ability to reason; it's far better to talk to one another and work things out that way, than put up walls to divide us.
This was a timely podcast for me specifically: I was very recently in a setting where I had well-intentioned concerns with regards to the way the Holy Mass was conducted, with regards to respect for the Eucharist. I am a huge supporter of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, but I think we need to be careful about introducing those elements to the Mass itself.
If do go on to become ordained as a deacon one day, I would be happy to lead or help lead charismatic prayer events, under the supervision of my pastor-- but my personal view is that most of those elements should be in a context separate from the Liturgy.
I recently had dinner with a wonderful lady-- if you're reading this, hello and God bless!-- where we discussed the Tridentine Mass, and the growing role of officially-assigned "chaplains to the Latin Mass" in so many dioceses across the country. She asked me what I thought of it, and the Latin Mass in general.
Oftentimes my personality is tempted towards "this or that" thinking-- but as time passes my inclinations have shifted towards "this and why not that too?" This has opened my mind to exploring things I probably wouldn't have considered before.
I told her that, as both the Vetus Ordo and the Novus Ordo are canonically valid rites, why not make a "big tent" where we can? Our goal is to make saints out of everyone: if the Extraordinary Form brings some people closer to God, while a more contemporary Mass draws others still closer, why not support both of those options?
Another aspect is, there is wiggle room within the rubrics for just the Novus Ordo: I went to the Chrism Mass at the cathedral in St. Cloud two years ago, and they literally had trumpets blaring; incense filled the whole church; the opening procession took probably twenty minutes, there were so many priests and deacons there.
That wasn't a Latin Mass-- it was a Novus Ordo! Meanwhile, in my Area Catholic Community, we are very reverant towards the Eucharist and use chants-- but we also mix in some more contemporary music, with a pleasant mix of piano and acoustic guitar.
I remember Dave VanVickle once joking, "At Exorcism-educational events half of the people are charismatics while the other half are 'tradcons', and it's funny watching the two groups nervously backing into each other." His point being, we have far more in common than we have in difference.
Finally, they discussed Pope Francis in the podcast at some length. I remember the first time I heard him say something that seemed to be perhaps not quite fully aligned with official Church teachings-- but then I did some research, and learned that what the Pope says is only doctrinally binding under very specific circumstances. I may not be using the exact correct terms here, but it's close enough to get the sentiment across I think.
Put another way, the Pope is human just like us, so we shouldn't overreact. That probably goes for my Liturgical concerns as well: we should never forget that the Holy Spirit is orchestrating and guiding all of this.
This was a timely podcast for me specifically: I was very recently in a setting where I had well-intentioned concerns with regards to the way the Holy Mass was conducted, with regards to respect for the Eucharist. I am a huge supporter of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, but I think we need to be careful about introducing those elements to the Mass itself.
If do go on to become ordained as a deacon one day, I would be happy to lead or help lead charismatic prayer events, under the supervision of my pastor-- but my personal view is that most of those elements should be in a context separate from the Liturgy.
I recently had dinner with a wonderful lady-- if you're reading this, hello and God bless!-- where we discussed the Tridentine Mass, and the growing role of officially-assigned "chaplains to the Latin Mass" in so many dioceses across the country. She asked me what I thought of it, and the Latin Mass in general.
Oftentimes my personality is tempted towards "this or that" thinking-- but as time passes my inclinations have shifted towards "this and why not that too?" This has opened my mind to exploring things I probably wouldn't have considered before.
I told her that, as both the Vetus Ordo and the Novus Ordo are canonically valid rites, why not make a "big tent" where we can? Our goal is to make saints out of everyone: if the Extraordinary Form brings some people closer to God, while a more contemporary Mass draws others still closer, why not support both of those options?
Another aspect is, there is wiggle room within the rubrics for just the Novus Ordo: I went to the Chrism Mass at the cathedral in St. Cloud two years ago, and they literally had trumpets blaring; incense filled the whole church; the opening procession took probably twenty minutes, there were so many priests and deacons there.
That wasn't a Latin Mass-- it was a Novus Ordo! Meanwhile, in my Area Catholic Community, we are very reverant towards the Eucharist and use chants-- but we also mix in some more contemporary music, with a pleasant mix of piano and acoustic guitar.
I remember Dave VanVickle once joking, "At Exorcism-educational events half of the people are charismatics while the other half are 'tradcons', and it's funny watching the two groups nervously backing into each other." His point being, we have far more in common than we have in difference.
Finally, they discussed Pope Francis in the podcast at some length. I remember the first time I heard him say something that seemed to be perhaps not quite fully aligned with official Church teachings-- but then I did some research, and learned that what the Pope says is only doctrinally binding under very specific circumstances. I may not be using the exact correct terms here, but it's close enough to get the sentiment across I think.
Put another way, the Pope is human just like us, so we shouldn't overreact. That probably goes for my Liturgical concerns as well: we should never forget that the Holy Spirit is orchestrating and guiding all of this.