One of the big news items enflaming the Catholic blogosphere as well as the secular press in Orange County, CA, is the recent action of a pastor and Bishop Tod Brown telling a group of parishioners to leave their parish and diocese.
For what? On the surface, for refusing to submit to the liturgical norm of the diocese mandating standing after the Agnus Dei.
Wha???
Well, that’s the tip of the iceburg. After reading through posts and articles on the matter, it’s clear that this group is a thorn in the side of the church establishment and bureaucracy in the diocese, and are being punished for raising questions and doing so in a rather, shall we say…forceful manner.
You can begin to follow the story here, at the blog of the Orange County Register
Dom has been following the story and links to the flier that the group produced here.
(A flier which, I might add does not help any claims to victimhood that the group might want to vent)
Michael Liccione comments here
I’m sure there is other commentary, perhaps from a canon lawyer or two out there – post links if you have them.
There are, of course, conflicting values here, and actually, that first blog post from the OC register lays it out pretty clearly. The liturgy is the public prayer of the Church that is, at its core, about communion. Our unity in and through Christ. The liturgy should then reflect that unity, so we should all be praying in the same words and using the same postures in this "work." And further, it is the bishop’s right to establish liturgical norms for his diocese.
The conflict though, as it always seems to be, is with other statements and values, for example those from Cardinal Arinze and the Pope, as elucidated in the OC blog and its comments. Arinze’s comment, in particular, gives support to those who would like to kneel even if diocesan norm is to stand.
Deck chairs. Titanic. Etc.
Meanwhile, the evangelical megachurches in Orange County continue to grow, no doubt.
Meanwhile, those searching for Christ, reaching for light out of the dark places in their lives, listen to the squabble, figure that there is no light to be found in this place, and look elsewhere.
Meanwhile, problems in the OC diocese continue, amply documented over the years by the alternative OC Weekly.
The crux of the issue is this: Catholic clerics pull out the obedience card when it suits them, and slip it back in their pockets when it doesn’t. Among most US bishops there is a profound inconsistency in how those advocating more "traditional" piety are treated on this score and how those who advocate praying to four winds are. Many contemporary liturgists would sell their mothers for the sake of diversity and their favorite topic of unity, NOT conformity!!!…except when it comes to more traditional expressions of piety.
Not to mention all of the other "liberal" stances that are tolerated within Catholic institutions, with none of those folks being asked to leave by the same leaders who are driven mad by kneeling.
Really…you might want to get some help for that.
That said, I’m not completely clear on the St. Mary’s situation. I don’t know what the whole story is or what the real issues are. But I do know this:
I went to Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica a week ago today, then again last Sunday. Before that, I went to Mass at San Spirito in Sassia, just a few streets over from the Vatican.
Before, during and after Communion?
Kneeling. Standing. Sitting. Perhaps not the ideal for the liturgical purist, but the way it was. Having fought their way to the line like a Rome taxi driver on the Corso, they received the Lord, returned to their seat, and did…whatever.
There are bigger to fish to fry. The thing is, though…this probably is about the big fish, after all.
Read Previous Post
