Why I'm no longer Catholic, Reason 317

Apr. 9th, 2009 at 2:06 PM

British priests stop saying "Good morning" at Mass because it's too informal. A spokesman for the Diocese of Leeds:

"It is a debate that has been going on in the Church for a long time – are we doing a cabaret or are we actually celebrating the Eucharist?

"The fear is that if some guidance is not given and general decisions are not put down, the interpretation of the liturgy leads to unsuitable things, like strobe lights and girls in hotpants. The aim of the new translation[1] is to bring more dignity to the service."

Jorge of Burgos would thoroughly approve.

[1] The "new translation," ordered by the Vatican, would ~~more correctly be called a transliteration — it has to~~ match the Latin word for word, and how well the English flows as a result be damned.

EDIT: Because I've forgotten what "transliteration" actually means. Thanks,

leiacat...

Current Mood: annoyed

Comments

( 10 comments — Leave a comment )

leiacat

Apr. 9th, 2009 08:19 pm (UTC)

I'm pretty used to "transliteration" meaning "writing down furrin words normally written in funny alphabets using your own". Literal translation is something entirely else.

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faxpaladin

Apr. 9th, 2009 08:37 pm (UTC)

Gah. You're right, of course.

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lolleeroberts

Apr. 9th, 2009 08:23 pm (UTC)

Yes, because these are the most pressing issues facing the Church today. Gah.

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(Deleted comment)

faxpaladin

Apr. 9th, 2009 10:30 pm (UTC)

I'm of two minds about that. I have no memories of the pre-Vatican II church; I do remember some 1970s-era absurdities in an effort to be more "with it." I'm certain "modernization" went overboard. I'm just as certain that -- pendulums doing what pendulums do -- the church under its last two popes is going way overboard in the other direction.

My main objection to the upcoming liturgy change is precisely that what beauty and power was left is being sacrificed to Vatican nitpickers who couldn't care less how stilted and off it sounds in congregants' native languages (the process is going on worldwide, BTW), as long as it gets the exact theological details of the Latin right. This isn't really about formality -- it's about establishing the absolute control of Rome over the church.

I like the idea of different churches -- or different Masses at the same church -- having different styles, so that those who want less or more formality can have it, all the way up to actual Latin Mass. This -- this is about turning Catholic churches into the theological equivalent of McDonald's, where you can count on getting the exact same Mass everywhere in the world, with not the slightest hint of local flavor (the worldwide liturgy move also includes a crackdown on inclusion of local customs). That, too, will be a loss.

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made_of_paradox

Apr. 11th, 2009 12:21 am (UTC)

I'm not of an age to remember Vatican II. I received my first communion in the Episcopal Church when the new prayer book was still "proposed", and received a copy at first communion.

As for interesting music being used for church songs --
I had my brain a little warped in that I first heard the tune of "Hernando's Hideaway" being used for the Doxology, and when I saw The Pajama Game around age 10 or so, well, that bit was just a little odd for me....

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starcat_jewel

Apr. 9th, 2009 10:31 pm (UTC)

If any religious institution is inclined to shoot itself in the foot, I am inclined to let it do so. There are some (*cough* James Dobson *cough*) which I rather wish would do so a little more rapidly.

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madfilkentist

Apr. 9th, 2009 11:13 pm (UTC)

When the head of an organization says that condoms for disease prevention are bad, I don't have much outrage to spare over little things like his preferred phrasings.

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faxpaladin

Apr. 10th, 2009 12:19 am (UTC)

Oh, that's reason number 3 or 4. Somewhere up there pretty high.

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