The "Stuff"

I am posting briefly on the "stuff" because I refused to let it ruin the day. If I hadn't prayed throughout the day, it would have been worse, I'm sure. I am writing on this because it is truth and I'm not one to act like it was a perfect day(I didn't expect it to be). What I am mentioning did not effect the joy and memories of the day but they happened. There you have it.
This was a spiffy song to sing after communion:

Jesus Wine of Peace
Jesus wine of Peace, wine of love, may we drink of you, may we taste your presence, your promise, our future. Drink well and live.

A ditty from my favorite doctor of liturgical hymnody, David Hass. First I ever heard of this song. I asked at the party and when I told them the title and how it went, they thought I was joking. Here is another bloggers opinion on this song I found:

Jesus, Wine of Peace by David Haas. Yes, "Wine of Peace". It's like "Bread of Life" only hippier. I specifically remember when Jesus said, "I am the wine of peace. Those who come to me shall not argue." This song is crap. The song switches between the point of view of the parishioners and Jesus' point of view. You know, when we sing at Mass, aren't the songs supposed to be worshipping God? What does it say about us when we're singing from God's point of view? Think about that.

I just thought it worth mentioning because it sums up how I felt about it. Crap. Oddly enough, they threw in the 1958 version of O Sacrament Most Holy. Then another drivel tune, Table of Plenty, where we all sing about how we are "getting this party started". Some lyrics, in case you are unfamiliar:

O, come and sit at my table
where saints and sinners are friends.
I wait to welcome the lost and lonely
to share the cup of my love.

Who is saying to sit at my table? Me, us, God, Dan Schutte? I dunno. Here is another link to Adoremus' take on this hymn and others. Cult of conceit is a nice way to describe this schmaltzy stuff indeed. Then as expected we had people in shorts, jeans and halters, including parents of communicants. The noise in the church was deafening. The significance of the children receiving the sacrament was lost because the parents went up at the same time. Then there was the huge parade of untrained Eucharistic extraordinary persons with cups and such. Yes, untrained EEP's administering a sacrament to a child. Like I stated before, we passed on this. I understand the GIRM on this, not disputing but if it is "more complete" what then is "less complete"? Are those of us receiving the Body of Christ only less complete? Does it not contain body, blood, soul and divinity? Is this to placate those who can't wrap their brain around transubstantiation? Don't believe in the True Presence? I give. It was like an army with cups up there. Sorry, it was. And because the parent of the communicants were not catechized, they were lost yesterday. Most didn't know what they were supposed to do, where to go or that it might be a good idea not to talk like they were in a gymnasium before and after Mass. I was thankful the principal announced prior to Mass that people should sit down and remain silent the 5 minutes before Mass. If that didn't speak volumes about how our church/parish/diocese feels about Christ's presence in the Eucharist, I don't know what does. So there's the "stuff", it happened and it is what it is. None of it stopped my son's First Communion or the joy in our family.

Wandering music director...

While I was trying to get on with the work of my day, I cannot shake these feelings of sadness mixed with anger over what has taken place at my parish. I found this article written by a music director that is hauntingly similar to the story of the one who just left our parish. If you have interest in liturgical music, read it. We should not be coming to Mass to be entertained. Mass is not "for us" and I don't feel comfortable being in a parish where people feel they deserve entertainment value for their time on Sunday. I really wanted to go in a positive direction during Lent. In other words, focus on what I love about my faith, how important it is to me and how I cannot exist without it. This crazy "thing" at our parish changing in the past year has put me and my children into a tailspin. Children know things, pick up on things and emulate parents. In saying that, they(especially my oldest son) are becoming targets of ridicule for their beliefs in of all places, a Catholic school. Too Catholic for a Catholic school. So today, I am trying to find hope, cope with the present situation and try to re-teach my children all the bunk they are learning that is not true. It's becoming a ritual on the way home from school. I pick them up, they share stuff from religion class or Mass and I have to explain what is wrong and tell them the truth. How long can I keep this up? How long before they sense my anger and frustration? I feel very alone because none of the other parents care if their children are being taught false doctrine. So I keep my "over-zealous conservatism" to myself. I'm being patronizing of course but its lonely in the desert.

You think the people would have had enough of silly church songs

Just classic! It's all so Joan Baez it makes me nuts. I believe our parish is about to get a generous dose of the H&H genre in the very near future so I need to find some ear plugs with some religious symbols on them(so they would be considered church attire). Shout out to the Catholic Cartoon Blog for this bit of morning humor.