The NEW Missal Makes a Direct Hit

This past weekend, the New Roman Missal made a direct hit on english-speaking parishes around the world. A new and what is thought to be a more vibrant and formal translation of the Mass landed in a pew near you. I am sure that some of my initial observations in my own parish are very similar to what greeted the Church around the world...

A LITTLE CONFUSION, BUT CERTAINLY NOT CHAOS:  Like most parishes, ours has a new hymnal with everything you need to follow along.  We've even added the follow along,  "red letter marks the changed language" script and the Mass Music Assembly Booklet.  Its all there, and its probably a tad too much to navigate, but it seemed to have taken only a small portion of the hour for folks to figure out where to look and what to follow.  The fun part was watching the faces of many, many well intended people simply fall back into the routine... "The Lord be with you"... And also with y--, oh.. um... your... And with your spirit!" :)

EVERY BIT OF THE PREPARATION WAS WORTH EVERY SECOND:  I'm sure many parishes within the Church worked very hard for many, many months to prepare for the weekend debut of the New Missal.  Some chose to begin practicing months ago, and others have been studying the reasons behind the changes for a year.  Our parish, like many others, worked throughout the last year praying and deciding on what to do, but began the using the new translation only within the past few weeks, focusing on the Gloria, the Confiteor, and the Nicene Creed.  We made the decision not to debut any new music until this past weekend as well.  I believe that like us, the parishes who waited until the official start time of this past weekend to "do the new Mass" were treated to the value of what comes with that newness and how it compliments the season of Advent.

"WHAT ABOUT THOSE BELLS?"  There a certainly a few nay-sayers in the pews, and some people that just aren't happy with the changes in the New Roman Missal.  Our parish has maintained a relatively "middle of the road" approach when it comes to celebrating the Mass.  The ringing of the bells has not been a usual practice at my parish.  While the use of the bells is certainly NOT part of the change of the Roman Missal, in other words, it is not a required element within the liturgy; adding the ringing of the bells at the two "elevations" of the Eucharistic Prayer came as a little bit of a shock to many in our congregation.  I would say that 85%-90% were pleasantly shocked, and enjoyed or could live with their return.  But like the usual "Bell Curve" (no pun intended), 10% just couldn't believe it.  When confronted by the unhappy, I was challenged to have to defend their re-placement within the liturgy because frankly I don't lose too much sleep over such things, but this is a great example of just how much we have to respect the 10%.  No, this isn't some "Occupy Rally", it's just a simple fact.  Many of our faithful, truly thought through, and have owned their style of worship.  No amount of training or prep classes in understanding the "New Stuff" was gonna make things any easier for these folks.  Their Mass was giving way to a new Mass!  One of our staff members put it quite nicely.  "I am now feeling what some of the older folks must have felt when I was younger, and those changes in the Missal "turned everything around".

So, I'll end by saying that while change is difficult, it is a part of growth, and that is exactly what's happening here... We, the living Body of Christ continues to grow!  We seek to perfect our worship because that's what is asked of us... Not by the Vatican, but by God.  We were created to love and worship Him.  He who fashioned us from the dust, and gave us the breath of life, has given us a chance to express our faith in the best way we know how... And that is what we'll do!

Pierce the Veil!

I have been participating in a wonderful Discussion Board on helping Catholic Youth understand the New Translation of the Mass that is coming later in the Fall. This is a closing thought that I shared with the group...

Our young people are being called FROM where they are; that is, their starting points vary, but all lead to the same joy and Truth in our Lord, Jesus Christ. Welcoming them into this journey, at whatever starting point they might be coming from, keeps them closer to the Church, calling us to be patient, and hopeful. I've heard it said that "no matter their tattoos, or dress, or opinions [at this point in their journey], as long as they are sharing those things HERE, in the Church, we have a better chance at putting them in a position to experience the Spirit, and begin their personal relationship with Christ. With that said, the rules, the gestures , the real expectations of what it means to mature in life and in faith are certainly crucial in our mentoring these youth to progress and move forward!

Now, with respect to the liturgy and the New Translation o

f the Mass, where are they headed? Why is it worth the effort? I asked my own Spiritual Director a very specific and pointed question this weekend. "Why do we go to Mass? Is it to receive the Eucharist, or hear the Word, or offer God our prayers and worship?" I expected an answer like "All of the above!" But what he said was, "We go to Mass to participate in the sacrifice given to us by our Lord, Jesus Christ. We pierce the veil that seperates time, heaven and earth, and we share in the love of God!" He went on to add that in the Mass, "when that veil is pierced, it is not Christ who comes to us, but it is we who are invited and able to come to Him!"

In the spirit of this past Sunday's readings, and with respect to what it is that we YM's do so well, we need to keep inviting young people to "come and see", knowing that where they are going, God's love is there to greet them! So be it Youth Group, or Bible Study, or retreats, or in this case Mass... Let us lead them to the sacrifice and the celebration of the love of God that is the Body of Christ. Remember to stay relaxed, for we are trying our best to attach words and gestures to that which we can never comprehend, but through our faith we can always attain.

I have enjoyed presenting, reading and participating in this experience with you, and I again thank Charlotte and Leigh and MTS for ALL of their amazing efforts and strength in bringing you this opportunity, because that is exactly what it is; an opportunity to come to a fuller understanding of what it is that Christ has in store for US! God bless you all, and good luck in your ministry this coming season. I look forward to our continued worship together, as the "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church" celebrates the love of God, yet again, at a Mass near you!

Here We Are to Worship!

I have been participating in an Online Course/Discussion on Implementing the New Catholic Roman Missal to Young People. Here's a question that was posed to me... "What are some key points you would suggest as a "must do" for youth ministers to help them catechize the youth of the parish? Any resources you have come across?" Here's my answer...

Some "Key Points":

•GO TO MASS as a Youth Group! You might even want to try and add a daily Mass option to your weekly schedule. Hopefully you have an early morning Mass before school or an evening Mass that you all can make an effort to attend. You can even add this to the list of responsibilities for your CORE Team, or Youth Leadership Council!

•I recommend that your Youth Programs take a look at "The Mass", and do some basic "reminder" style catechesis on its purpose and its opportunity in our lives as Catholic Christians.

•Make friends with your Music and Liturgy Director, and involve them in the planning and presentation of the "New" material. Help them understand how to work with young people, and put them in a good place to succeed in presenting to your group, establishing leadership and respect.

•If you have a music component to your program, think about adding the chosen Parish Mass Setting to your Praise & Worship Nights!

•Think about learning the "New" responses, especially the CREED. Use Youth Group Meetings to talk through them and discuss their purpose within the liturgy... I know (YAWN)... Seriously, this can be done effectively and with a sense of fun and prayerfulness. Think about adding a 10 minute block of time to the end of your youth group meetings dedicated to a different part of the liturgy through the Fall.

•Finally, because the kids in your Parish will adapt to these changes much more easily than their parents, trea

t your youth group as the disciples that they are! They can be leading the way, and embrace the opportunity to journey through this time with enthusiasm!

Some Resources: My parish is depending on the Liturgy Training Publication series based on the booklet Understanding the Revised Mass Texts, Second Edition by Paul Turner (and the Leader Book). There is a book for teens and children as well. I like it because its not too detailed, but it offer all the explanation one needs. Our plan is to offer a copy of the Turner booklet to our congregation, and use it in our Adult Ed. Program. We will utilize the children and teen material in the RE Program, most likely taught in three lessons.

Remain Calm

A note... I have been invited to be a "Guest Responder" in an Online Course on Youth Ministry and the Transition of the New Translation of the Roman Missal (Wow, thats a mouthful) sponsored by my very good friends at the Ministry Training Source. I am reposting my blogs and responses here on the GregBlog... I hope they are useful!

In my almost 23 years in Youth Ministry, and now into my second year in serving the Liturgy, I have certainly learned of the fine line between best laid plans and actual outcomes. I've also been a part of those awesome prayer opportunities and those less than stellar experiences as well, where I solidified the young person's mindset that "church IS boring". Nevertheless, I am excited about the opportunity that lies before us to truly break open what the MASS can truly be for our young people and the many that serve them, especially their families!

Recently I was sent an article by famed composer David Haas. Entitled "Beyond Words", this article is really rooted in an attitude that calls us to "remain calm", and let the Spirit begin to do its work in bringing the english speaking Church towards a greater sense of connection with the power of the Eucharistic Feast, and the fullness of how God will speak to us through His Word, and from His table! I encourage you to read the article and comment on the following basic areas of concern when planning this transition that begins in a few shorts months.

1. Think about the power of words, especially from the perspective of young people... How can we identify the differences between casual and formal language in our ministry? What prayers and programs can we offer that identifies and utilizes each to break open the depths of God's Word and His message to all?

2. The article challenges us "not to over catechize"! How are we to break open the rich heritage of the Mass and the opportunity that comes with this New Translation without over doing it?

3. Brainstorm some ways that we can establish a long-term plan and approach to aiding our youth in growing with this New Translation. A

lso, brainstorm some ideas that could meet Hass' challenge to "celebrate the liturgy well", including opportunities within youth group, mentoring and scripture study settings that can embrace the nature of the purpose for the New Translation.

One of my weakness in ministry is that I tend to over-simplify things, neglecting the possibility that young people (and old alike) really do thirst for the specifics, and the reasons behind change. That baboon in the Lion King, Rafiki, when he hits Simba on the head with his really cool stick, reassures him (and us) that "change is difficult". And while this may be true, and I while may be over simplifying it all, a workshop I attended on the subject labeled the transition as "eating in the dining room"! That helped it all make sense to me. I don't know about your family, but when I was growing up, we only used the dining room on special occasions. This meant we had to dress nice, put those special napkins on out laps, use the nice plates, and of course "sit up straight"! When I was a kid, this all seemed a little silly, so I know how young people (and old alike) will feel when we're asked to use the fancy words, when its easier to just use a word that everyone understands. But, there in lies the opportunity... We enter a special place, where we can seize the opportunity to help make worship something extra special!

David Hass reminds us that participating in the wonderful transition is truly "More Than Words", which, if you recall, was also an awesome song by the early 90's "One Hit Wonder" group Extreme. Enjoy the course! :)