Eff-Crap

EffCap is the pronunciation of an acronym for what is, essentially, the way every Christian is called upon to react to Liturgy, his duty, when it comes down to it.

F. C. A. P. He must, yes, MUST, try to engage in -F-ull, -C-onscious, and -A-ctive -P-articipation.

None of this needs to be perceptible to anyone but God, it must be said. He does not owe the song leader decibels, nor the celebrant visible attention as indicated by gaze locked upon him.

The "action" is most importantly, interior.

But do not neglect the way one may aid ones fellow in the pew by strong singing when called for, how one can teach children and neophytes in the vicinity by modeling postures and gestures!

Sadly, I have lately had recourse to a newer term and acronym - "EffCrap." The "r" is for "raucous."

Full Conscious Raucous Active Participation? NEVER called for!

But alas, it is ubiquitous.

I always enjoy Colin Mawby's "Vivace" newsletter. If you don't subscribe to the newsletter? so do it already!

Anyway, the latest issue recounts this horror-

In some churches it has become fashionable to applaud the musicians at the conclusion of a service. ... I write as a liturgical musician, but I question whether this is right.
The main purpose of liturgy is the worship of God. ...
One of the problems of the liturgical reforms is that many services have become man-centred rather than God-centred and applause underlines this approach.
Does a congregation ever applaud God or the Word of God? I have never experienced this although I recall a church where after the Consecration the priest called out: “Three cheers for God: hip, hip!”

Can you even?
I can't....

The Tridentine Low Mass as a "Sane and Solemn Tonic" to Liturgical Shenanigans

Kevin Di Camillo has a lovely piece at NCRegister about his discovery of the Extraordinary Form.

I am, of course, disposed to give a friendly hearing to the ideas of anyone who flat out says,

"I had no 'reaction' to the 'new Mass', no axe to grind, no animosity— only a vague curiosity as to why Pope Benedict (who, if nothing else, was obviously a bona fide genius......) would 'bring back the Latin Mass.'" [emphasis supplied]

And although our experiences were very different, he shared this question with me - what is this strange thing that so many find "so appalling"?

It was the irrational virulence of that ... hatred is not too strong a word... that demanded of me to experience something so apparently frightening and powerful.

It is, of course, easy to throw the new Mass under the bus, and that is (a) wrong, and (b) not my point. My point is simply that in a world where we each have more email, voicemail, texts, meetings, and Skype-chats than we could possibly digest in a lifetime, the Tridentine Mass offers a complete contemplative oasis. You have the right to be silent when you pray. True, on Sunday at the Novus Ordo, we SHOULD sing "loud-and-proud"— but at Low Mass you can be, you MUST be, silent before your God.
This I found (and find) wonderfully fulfilling — and terrifying. “Fulfilling” in the sense of theosis: as the Mass culminates in Holy Communion, one is literally filled with the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is, of course, absolutely true in the Novus Ordo as well— but this is “terrifying” in that the quieter it is the more one is AWARE that this is happening. Christ becomes present again, and we are about to receive him in perfect silence— not even an "Amen" after communicating.

I'll just add, I myself prefer a diffident dialogue Mass, but different strokes...

Disappointing Homily

Taking a cue from today's Gospel, the deacon preached on the need for sabbatical, for private time, for daily, private, personal prayer, in addition to attendance at Mass.

But he couldn't let it go without his usual dig at the Bad Ol' Days when "most of what the priest did was silent," and ignorant pew dwellers eschewed EffCap for their "rosaries and novenas" - and a dig at those today who try to privatize the Liturgy and who complain that they can't pray.

I'm sure it's just me, but I "feel" more a part of something greater in the silences.
And I am far more aware of being actually present at both Calvary and at the Wedding Banquet of the Lamb when I am not asked to open my yap.
I can drink in the glory of celebrating with the entirety of God's people, not just those who by accidents of time and space share the pews, far more deeply when I am not constantly yanked into the here and now.

The Church! Not just "here comes everybody," but "here IS everybody"!

Non-Catholic Rundown in Need of New Headline Writer

Why, why, why do the secular and non-Catholic press have trouble with this sort of thing?

Non Catholic Rundown has yet another story about a woman who wants to call herself a Catholic priest, (and they wish to indulge her in that desire,) in that Humpty-Dumpty way of pretending that words can mean whatever they want them to mean.

Firstly, I, as the new Managing Editor of NCR take issue with the headline that says this poor woman is "Kansas City's first woman priest" as she is either waaaay behind any number of Episcopalians in KC, (and how unecumencial, how cruel of the headline writer to insult our separated brethren and sistren in this way! remind me to fire him or her next time I go to work,) or, and this is my take on it, NOT A PRIEST AT ALL.

But even if she were a Catholic priest, would we want a shepherd so woefully ignorant of liturgical theology and the precepts of the Church?
Or, perhaps it is the WRITER who is woefully ignorant of liturgical theology and the precepts of the Church... (remind me to fire Dawn Cherie Araujo next time I go in to work.)

Walker says she plans to continue attending Mass at her parish church, St. James, though she will not be taking part in any liturgy.
"I'm not going to take Communion," she told NCR. "I won't in any way compromise the parish, but I attend to still be part of the community and go there for worship on Sunday."

Not taking part in the liturgy? Not taking part?
Have you no clear idea of what participation is?

One does not need to be prancing about to be taking part in the Liturgy.
One does not need to be in the sanctuary to be taking part in the Liturgy.
One does not need to be making any noise to be taking part in the Liturgy.

 (And I say that as a prancing, sanctuary-entering, noisemaker.)

And - hold on to your wigs and keys, Granny - one does not need to receive Communion to be taking part in the Liturgy.

(And I say that as an occasional Communion abstainer.)

Unless this poor lady pops a few sleeping pills and deliberately sleeps through the liturgy, or sticks her fingers in her ears for an hour muttering I can't HEAR you, la la la la! and closes her eyes and thinks of England.... she participates with her presence, her mindful presence.

The Life of the Church?

Benedict made a surprise cameo at this weekend's ceremony ... and immediately raised questions about whether Benedict might occasionally be reintegrated back into the life of the church.

Does anyone at AP actually read what they write?
"Reintegrated"?

As if he, and indeed, everyone of us is not already and always part of the "life of the Church"?
Do they understand the concept of universality? or more important, prayer?

Of what do they think "the life of the Church" consists?
And do they think if they aren't reporting on something it isn't happening?

It's like those sad little people who complain that others aren't engaged in their own fetishized notion of "Effcap" because "if I can't see or hear you, you must not be engaged."

At least AP didn't add to the ludicrous conspiracy theories in which people who should know better are indulging.

Isn't watching "active participation"?

I am skimming past and occasionally watching, (that's not the kind of "watching" referenced in the title,) a broadcast on EWTN.
It is the dedication of a new shrine, (to Our Lady of Guadalupe? somewhere in the mid-west? I'll have to look it up.)
A bishop is anointing the altar and walls... never have I so clearly realized the truth of something I once heard Dr Mahrt say, something about how he has from time to time resented being made to feel that his EffCap* depends on his singing something when what the soul needs to participate most fully is to be watching something, a procession, a ceremony, whatever, which one MISSES because of having to look at words and notes, or worse, an animator/cantor flapping away, whoops, is it our turn to sing the refrain again?

Some singing is the purpose of a choir, of a schola, they are deputed to sing with the angels on our behalf, while we perform some action (consuming the Body and Blood of Christ? reverencing a crucifix?) or watch someone else performing some action.
Interesting, macaronic, sometimes handbell-accompanied chanting.
I can't but help think if this were going on around here, someone would think the whole assembly ought to be singing "We're Standing On Holy Ground." or some such, and be unable to give the attention one ought to a perhaps once-in-a-lifetime ceremony.
In order to participate one would NEED, if present, to watch such an anointing, without the distraction of reading music. or perhaps worse, the distraction of singing something so trite and commonplace that the average person could do so without recourse to the printed page.

(Not original, can't remember where I read it... it hits just the right note of snarkiness toward jargon.)