Are younger priest really more orthodox??? - Page 2

Mrs Sally · #16 Apr 8, '10, 7:00 pm

There are 3 priests assigned to my parish, 1 in residence, and one visiting from India. Age range from mid-30s to 60+. They are all reverent, orthodox priests. They all preach on sin--including sexual sin--in their homilies. They all spend time in our adoration chapel, venerate Mary, all those things.

The youngest priest is a better liturgist and more likely to use incense, chant, etc. The priest in his 50s doesn't always wear clericals and doesn't like to train the altar boys to do anything but the bare minimum. The oldest priest has a strong devotion to Mary, but also thinks it's great to clap after the children's choir sings. Those differences are so minor though. They are all holy men who love the Lord and his church.

Overall, my experience is that younger priests are more likely to do outward things (clothes and the like). I don't think at all that they are showing off, but I do think the newness of their priesthood is part of it. We all tend to be more fired up and zealous at the beginning of something than we are as time goes by. Older priests can still be just as orthodox and devout without wearing a biretta or wanting to use incense at every opportunity.

CatholicFireman · #17 Apr 26, '10, 1:34 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by cu016584

Hi,
I'm a seminarian and I would say priests in general are getting much more orthodox as well. My rector is very young, and he's extremely traditional. We're trying to bring the cassock back

I see you made it! Congradulations. I remember your thread you started when you were discerning. Good luck!

Pax†

scoobydoo6v92 · #18 Apr 26, '10, 1:52 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffersonD

I'm discerning the priesthood at the moment and I went to a Come and See retreat at a seminary and the amount of reverance and love of God these seminarians have was inspiring. I loved it so much at the seminary hanging out with them that I didn't want to leave. I believe that not younger priests but priests that are coming right out of seminary in the past 10 years have been more orthodox then in the past.

God bless

I pray that your discerment goes much better than mine!! I totally agree with you. I think that younger or should I say newly ordained priests whether called at high school or a delayed vocation,,, Yes I beleive that the seminaries are much more traditional and the church has weeded out the liberal bishops and teachers in the seminaries. I also think the Holy Ghost is cleaning house.

PaschalCatholic · #19 May 4, '10, 4:25 pm

I think it is a beautiful blessing to have had John Paul the Great as our Pope when we were young and now following him, Benedict. And I agree that the Holy Spirit is cleaning house in a very beautiful way, but a reminder to some of you who posted earlier that the important parts of our faith are not necessarily the details (wearing or not wearing a cassock or biretta). The important things are being concerned with God's will in our lives, the Holy Eucharist, our intercessors (the Saints), etc. The attire and the traditions are good, but without the Traditions all we do is create more contempt by those who are put off the details. I understand we are not here to please people, and totally agree that we never will please everyone (especially as Catholics in line with Rome), but let us remember that our differences with our progressive brothers and sisters are doctrinal, theological, catechetical, and moral. The differences we have with them are not and should not be based on minute details, but rather with their immersion in liberation theology, their own will, and a humanist version of Christianity.
For all of you, may God bless you and continue to lead you down the path He hopes for you.
B

KCT · #20 May 5, '10, 4:20 pm

Maybe . . . but we have faithful priests of all ages in my area. (perhaps there are less faithful priests of all ages as well, but we're lucky to have so many good ones!!)

A few weeks ago, an older (70's?), visiting priest spoke forcefully about things immoral - he included abortion, in vitro, contraception . . . he was awesome.

scoobydoo6v92 · #21 May 5, '10, 5:39 pm

Yeah one parish I go to has a real young priest, (35) and he mentioned Father Corapi who is conservative and quoted him. Also there aren't 30 people on the altar and he only has one species. The music needs to be more traditional. The pendalum (sp?) is finaly swinging the other way. From what I see anyway

PaschalCatholic · #22 May 7, '10, 9:35 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by scoobydoo6v92

Yeah one parish I go to has a real young priest, (35) and he mentioned Father Corapi who is conservative and quoted him. Also there aren't 30 people on the altar and he only has one species. The music needs to be more traditional. The pendalum (sp?) is finaly swinging the other way. From what I see anyway

When you say the music needs to be more traditional, I'm not sure exactly what you mean by that. I understand the ideas of traditional music in mass and in many ways agree with the sentiment that it should be. However, in high school I went through the Lifeteen youth program at my church and there were guitars used and Matt Maher's version of "Come to the Water" (among others) were played. Granted, the preferred mass settings are on an organ and include traditional rather than contemporary music. This does not say though that those things are not good or even inadequate, just that traditional is preferred and most likely a loose word might be "better". I do think though that these settings for mass had an instrumental (no pun intended) role in leading teens closer to Christ (the motto of Lifeteen). And because of this it can be beneficial at times to use a different setting for the mass.
God bless,
B

p.s.- as far as the pendulum, AMEN; so many saw Vatican 2 as a license to change the Truths of the Church into what they wanted it to be, but now, as we come to more clear understandings, the council was a reaffirmation and perhaps a contemporary explanation of the Truths already established (like a Lifeteen mass which still focuses on the Eucharist).

scoobydoo6v92 · #23 May 7, '10, 11:37 am

What I mean is that music should be in Mass with a choir and an organ. I don't agree with a cantor. I don't like a cantor at the altar singing the psalms. Some not all but some have used it as a platform to perform. I like traditional hymns. I don't like Gather nor Glory and Praise. Marty Haugen is not even Catholic!!!!!!! and the mass of creation I HATE!!!! it! everything is in minor. The Gloria needs to be in Cmajor!! a joyful sound. Nothing like a huge pipie organ in C or F major with 16' reeds in the pedal to give a recessional hymn that growl. I could go on and on. but the point is that organ is key and a huge choir is heavenly. I love guitars and I love drums.
Also I don't agree to make Mass "relevant" to be dumbed down to entice teens to go to Mass. There isn't reverence in Mass as there used to be. My feelings, I may be wrong but when you see a teen enter into Mass with tight short shorts and a tee shirt I find it offensive and almost a blastphemy. we need to bring back the mystery of the Mass the reverence the respect and pre vatican II traditions. But I am confident that it all will come back again and girls will dress modestly and so on so forth. Scoob.

basinite · #24 May 7, '10, 10:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by scoobydoo6v92

What I mean is that music should be in Mass with a choir and an organ. I don't agree with a cantor. I don't like a cantor at the altar singing the psalms. Some not all but some have used it as a platform to perform. I like traditional hymns. I don't like Gather nor Glory and Praise. Marty Haugen is not even Catholic!!!!!!! and the mass of creation I HATE!!!! it! everything is in minor. The Gloria needs to be in Cmajor!! a joyful sound. Nothing like a huge pipie organ in C or F major with 16' reeds in the pedal to give a recessional hymn that growl. I could go on and on. but the point is that organ is key and a huge choir is heavenly. I love guitars and I love drums.
Also I don't agree to make Mass "relevant" to be dumbed down to entice teens to go to Mass. There isn't reverence in Mass as there used to be. My feelings, I may be wrong but when you see a teen enter into Mass with tight short shorts and a tee shirt I find it offensive and almost a blastphemy. we need to bring back the mystery of the Mass the reverence the respect and pre vatican II traditions. But I am confident that it all will come back again and girls will dress modestly and so on so forth. Scoob.

Amen Amen!!! Well said! Especially the parts about dressing respectfully. It is a major distraction when alot of the girls, who are very attractive, dress like their going to the night club and not the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. I should never have to deal with lustfull thoughts when I go to Mass, but unfortunatly I sometimes do. Luckily most of the women dress conservative and respectful at Mass like we all should.

PaschalCatholic · #25 May 8, '10, 8:10 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by scoobydoo6v92

What I mean is that music should be in Mass with a choir and an organ. I don't agree with a cantor. I don't like a cantor at the altar singing the psalms. Some not all but some have used it as a platform to perform. I like traditional hymns. I don't like Gather nor Glory and Praise. Marty Haugen is not even Catholic!!!!!!! and the mass of creation I HATE!!!! it! everything is in minor. The Gloria needs to be in Cmajor!! a joyful sound. Nothing like a huge pipie organ in C or F major with 16' reeds in the pedal to give a recessional hymn that growl. I could go on and on. but the point is that organ is key and a huge choir is heavenly. I love guitars and I love drums.

I don't know much about music so that all means very little to me, and I don't mean to judge, but other than the comment about Haugen (I don't even know who that is to be honest) it sounds like a bit of musical elitism to me. Like I said this isn't a topic I know a whole lot about and I don't know what regulations the Church puts on it, but the way I took what you said it sounds purely like opinion. I've seen the same strong opinions on the other side and both ends frustrate me (despite sympathizing more with you). If our focus is so strongly tied to the music and the choices of the priest and music minister then clearly we are not centered on the TRUE focus of the mass: the Eucharist.

Quote:

Also I don't agree to make Mass "relevant" to be dumbed down to entice teens to go to Mass.

I never said that so I would prefer you not misquote me. I said different Mass settings may be more appropriate for different participants in Mass. Not only that, but playing different hymns/songs during Mass does not "dumb it down" for teens and the goal is not to entice it is to make it accessible. Many teens do not have the understanding or preference for certain Mass settings that you do. Giving them that understanding is certainly important and I agree the integrity of the Mass cannot be sacrificed for the encouragement of teens; however, if a different setting can be used that better reaches them and it still fits within the Cannon then what is the problem? Your opinion on how it sounds? I'm sorry, I'm sure there's more to it than that, but that is the way it sounds from your post

Quote:

There isn't reverence in Mass as there used to be.

I would disagree especially at my home parish where the music I described is played.

Quote:

My feelings, I may be wrong but when you see a teen enter into Mass with tight short shorts and a tee shirt I find it offensive and almost a blastphemy.

I wouldn't say you're wrong, but I would say you're making a gross generalization about teens and that is extremely offensive. I would agree that ANYONE dressing inappropriately is offensive, but not to us, to THEMSELVES and to the Eucharist. It is not our jobs to police Mass looking for anyone who doesn't dress to our standards.

Quote:

we need to bring back the mystery of the Mass the reverence the respect and pre vatican II traditions.

Note quite sure what you mean by pre vatican 2 traditions because I was not alive in the period of transition, but in my opinion -and from my experience- the way the Mass has been said in almost every place I've been has not diminished the beauty of the Mass nor taken away from the Eucharist. I feel I must emphasize to you that the focus is on the Eucharist, and certainly you are not the only one, I think we could all stand to focus on that. That is not to say that the other parts of the Mass are unimportant (the are very important), but when we sit in our pews quietly analyzing every move looking for something to go wrong, or being haunted by our opinions of what's happening we miss out on the bigger picture and that is our Christo-centric community coming to consume (and thus be consumed by) Christ's body, blood, soul, and divinity.

Quote:

But I am confident that it all will come back again and girls will dress modestly and so on so forth. Scoob.

I'm sure that you're right, but that doesn't come from us scrutinizing them, it comes from loving, well planned teaching that speak to those who do not understand already. If all we do is bash people with how we "hate" different things that people choose to do within Mass they will never be convinced by us, much less even consider the points we make.

God bless,
B

PaschalCatholic · #26 May 8, '10, 8:14 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by basinite

Amen Amen!!! Well said! Especially the parts about dressing respectfully. It is a major distraction when alot of the girls, who are very attractive, dress like their going to the night club and not the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. I should never have to deal with lustfull thoughts when I go to Mass, but unfortunatly I sometimes do. Luckily most of the women dress conservative and respectful at Mass like we all should.

I'm sure you realize this, but not all of the responsibility for your lustful thoughts falls on the shoulders of these beautiful young women. Perhaps you should consider turning to prayer in times of temptation (as I do) and if necessary look away. After all, even if they're reading or in the choir you only need to hear their voice not see what they're wearing.

I think you and scooby might consider reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. It's beautiful and if he'd lived just one more year, Tolkein would've convinced him to be Catholic.
God bless,
B