Confused - EWTN experience

[Fizendell]

So there I was, cruising the channels on DirecTv and came across EWTN. First I watched a priest at a seminar-type event and got my feathers ruffled when he mentioned that Mary Magdelene was the biggest prostitute in Galilee. Wasn't that common misconception cleared up some years ago?

But my real comments here are about the Daily Mass I watched following that. Broadcast from Our Lady of Angels (I think), I actually watched the whole hour. A little back story here - since I can't find a board for "fallen away catholics considering a return to the church" - I'm one who hasn't attended mass for 20+ years.

So to watch this mass and wonder - where was the Our Father? Apostle's Creed (or Nicene Creed as I thought I said at mass as a child) and where did the greeting of Peace go??

And I thought for sure he was speaking three languages, but after reading several threads here and seeing some references to EWTN, he was speaking Latin - again, not something I heard when I attended mass (being the early 80's.)

So tell me - are all churches and the mass so very different now? I won't even get started on the alter girls - boy did that throw me for a loop. What's happening to the Church?

When I think of tradition, I think of the Church... but it seems I would feel quite out-of-place if I went back!

=)
Fiz

[awalt]

Not sure, I have not watched an EWTN Mass in its entirety, but we do Our Father, Nice Creed, and "Peace" greeting at Mass still...

[puzzleannie]

the Creed is not said at daily Mass, only on Sunday, I don't watch the whole Mass everyday, but MIL has it on, and I have never heard Latin except in some songs and chant, but that is not to say some priests don't use it. I have never seen female altar servers on EWTN televised Masses, but I suppose if the Mass were being said at a convent one of the sisters would do those duties.

If you have questions about how the Mass is celebrated now, vs what you remember, find a good parish near you and start going again. Then if you have more questions we will try to answer them.

[Annunciata]

I watch the Mass on EWTN everyday...the Our Father is always chanted in Latin. There are NO female altar girls ever on
EWTN's Mass.
As far as what you heard about Mary Magdalene...I think you had to have heard it wrong...Maybe what you heard was a panel discussing the *LIES* in the book The Da Vinci Code..

[EddieArent]

Correct me if I'm, but here is the typical breakdown of Latin on EWTN, obviously not all are done every Mass (i.e. Gloria and Nicene Creed when they aren't necessary):

-Kyrie (Greek)
-Gloria
-Following readings (Verbum Domini)
-Before and after Gosepel
-Creed
-From the our Father to behold The Lamb of God
-Final Blessing

Word is off camera there is more Latin.

[Sanctus]

Originally Posted by Fizendell

So there I was, cruising the channels on DirecTv and came across EWTN. First I watched a priest at a seminar-type event and got my feathers ruffled when he mentioned that Mary Magdelene was the biggest prostitute in Galilee. Wasn't that common misconception cleared up some years ago?

Did the priest have hair cut similar to a high and tight? Was he wearing a cassock with a big Crucifix on his chest? If so this was Fr. Shannon Collins of the Fathers of Mercy in one of his lectures from the "Does the Church Still Teach That" series. I believe the one you speak of is the one about Hell. I've never heard what you were saying...it sounds very suspect to me.

Originally Posted by Fizendell

But my real comments here are about the Daily Mass I watched following that. Broadcast from Our Lady of Angels (I think), I actually watched the whole hour. A little back story here - since I can't find a board for "fallen away catholics considering a return to the church" - I'm one who hasn't attended mass for 20+ years.

Welcome Back! EWTN should be a wonderful tool for you to return to the fullness of your faith...It was for me. PM me if you have any private questions. Also look on the apologetics board for answers to many of your questions about the faith.

Originally Posted by Fizendell

So to watch this mass and wonder - where was the Our Father? Apostle's Creed (or Nicene Creed as I thought I said at mass as a child) and where did the greeting of Peace go??

The Our Father was there--it was in Latin same goes for the Nicene Creed(when said). The Priests also gave the sign of peace though the people may not shake hands.

Originally Posted by Fizendell

And I thought for sure he was speaking three languages, but after reading several threads here and seeing some references to EWTN, he was speaking Latin - again, not something I heard when I attended mass (being the early 80's.)

Yes English and Latin...oh and I guess if you count the Kyrie (greek origins I believe) it would be three...but for our purposes two. Latin is the language of the Church, though it is not suprising that you did not hear much of it in the early 80's (depending on where you were)...as I was growing up in the late 80's and early 90's I don't remember hearing much latin...some here and there...it is making a comeback though.

Originally Posted by Fizendell

So tell me - are all churches and the mass so very different now? I won't even get started on the alter girls - boy did that throw me for a loop. What's happening to the Church?

Here you must be talking about your home parish--EWTN never uses Alter Girls. The Brothers serve the mass that you see on TV.

Originally Posted by Fizendell

When I think of tradition, I think of the Church... but it seems I would feel quite out-of-place if I went back!

=)
Fiz

It is important to remember that what you grew up with might not have been church "tradition." It will feel a little werid the first couple times to get uesd to the different parts of the liturgy in Latin--I've come to love it. I'm not one to say that all Masses everywhere must have every single word in Latin, but I think it's a tragedy that some Catholics have probably never heard a word of Latin in their Church-Life. If you come to love Latin you may want to look into a Indult Tridentine Mass. If what you are speaking of is the issue with Alter Girls and it bothers you to the point of distraction--find another parish (hopefully one is close by). You'll find (sometimes even in the same town) that some Churchs are vastly different in their particular spirituality. Find the one Catholic church you are most comfortable.

[Dr. Bombay]

The good priests at EWTN say the Mass from the Our Father (Pater Noster) to the "This is the Lamb of God" (Ecce Agnus Dei) in Latin. All of the visiting priests and bishops who say Mass there respect this cultural diversity and do likewise.

The Sign of Peace is dropped at EWTN since it is optional. And let's be honest, in most American churches, the Sign of Peace is an simply excuse to back slap and glad hand. It also allows some priests to wander from narthex to nave grabbing hands like a presidential candidate seeking votes. Hopefully, this forced collegiality will be reconsidered and officially abrogated during the next wave of "Liturgical Reform."

As noted above, the Creed is only said on Sunday. And I've never seen an altar girl, a woman "lector" or any Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion on an EWTN Daily Mass broadcast. Most American parishes, however......

Can't speak to the Mary Magdelene prostitute question. It's like the question of whether Paul wrote the Letter to the Hebrews. Who knows? I've not lost any sleep over it one way or the other.

Come on home, Fizendell. You may not like some of the changes in the Church, but as you'll see by perusing these forums, we're a pretty big tent filled with all types of opinions. To quote Leonard Pitts regarding America, but it could just as easily be said of the American Catholic Church: "We are a vast and quarrelsome family, a family rent by racial, social, political and class division, but a family nonetheless....And we are, the overwhelming majority of us, people of faith, believers in a just and loving God."

Keep the faith.

[MonicaPA]

Just so the OP doesn't think they are going crazy, I heard the reference about Mary Magdalene also...it was our wonderful & faithful Fr. Corapi who said it during one of his talks on EWTN. From what I remember he was discussing how it does not matter how big a sinner you are, you can be forgiven by our precious Lord.

I remember Jimmy Akin saying it was a misconception also, but the talk that was aired by Fr. Corapi appeared to be at least 10 years old or longer (a few less gray hairs ). Father Corapi would never intentionally preach false information, so perhaps it was just a misunderstanding which I'm sure he has corrected.

M

[MaggieOH]

I do not believe that it is a misconception to state that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute in Jerusalem. The evidence is in the Gospel. She is the women who shed her tears on the feet of Jesus and out of whom 7 devils were cast - that is the 7 deadly sins. If you go back to the scene involving the woman and Jesus in Luke's Gospel the Pharisees are concerned about Jesus speaking to this woman because of her "many sins".

What leads me to believe that the woman is Mary Magdalene is that within its context, the scene that is described where this woman is introduced is followed by a passage saying that there were several women going with him through the countryside. One of the women mentioned was Mary of Magdala.

If she was not a prostitute, that is getting money for her activity, then Mary had a reputation for sleeping around. This is why her conversion is so important in the eyes of the church. She went from a great sinner to being one who could not get enough of being with Jesus.

Maggie

[netmilsmom]

Originally Posted by Fizendell

[font=Arial]


When I think of tradition, I think of the Church... but it seems I would feel quite out-of-place if I went back!

=)
Fiz

This is what mass was when I was a child. It wasn't a party, it was a sacrament.
Watch for a while and learn the Latin. (there are guides on the internet) It is the basis of many of our words in English. I'm starting to teach my girls Latin. They are seven and four.

If Christ was standing on the Altar during mass, I think many people would be falling on their knees and saying how unworthy they are. No ringing cell phones, no waving hands, no gabbing, no "community". The focus would be on Him.

He IS there.

[Maccabees]

Originally Posted by MonicaPA

Just so the OP doesn't think they are going crazy, I heard the reference about Mary Magdalene also...it was our wonderful & faithful Fr. Corapi who said it during one of his talks on EWTN. From what I remember he was discussing how it does not matter how big a sinner you are, you can be forgiven by our precious Lord.

I remember Jimmy Akin saying it was a misconception also, but the talk that was aired by Fr. Corapi appeared to be at least 10 years old or longer (a few less gray hairs ). Father Corapi would never intentionally preach false information, so perhaps it was just a misunderstanding which I'm sure he has corrected.

M

We are free to disagree on the question of Mary Magdalene.
Many Catholics in good standing disagree on How many passages is Mary Magdalent in the Bible. Ironically she is a more interesting character in the view espoused by Pope Gregory as the Prostitute and women who cleaned Jesus feet with her hair and the demon possessed person. Modern Bible scholars say she is the demon possessed person period. That's not much of a story then we see her at the cross and ressurrection to have her appear just once prior to that being possessed by demons and play such an improtant role later is highly unlikely. I don't think anyone knows for sure but having Mary Magdalene combined with the events of this unamed woman in not an irrational argument as some have argued it is just an uncertain argument and that is a big difference.

[Scotty PGH]

Dr. Bombay's post addresses your questions, but I would point out that the EWTN Mass represents the ideal application of post-Vatican II changes. I pray that one day all churches will return to such liturgies.

[stbruno]

cmonback.com

Try this website for Catholic reverts or fallen away Catholics who have realized a void in their life and don't know where to turn to.
It's worth a shot.

Or try www.jcn1.com

[BulldogCath]

Fiz


Try going back to the Traditional Latin Mass, there you get the mass in it's entirety, there is so much confusion now with the Novus Ordo mass, in my Parish I can go from one church to the next and the mass, the sermons, the customs are different, from liberal to somewhat, shall I say, normal?

I hope and pray that the TLM comes back to being the norm again, as its use has been, well first off limits for 2 decades, for some "mysterious"reason, and now allowed back with limitations and usually always in some Parish that is the farthest away from the metro area where most people live to make it as inconvenient as possible to attend.

EWTN also I noticed has like 8 priests doing the mass, which I had thought from my early catechism was against Canon Law, but the church changes weekly, and usally with little fanfare so the average person in the pew does not really know. I keep hearing about this General instruction on the Mass that was sent out, and it makes things somewhat more reverent, then penalizes people if you want to kneel to receive our Jesus on the tongue, or at least discourages it. There is a serious lack of leadership that is causing people like you to leave the church

Originally Posted by Fizendell

So there I was, cruising the channels on DirecTv and came across EWTN. First I watched a priest at a seminar-type event and got my feathers ruffled when he mentioned that Mary Magdelene was the biggest prostitute in Galilee. Wasn't that common misconception cleared up some years ago?

But my real comments here are about the Daily Mass I watched following that. Broadcast from Our Lady of Angels (I think), I actually watched the whole hour. A little back story here - since I can't find a board for "fallen away catholics considering a return to the church" - I'm one who hasn't attended mass for 20+ years.

So to watch this mass and wonder - where was the Our Father? Apostle's Creed (or Nicene Creed as I thought I said at mass as a child) and where did the greeting of Peace go??

And I thought for sure he was speaking three languages, but after reading several threads here and seeing some references to EWTN, he was speaking Latin - again, not something I heard when I attended mass (being the early 80's.)

So tell me - are all churches and the mass so very different now? I won't even get started on the alter girls - boy did that throw me for a loop. What's happening to the Church?

When I think of tradition, I think of the Church... but it seems I would feel quite out-of-place if I went back!

=)
Fiz

[BulldogCath]

Dr. I totally agree with your assessment, I dispise the Sign of Peace, it is useless and Encourages a lack of reverence, no need for it, we are there to worship God, the sacrifice of his Son, and NOT eachother.

Originally Posted by Dr. Bombay

The good priests at EWTN say the Mass from the Our Father (Pater Noster) to the "This is the Lamb of God" (Ecce Agnus Dei) in Latin. All of the visiting priests and bishops who say Mass there respect this cultural diversity and do likewise.

The Sign of Peace is dropped at EWTN since it is optional. And let's be honest, in most American churches, the Sign of Peace is an simply excuse to back slap and glad hand. It also allows some priests to wander from narthex to nave grabbing hands like a presidential candidate seeking votes. Hopefully, this forced collegiality will be reconsidered and officially abrogated during the next wave of "Liturgical Reform."

As noted above, the Creed is only said on Sunday. And I've never seen an altar girl, a woman "lector" or any Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion on an EWTN Daily Mass broadcast. Most American parishes, however......

Can't speak to the Mary Magdelene prostitute question. It's like the question of whether Paul wrote the Letter to the Hebrews. Who knows? I've not lost any sleep over it one way or the other.

Come on home, Fizendell. You may not like some of the changes in the Church, but as you'll see by perusing these forums, we're a pretty big tent filled with all types of opinions. To quote Leonard Pitts regarding America, but it could just as easily be said of the American Catholic Church: "We are a vast and quarrelsome family, a family rent by racial, social, political and class division, but a family nonetheless....And we are, the overwhelming majority of us, people of faith, believers in a just and loving God."

Keep the faith.