The Jargon Of Liturgists

[Dave]

THE JARGON OF LITURGISTS: BRAIN-WASHING THE FAITHFUL

by Calvert Shenk

Here are two different ways of describing the beginning of holy Mass:

1. "Before the Eucharistic celebration begins, the assembly gathers in the

worship space. As the assembly sings the gathering song, the presider and

other ministers enter. The presider greets the assembly and, in preparation

for liturgy of Word and Eucharist, invites them to reflect on their

sinfulness."

2. "Before Mass, the congregation enters the church. As the introit or the

processional hymn is sung, the celebrant, deacon, lector and servers enter

in procession. The celebrant, having made the sign of the cross, greets the

congregation and, in preparation for the sacred mysteries, exhorts the

faithful to call to mind their sins:"

It may seem that these descriptions are essentially the same, distinguished

from each other only by more-or-less arbitrary differences of terminology.

The first description is a fairly typical specimen of modern liturgical

jargon, the second a straightforward exposition in more traditional

nomenclature. It seems to me that in imposing the first kind of language on

the Church through missalettes, hymnals, orders of worship, articles,

homilies, and any other means available, the liturgists of a certain school

are really seeking to impose notions of the sacred liturgy, the sacraments,

and the Church which are quite different from those which are in fact held

by the <ecclesia docens>.

Let us examine some of these common liturgical catchwords so beloved by

modern liturgists, and seek to account for the insistence with which they

are pressed upon us.

<Eucharistic celebration, Eucharistic liturgy, etc.> Any term may be used

except "Mass." Mass, of course, is the word which most Catholics have used

for centuries to designate the principal service of their Church. To call

holy Mass a "Eucharistic celebration" may be to imply (more or less subtly)

that a different service is really in prospect-or, at least, a

transformation of our conception of that service. The term "celebration,"

though venerable in the liturgical lexicon, is often used now in a rather

different sense from its traditional meaning. The connotation is that we

are going to have something very like a party, and that the Mass is an

action which we who "celebrate" perform (indeed, liturgists often talk of

our "doing Eucharist"), rather than a sacrifice which Christ offers. It is

not many steps from this notion to the idea of the "community" celebrating

itself.

<Assembly>. This is meant as a somewhat tendentious translation of <gahal>

or <ecclesia>: the coming together of the faithful. As opposed to

"congregation" (the more common term until recently), it is designed to

include all who "assemble," including the priest. The intention is to

eradicate the distinction between the celebrant, acting in <persona

Christi>, and the faithful who participate in the sacrifice analogically.

(See Pius XII, encyclical <Mediator Dei>, and many other conciliar and

papal pronouncements giving the Church's view.)

<Worship space>. A "space" is just a space; a church (building) is a

symbolic, visible expression of the Church (the Body of Christ).

<Gathering>. This idea-really just the fact of people being present at the

same time and place-has been elevated by modern liturgists to the level of

sacred action. As a "gathering rite," the opening prayers and hymns of the

Mass (introit, penitential rite, Gloria, collect) become entirely a matter

of people "gathering." The emphasis shifts from prayer and praise to such

concerns as "hospitality:" This is the trivialization of worship. We also,

of course, gather for club meetings, sporting events, and virtually every

other human enterprise involving more than one person in the same vicinity.

<Song>. The constant use of this term for many sung parts of the liturgy is

particularly exasperating to the faithful church musician, to him whom

Father Robert Skeris calls "the competent <Kapellmeister>." "Song" (as

unfortunately enshrined in the ICEL sacramentary) seems to be a

mistranslation of <cantus> (chant) as in <cantus ad introitum> (entrance

song) or, worse, "gathering song." It is used to refer to hymns, proper

chants (e.g., introit, offertory or communion, when these are acknowledged

at all), and any miscellaneous musical elements with the exception of the

ordinary parts of the Mass. At least, I have not yet encountered terms such

as "glory song" (Gloria,) "holy song" (<Sanctus>), or "bread-breaking song"

(<Agnus Dei>). The implication in contemporary culture is that these sung

items are the musical equivalent of pop tunes, and of course in practice

they frequently are. I remain committed to the use of specific terms such

as "hymn," "antiphon," "psalm," "canticle," and the like.

<Presider>. This term, which connotes to Americans the chairman of a

meeting, is another attempt, when used in place of "celebrant," to

eradicate the distinction between the priest and the faithful. Anyone can

preside, and indeed, one has heard of celebrations over which non-ordained

persons have presided. The aim is to desupernaturalize holy orders. Some

years ago the preferred term was "president," which seems, mercifully, to

have disappeared-perhaps as a side-effect of many liturgists' strong

reactions to a succession of Republican administrations.

<Minister>. This title once referred to the celebrant, deacon and subdeacon

at solemn Mass (sacred ministers) or to those authorized to administer the

sacraments. Now it simply includes anyone who does anything noticeable in

the liturgy, from the ushers (ministers of hospitality) to the organist

(minister of music). Again as in the case of "song," one notices a lack of

specificity. Anyone can be a "minister" of anything.

<Word. Eucharist. Church. Liturgy>. These terms become jargon when used

without the definite article, "the." A dependable rule of thumb is never to

trust anyone who drops his articles, as in "to do Eucharist" or "to be

Church." The idea seems to be to eliminate (along with capitalization) the

notion of the Eucharist or the Church as a specific definable entity.

Whatever the user of the term would like "Eucharist" or "Church" to mean

becomes its meaning.

<Sinfulness>. Of course, we are all sinful, but that (apart from original

sin) is because we commit sins. "Sinfulness," as habitually used in place

of "sin(s)," seems to remove the concern with specific sinful action and to

replace it with a wistful feeling of regret that we, as a society, are so

"sinful" (particularly, of course, in our "structures of oppression").

<Preparation of the gifts>. Banishing the word "offertory" in favor of

"preparation of the gifts" implies quite a different relationship between

ourselves and the <oblata>. "Preparing" the gifts is hardly the same as

offering them. A whole devotional tradition of offering ourselves with the

bread and wine on the corporal, to be transformed with them by the action

of Christ in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, is here obliterated by a simple

substitution of words. The <Missale Romanum> and the <Graduale Romanum>

still refer to the <cantus ad offertorium>. What is good enough for the

<editio normativa> should, one would think, be good enough for us.

Who has not, in discussing the sacred liturgy with a diocesan or parish

liturgy director, seen the wince of fastidious pain and the subsequent

condescending smile when a term such as "hymn," "offertory," "<Sanctus>,"

or "celebrant" has been used? Who has not felt the gently scornful reproach

with which the functionary has quickly pronounced the current jargon term

in response, with almost audible italicization? The clear message is that

one is a hopeless reactionary, or at least pitiably ignorant of the

politically correct liturgical worldview at the moment.

No doubt, many who use and promulgate "litjargon" are simply passing on

what they have been told is the preferred usage of the Church. But someone,

somewhere, had to have originated these deceptively innocent sounding

expressions. Whether intended or not, the net effect of their constant use

is to brain-wash the faithful, to persuade them that the process of

desacramentalizing and desupernaturalizing the worship of the Church has

somehow been officially mandated, and that they must adjust their thinking

accordingly.

What can be done? Perhaps little beyond insistently, constantly, habitually

using terms which express unequivocally the Church's real theology of

worship, and banishing the jargon terms entirely from our own speaking and

writing. Perhaps we must wait for a new generation of "legitimate

liturgists" (to use another of Father Skeris' felicitous coinages),

nurtured in the real teaching of Vatican Council II and the post-conciliar

popes, to restore sanity and Catholicity to the common liturgical practice

of the <ecclesia orans.>

Edited January 1, 2004 by Dave

[IXpenguin21]

no diggity!

[PedroX]

Good post Dave. Thanks.

peace...

[cmotherofpirl]

Eucharist is the proper term for divine Liturgy. Otherwise I agree with you.

[Bruce S]

Grin, this is EXACTLY what I've been saying, look at how many words it took to explain what you meant.

Protestant version.

1: Get out of car.

2: Haul in YOUR BIBLE, [yep bring that ratty old dog eared one WITH YOU, highlighter in hand]

3: Chose the same seat you always sit in, don't dare to move to another side of the church

4: Sing songs on projector screen. Raise your hands if you are a real brave short, hold them down to your sides if you are a closet Presbyterian. We have real bands, drums, guitars, brass, the works, some are as good as mucicals, ours has a 60 member choir, and they are swaying and swinging...

5: CLAP and WHOOP after the good songs if you are Pentecostal. Then shake hands and walk around for a few minutes being social. [you stole the idea from us, we want a royalty]

6: Get out your wallet if you believe in Tithing [most Pentecostals do, the highest givers by denominatio - see Barna.org] toss in the envelope with money and prayer request.

7: Listen to a LOOOOOOONG sermon, most likely 45 minutes to an hour, and underline Bible passages, or take notes for later study. [honest, you would not believe how many do that]

8: Altar call time, if you need prayer, or want to give your life to JEEEEUS [love the way our guys string that word out...grin] go to the altar and stay, and there are many who do, every week, some for the first time, most for individual prayer with a church deacon or elder.

9: Stand in line to shake the preachers hand, or socialize in the lobby, go get the kids out of BIBLE study, since most Pentecostal denominations actually have a seperate complete service for kids, ,complete with band, preaching and bible study.

9: Go home.

We don't have definitions and rules for every petty little nuance, guess we should have some, for the literate types...

[mulls]

Bruce you forgot the depressingly long time after worship and before the sermon for announcements.

i hate announcements.

[[jas]]

i hate announcements.

All ya gotta do it make them fun.

We do a lot of ours on video, every week "announcements in unusual places" brings you church announcements from a different unusual place (roof of a house, in a construction yard dumpster, from a canoe, amongst others which I can't remember now...), and they're extremely funny. Takes the boredom factor out :)

[cmotherofpirl]

I prefer worship to entertainment.

[[jas]]

...

Edited January 2, 2004 by [jas]

[jasJis]

Have you ever been to a Catholic Parish?

Let see, I'll describe mine.

Mass> Available twice a day during weekdays, 4 times on Saturday, 12 times on Sunday. Choose between Family, Children, Folk, Hispanic, LifeTeen, Early morning mass with little music or songs, or the Traditional with all the Bells and Smells. Rest assured, the readings for each mass on that day will be the same. You'll get Old & New Testatment, Gospels, and Psalms guarenteed at every mass. The Readings will be consistent accross the Diocese and the entire World Wide Catholic Church with some days having a choice of readings that keep with the main theme but different perspective.

We have 5 different music groups, a Chorale, Choir(s), and various types of singers, depending on the age, ethnicity, taste, etc. The theology of the songs are all consistent, the nuances change. I'm not fluent in Spainish, but I attend the Spainish mass and comprehend most of it. I can read along with many prayers in English, but the sense and message transcends the language. (Is that kinda like tongues, but less spectacualar)

No need to drag in your personal Bible, we have pre-printed excerpts ready and waiting for you. If you so desire, you Can bring in your personal Bible and book mark all the passages beforehand since you know what is going to be part of the Liturgy of the Word.

Get ready to Sing, Chant, praise, and worship in a Community. If you attend a Chrismatic, Hispanic, LifeTeen, or Children's mass, the music will be more lively and hand gestures, clapping, and hand raising is common/expected. Sometimes the words are projected on the wall, sometimes pre-printed, sometimes in the missalettes or music books, sometimes so well known because we've been singing them happily for hundreds of years.

We will pass a collection plate to you after the Liturgy of the Word. No body checks to see if you donate or pass. Cash is tacky, we give you envelopes to put it in because it's between you and God. We'll give you coded envelopes if you feel the need to keep track for tax reciepts or to prove you support the Chruch for a discounted School Tuition. The Catholic Church doesn't ask you for 10%. The ask that 5% supports the Church or any of it's ministries, and the other 5% to a charity of your choice. My parish by itself, solely supports a food bank that supplies food (and in most cases ALL the food) to 40+ non-Catholic churches and charities. That is just ONE of the over 80 ministries at my Catholic Parish. Got no money? No problem. We preach Stewardship, not Tithing. It's all about Time, Talent, and Treasure. (Treasure is last.) Volunteer and do something. Share your talent. We'd rather have you particiapting first, then you'll see where the money goes and where it's needed.

Need a prayer? We are all praying for each other and are reminding each other that. Want to give your life to Jeeeesus? We all renew that gift at every mass (Twice a day, every day if you want to go.) Need forgiveness? Small sins are forgiven through the Mass and Eucharist. Got something BIG weighing you down? Go see a priest at regularly scheduled Reconcilliation opportunities, (you'd call 'confession'). Need more? There are thousands of priests at thousands of parishes that will meet with you if you call and set an appointment. Just need to visit and chat with God, in His Presence? It's not hard to find a Chruch with Perpetual Adoration. Most parishes in my Diocese are open from 1 hour before 7am mass to night. Stop on in. No lines, no waiting, no other people needed, it's not just a "meeting room", it's sacred ground.

Homilies can be anwhere from 10 minutes to 45. If you pay attention, the entire Mass is interlinked and relevant from the Opening Aniphon to the Closing Prayer.

Need more interpersonal interaction? Go to the Social Hall after Mass. Coffee and donoughts and snackes from 8am to 2pm. We'll have different ministires there doing differeint things most days. Want additional Bible Study? We have a complete Adult Education program with full time director. Kid's need some religious learning? We got a Catholic School, CCD, pre-teen Youth Program, Middle School Youth Program, High School Youth Program, College and Carreer Program, that meets at least once a week, some twice a week, plus retreats, etc., etc.

Still not your cup of tea? Join a Small Christian Community that will meet in houses of groups of about a dozen or so. The Parish has lot's of resources for them. You can join the Knights, Men's Club, Right to Life, a Legion, or a Circle for other fellowship.

Back to Mass. Stand in line and meet the Priest(s). We often have visiting priests from other parishes, dioceses, or countries. Invite them over for dinner, or lunch, or for a beer and watch a game. They're human too. Talk to them and expand your perspective instead of an egocentric American view. What's going on in South Africa? What is it really like? What is the Chruch doing?

Oh, before you leave the Chruch, we'll have about 2 minutes for announcements but you can pick up the 8 page bulleting (or view it on-line) before you walk out the door.

Then again. If you just want to be quiet, not participate, not give anything of yourself, you can. God judges that.

Finally, get back in your car or walk. (Many Catholics love living withing walking distance to the Church). Mass isn't over yet.

"The mass never ends! It must be lived. Go forth and live the Good News of the Lord!"

Oh wait. The ironclad, rigid, boring Catholic Church that never changes, doesn't want anything from Protestants, stole this from the Prots. Opps.

Or maybe cultural or discipline difference confuses the Prots who don't know and can't imagine the Completeness and Fullness that the Catholic Church is and instead, the Prots get all worked up that the Catholic Church doesn't include any of their misconceptions.

[Bruce S]

I prefer worship to entertainment.

I popped into and out of a High Mass on EWTN last night, pretty, nice. Three priests, two other men, don't exactly know what they were doing, four altar boys [they were of the age of seminarians, so I guess boys is the wrong term] and accross the room the Nuns BEHIND BARS [honest, looked like they were being jailed...thought the "Rudscreen" concept went out with Latin]

Solemn, serene, scripted, zzzzzzzzzzzz

Pretty as can be, and the exact opposite of the Pentecostal service on the other channel, hands raised, tears, crying, INVOLVENT in the congregation.

What version does GOD like?

My guess is both, the third channel had some chick shooting dope and trying to hustle a john for more money.

God most likely would have blocked out the third channel [i did too] and stayed with the Mass for it's beauty and solemnity, and the Pentecostal service for people who were desperate for his love.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

[cmotherofpirl]

behind bars.

Yes they are.

They are a cloistered comunity of nuns who spend most of their days and nights voluntarily praying for your and my sins. THey are the powerhouse of prayer. Like most orders they take prayer requests from all over tyhe world.

THe bars are to keep people out, not the nuns in.

They are some of the happiest people you will ever meet.

[mulls]

jasJis,

your parish sounds fantastic. tell the Pope about it, that sounds like how it should be done.

parishes in my area are sadly depressing compared to yours, especially in the realm of the youth.

there's travel programs for the elderly, but that's about all the church-provided opportunity there is for fellowship.

[Norseman82]

Grin, this is EXACTLY what I've been saying, look at how many words it took to explain what you meant.

Protestant version.

1: Get out of car.

2: Haul in YOUR BIBLE, [yep bring that ratty old dog eared one WITH YOU, highlighter in hand]

3: Chose the same seat you always sit in, don't dare to move to another side of the church

4: Sing songs on projector screen. Raise your hands if you are a real brave short, hold them down to your sides if you are a closet Presbyterian. We have real bands, drums, guitars, brass, the works, some are as good as mucicals, ours has a 60 member choir, and they are swaying and swinging...

5: CLAP and WHOOP after the good songs if you are Pentecostal. Then shake hands and walk around for a few minutes being social. [you stole the idea from us, we want a royalty]

6: Get out your wallet if you believe in Tithing [most Pentecostals do, the highest givers by denominatio - see Barna.org] toss in the envelope with money and prayer request.

7: Listen to a LOOOOOOONG sermon, most likely 45 minutes to an hour, and underline Bible passages, or take notes for later study. [honest, you would not believe how many do that]

8: Altar call time, if you need prayer, or want to give your life to JEEEEUS [love the way our guys string that word out...grin] go to the altar and stay, and there are many who do, every week, some for the first time, most for individual prayer with a church deacon or elder.

9: Stand in line to shake the preachers hand, or socialize in the lobby, go get the kids out of BIBLE study, since most Pentecostal denominations actually have a seperate complete service for kids, ,complete with band, preaching and bible study.

9: Go home.

We don't have definitions and rules for every petty little nuance, guess we should have some, for the literate types...

Well, to me, it sounds more like a rock concert or circus.

There is one important thing I didn't see in what you posted. Where is the Eucharist in all of this? Reading Acts 20, we see that on the first day of the week (aka Sunday, the day that Jesus rose from the dead), they were gathered for the breaking of the bread (aka "Eucharist").

[jasJis]

jasJis,

your parish sounds fantastic. tell the Pope about it, that sounds like how it should be done.

parishes in my area are sadly depressing compared to yours, especially in the realm of the youth.

there's travel programs for the elderly, but that's about all the church-provided opportunity there is for fellowship.

It's more of a typical parish, in my experince. Just a little bigger. That's the benifit of having Large parishes. But many people in my parish complain it's "dead" and "boring" and "it's all about money." etc., etc., etc.

It's in your perspective and what YOU personally bring to the parish. I know, because I used to think the same thing about my current parish while I was a "nominal, pew warming, member".

Was pointedly told that by a Pentecostal when I was running down the parish I belong to. She said something like "Oh really? And what do YOU bring to your Church for others?"

Rather embarassing when the only truthful answer that came to mind was "Not much.".

I've got a cousin who is very involved in Youth Ministry. He moved away and ended up going to a parish that has a very dead YM when there is one a little closer that is more lively. When asked, he said something about being needed more at the other one, though it's a lot tougher.

A problem is an opportunity to ask for Graces. And people wonder why things are perfect...