Posted by Flipsactown on April 22, 2004, at 12:27:11
In reply to Re: Calling all Catholics » Flipsactown, posted by Miss Honeychurch on April 22, 2004, at 8:48:50
Miss HoneyChurch,
Now I am starting to remember why I didn't particulary enjoy or want to go to Sunday Mass pre Vatican II. It was those things you were referring to, the priest facing the alter, the Mass in Latin, women with head cover, etc. Those things were too mysterious for me, and probably to a lot of other Catholics, to the point that the meaning and purpose Mass was overshadowed by the man made rituals listed above. Since I didn't understand what the priest was saying or doing, I could not enjoy and appreciate why I was attending mass. A good example of this is the practice of many women, mainly, saying the Rosary silently during Mass. I suppose there is nothing wrong with saying the Rosary during Mass, but to me, the whole point of attending Mass is to worship our Lord Jesus Christ and experience God's Love by actually participating and understanding what was going on during Mass, not just to sit down, kneel, standup, repeat, and not knowing why.
Bottomline: I am still Catholic but I no longer obsess over the man made rituals but focus on living my life to be good, kind, loving and Christ-like in everyway. If that is more Protestant like, so be it.
God Bless.
FST> That's exactly right, Flip. Was the point of Vatican II to make Catholocism more warm and fuzzy and attract more converts or retain more Catholics? Did the church see a crisis of faith coming and want to head it off at the pass? I wish I knew more about Vatican II.
>
> A few months ago I went to a Catholic Church which performs the pre Vatican II mass. I absolutely LOVED it. I loved the latin, I loved that the priest was NOT facing us, that he was worshiping it seemed WITH us instead of preaching TO us. I loved the no taking communion by hand. I loved it all save for the head covering. I'm not sure what that is all about.
>
> I guess in short I am wondering why Vatican II made the Catholic mass more Protestant? Anyone?
poster:Flipsactown
thread:337744
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20040408/msgs/338819.html