Grassroots Liturgist

It was Russell Crowe's character, Maximus Decimus Meridius, in the film Gladiator who shouted this to the crowd in the Colosseum.   To our sensibilities, the question seems grotesque; can it ever be appropriate to be entertained by such a spectacle? Which, because of the way that my mind works, led me to think about how we approach the celebration of holy Mass: on any level, conscious or unconscious, do we turn up expecting to be entertained? Do we ever find ourselves judging whether the priest celebrated the Mass in a manner to our liking?   Or how well the organist or musicians played, how well the cantors or choir sang, and how well the readers read?   Do we leave church disappointed, because our favourite hymn wasn’t sung? If we ever find ourselves guilty of any of these, then we may need reflect on our understanding of holy Mass. “You either have an altar or a stage – it is either a sacrifice or it’s a show, it is either the Mass or it’s entertainment.” (Ga...

Three weeks ago, I again attended the annual Summer School that is organised by the Society of St Gregory (SSG).  The aims of SSG are to "promote study, understanding and good practice in the celebration of the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church, in accordance with the teaching of the Church."  I gave an acount of my own experience of the 2017 Summer School on this blog, but here you will find an account of the experiecnes of a first-time attendee at this year's Summer School. SSG has been very important in my own formation as a liturgist and music leader and you don't have to live in the British Isles to be a member.  As well as receiving its journal  which includes a liturgy planner, there are opoprtunities of attending the Compopsers Group meetings,  Taking Liturgy Seriously course and the Annual Crichton Lecture, all via Zoom.     Click here for more information including how to join.

My children's Godmother was born and raised in the Caribbean.   On several occasions, she has commented on what she sees as the lack of joy in a great many Catholic parishes in this country, and contrasts this with the abundant joy in the parishes back home. The Dowager Lady Grantham dismissed this English characteristic as being merely a consequence of our climate, and we in Glossop know a lot about such weather.   But as I reflect, I think it goes much deeper than that. My recollection of my own Catholic upbringing could be summed up by the word conformity .   We were expected to conform, to do certain things – go to Holy Mass, say our prayers, give money to charity, etc.   And there is little joy to be had in conformity. When I am confronted by parishes or Catholic societies and organisations that are evidently joyful, I notice one common element: hope. By hope, I do not mean mere wishful thinking.   But a hope that stems from a vibrant, living...