Thursday, October 3, 2013

Bad Liturgy is Bad Liturgy

I recently received from a priest now in the Ordinariate this YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3lmp5j51N0&feature=share --it a rather unremarkable, thoroughly stupid, silly, irreverent bunch of ACNA Anglicans behaving badly in church. This is news? But I responded:

Father

Of course this is appalling. However, it is no more objectionable than the endless YouTube videos
of very similar Roman Catholic liturgies including one with the Cardinal Archbishop of Los Angeles
dancing around the altar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxcOv4zPoVo. Even Pope Francis before
he was Pope: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-1LLFbZJCA . This is shameful because something could
be done about it. Rome is the center of Christian Unity and an example to all Christians. Why is this
kind of liturgy tolerated? I would expect it out of Anglicans but not the See of Peter.

I have never spoken against the Ordinariate and never will. I do not single out Roman Catholics for criticism, although it is possible that Pope Francis will force my conscience. But I give him the benefit of the doubt. In any case the troubles of any Christians are the troubles of all Christians. I do wish that the Ordinariate would find better things to do than take pot shots at priests who are simply tending to their people. But actually that wish will not do because anyone who seriously prays for Christian Unity knows that you always have the cards stacked against you. A few more cards on top of the deck won't make much difference. It will not get us to stop praying for what Jesus prayed for.

No comments: