Mrs. Bro. Adam Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 Drives me nuts when those who are supposed to be serving in the Mass, readers, altar servers, cantors, wear jeans and tight fitting shirts to serve in. Whatever happened to respect for the Mass?
CatherineM Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 There have been vents about this before, but that's because it is a continuing issue.
Mrs. Bro. Adam Posted July 5, 2009 Author Posted July 5, 2009 What drives me even more nuts is when cantors think they're exempt from all kneeling, especially during the words of consecration
Lil Red Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 +J.M.J.+ i know our regular cantor doesn't kneel because her knees are really bad. since i can't see under the alb that the altar servers wear, it bugs me that they can't at least wear nice shoes. they wear flip flops or sneakers or something equally sloppy. geez, the only part we see is your feet and even those you can't dress nice?
Mrs. Bro. Adam Posted July 5, 2009 Author Posted July 5, 2009 I know most of the cantors, since I cantor myself, and there is one lovely lady who is incredibly respectful but unable to kneel. That I don't mind, because she is being the most reverent she can with what her body allows. What gets to me is those who are physical healthy and able to kneel, but don't. For example, the cantor last night will be a sophomore in high school next year. She's very fit, and yet does not kneel. We had three girls who would cantor regularly, and none of them used to kneel until one of their mothers asked her daughter to. The daughter knelt, but then she was catching heat from one of the other girls who wasn't kneeling. It saddens me to see the lack of respect which the youth have been shown for the Mass.
Mrs. Bro. Adam Posted July 5, 2009 Author Posted July 5, 2009 (edited) I agree about the footwear, Red. At least wear dress shoes if nothing else. After all, at least try and make the impression that you have some respect for the Mass by what you wear to serve Edited July 5, 2009 by Mrs. Bro. Adam
CatherineM Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 About a month ago, our priest did mass in his house shoes. I thought that was a bit weird, but found out later he had something wrong with a toe nail and couldn't put his regular shoes on. Good thing there's no snow right now. At least they weren't pink fuzzy house shoes.
eagle_eye222001 Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 Many of those people think it's okay too not kneel or wear casual clothes. ---------------- Now playing: [url="http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/norbertine+fathers+of+st.+michaels+abbey/track/giovanni+pierluigi+da+palestrina+-+tu+nobis+dona"]Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey - Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina - Tu Nobis Dona[/url] via [url="http://www.foxytunes.com/signatunes/"]FoxyTunes[/url]
VeniteAdoremus Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 I've been dragged into the sacristy once while I was wearing sandals. And did I get flak for that! Not only me, but my dad and the sacristan as well! Our "little old ladies" are vigilant
mcts Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 [quote name='CatherineM' post='1911612' date='Jul 5 2009, 12:29 PM']About a month ago, our priest did mass in his house shoes. I thought that was a bit weird, but found out later he had something wrong with a toe nail and couldn't put his regular shoes on. Good thing there's no snow right now. At least they weren't pink fuzzy house shoes.[/quote] yeah, our priest always does mass in his socks because he has something wrong with his feet and cannot get any shoes on. luckily, the rectory is connected to the church so he doesn't have to go outside.
TeresaBenedicta Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 I can't stand it when cantors and/or instrumentalists don't kneel, either. The one and only time I have played (trumpet) for Mass was at last year's convocation Mass for my school... I had the hardest time following along and trying to see where I was supposed to be playing and when I wasn't, that before I knew it, it was the Consecration! I feel horrible because I [i]didn't[/i] kneel. The other trumpeter next to me didn't, and neither did any of the rest of the "music ministry". So I didn't know what to do. If I play again this year, I definitely plan on kneeling, though.
tinytherese Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 [quote name='Mrs. Bro. Adam' post='1911589' date='Jul 5 2009, 12:16 PM']I know most of the cantors, since I cantor myself, and there is one lovely lady who is incredibly respectful but unable to kneel. That I don't mind, because she is being the most reverent she can with what her body allows. What gets to me is those who are physical healthy and able to kneel, but don't. For example, the cantor last night will be a sophomore in high school next year. She's very fit, and yet does not kneel. We had three girls who would cantor regularly, and none of them used to kneel until one of their mothers asked her daughter to. The daughter knelt, but then she was catching heat from one of the other girls who wasn't kneeling. It saddens me to see the lack of respect which the youth have been shown for the Mass. [/quote] I remember during my senior year how when we celebrated mass at my high school that at the end of one the sophomores were congradulated for actually improving their behavior at mass. I thought that that was pathetic and that they still were not behaving as they should have. I mean when you're that old shouldn't you know better? 15 and 16 year olds behaving like 2 year olds at mass! If their parents were there they would have behaved a heck of a lot better.
Norseman82 Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 Ironically, I started reading at my parish today. Normally, the people in charge should give a dress code (I had joked about coming in motorcycle racing leathers), or one should simply observe what the others wear, but from what I'm reading on this thread that may not do some parishes any good.
Mrs. Bro. Adam Posted July 5, 2009 Author Posted July 5, 2009 I got flak for kneeling from other cantors when I first started. When approached and told that I shouldn't kneel after cantoring a Mass, I simply replied, "How can I not when I am that close to the king of kings? Our Lord, Our Savior? The one who gave his life for me?" Needless to say, I've not gotten another comment about how I "shouldn't" kneel when I cantor. Cantor are part of those who are supposed to set the example of how to dress and behave at Mass. Or am I incorrect?
VeniteAdoremus Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 [quote name='Mrs. Bro. Adam' post='1911737' date='Jul 5 2009, 09:45 PM']Cantor are part of those who are supposed to set the example of how to dress and behave at Mass. Or am I incorrect?[/quote] Yup. Cantors, servers, readers, ushers... if you want to be in the special place, you'd better behave like you belong there
Maggyie Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 Our music director actually instructed the cantors/choir not to kneel as it made a big mess with all of the people struggling to get down on their knees and then struggling to get up and some of them falling over as they did so. This was especially the case at the consecration where they had to get up fairly quickly for the "Dying You destroyed our death, rising You restored our life/Christ has died, Christ is risen etc" then back down for the rest of the Eucharistic prayer, then up again for the Great Amen. The music director, who is a perfectly orthodox guy, asked around and decided that it was more reverent to have them all remain standing rather than the huge disorganized display we had before. There is one young man who cantors whom I have noticed still kneels at the proper times. Then again he is very young and spry and moves pretty fast...
CatherineM Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 We stand here during the consecration, so that's not an issue for me when I cantor. I have agreed not to wear a t-shirt or baseball cap while singing, other than that, they leave me alone on my clothing.
Mrs. Bro. Adam Posted July 5, 2009 Author Posted July 5, 2009 They don't kneel during the consecration? Is that even a valid Mass?
Maggyie Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 (edited) Validity of the Mass depends only on the proper form and proper matter. It all revolves around what the priest does and says, not the congregation... very very little is required for a valid Mass. That said the congregation should definitely be kneeling during the consecration! Edited July 5, 2009 by Maggie
CatherineM Posted July 5, 2009 Posted July 5, 2009 It threw me at first. The Canadian bishops decided that standing is the position of communal reverence (such as for the flag or when someone important enters the room), and that kneeling is the position of individual penance. So we are supposed to stand for the whole thing. Some older people, or new immigrants still kneel.
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