Category Archives: Liturgy

Mandate

Posted on 18 April 2019 by

My one great sadness for today: we do not wash each other’s feet at Mass. We’ve fussed and fought about women and non-Catholics. We assume people won’t want to take off their socks and shoes. We use the Pilate gesture … Continue reading →

Posted in Holy Week, Liturgy, Scripture | 2 Comments

Abuse Or Error? I Choose The Latter

Posted on 11 March 2019 by

One term I find grossly inaccurate and in need of retirement is “liturgical abuse.” Recently, one of the retired priests with whom I work appeared to get a bit distracted while preparing altar and gifts. He tends to take time … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgy | 2 Comments

Now Presenting: The Last Day of Christmas

Posted on 2 February 2019 by

  Saturday can be a sore spot for some parishes and their liturgies. Some clergy do not offer a regular Mass on this day. I’ve been in parishes where everyday Massgoers celebrate on Saturday night instead, returning the next day … Continue reading →

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Children In Church

Posted on 31 January 2019 by

The “Rebuilt” priest, Michael White, has stirred a nest of hornets in his opinion that parents aren’t encouraged to bring little children to Mass. It’s a reasonable notion. It’s also not the only notion. In his book, he cites testimony … Continue reading →

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Dish Or Font?

Posted on 27 January 2019 by

With fewer parishes withholding the dishes at the door than the common cup, maybe it’s a good time to check in on practices and terminology. “Font” generally means something one can be baptized in, so that term, though common in … Continue reading →

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Here I Am: Praying with Psalm 40, Isaiah, and Martin Luther King

Posted on 18 January 2019 by

The text of a prayer I cobbled together some years ago, perhaps helpful for an observance of Monday’s holiday: Psalm: (this recited version, or preferably a musical setting like this or this or this) All: Here I am, Lord; I … Continue reading →

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Human Composting

Posted on 17 January 2019 by

I heard this bit on a local NPR station the other day, sort of a trial balloon on human composting. Some interesting bits: The human composting … involves placing bodies in vessels where they can be covered in wood chips … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgy, Order of Christian Funerals | Leave a comment