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Category Archives: The Armchair Liturgist
The Armchair Liturgist: Peace In The Twenties
People are starting to think and plan more openly as the post-pandemic future gets a bit clearer. Like here. I think the big picture issues are vital: parish viability outside the wealthy communities, plus the core issues we’ve stumbled on … Continue reading
The Armchair Liturgist: Ashes in 2021
In the time of pandemic, our parishes are getting instruction on distributing ashes two weeks from this writing. Sprinkling ashes on the heads of penitents was the first suggestion I saw a few months ago. A later complaint: ashes in … Continue reading
Posted in Lent, The Armchair Liturgist
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The Armchair Liturgist: Pandemic Christmas
Many American dioceses have permitted earlier Christmas Eve Masses this year. My parish starts at 2pm, which is the most anticipated liturgy I’ve yet experienced. I was noting this word from an Ohio diocese: (A)ttending any mass between Christmas Eve … Continue reading
Posted in Christmas, The Armchair Liturgist
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The Armchair Liturgist: Reformation Sunday
As I understand it, Lutherans and Calvinists are the chief observers of Reformation Day, October 31st. Many churches in the US opt for a weekend celebration, and move the feast to the last Sunday of October. Today is the earliest … Continue reading
Posted in ecumenism, The Armchair Liturgist
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The Armchair Liturgist Gets One Livestreaming Mass
My parish has fielded several negative comments about our livestreaming Masses the past three weekends of our “soft reopening.” We also see our numbers dropping in both attendance and in the internet experience. The reason given? The poverty of the … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgy, The Armchair Liturgist
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The Armchair Liturgist: Pandemic Gloria
Looking to a return to Mass in public, we are getting the first guidance for parish worship from our bishops in Washington state. I dreamed last night that people in the hundreds crashed our “private” livestream recording. It was tense. … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgy, Music, The Armchair Liturgist
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The Armchair Liturgist Masks The Ministers
I know that the upper level liturgical muckety-mucks have weighed in against face masks for clergy. I confess our livestreaming priests don’t wear them. One, who shall go unnamed, has lost the spongy guard on the mic, leaving today’s presider … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgy, The Armchair Liturgist
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The Armchair Liturgist: Good Friday Communion This Year
The question, as of late, has been more me to my boss, “How are you doing?” Yesterday, she beat me to the punch. I was quiet during our Good Friday walk-through, which is unusual for me. I certainly have opinions … Continue reading
Posted in Holy Week, The Armchair Liturgist
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The Armchair Liturgist: January Baptisms
Few parishes celebrate baptisms during Advent. There’s not a particular prohibition against them. December tends to be busy, if you didn’t notice lately. Church life operates at a slower pace after December 25th. If the clergy haven’t gone off the … Continue reading
Posted in The Armchair Liturgist
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The Armchair Liturgist: Who Welcomes Whom
I don’t travel much on weekends, but occasionally I find myself in a church where some announcer (lector, songleader, or priest) welcomes me. I appreciate the thought. Even in the rare non-Catholic service I might attend, I strive to make … Continue reading
Posted in The Armchair Liturgist
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The Armchair Liturgist: Food and Drink In Church
A few of my choir members have small children. Now that we’re incorporated into the back two to three pews, families are somewhat integrated into the music area. And I’ve noticed that ubiquitous church breakfast cereal, like what is described … Continue reading
Posted in The Armchair Liturgist
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The Armchair Liturgist: St Blase On Sunday?
What do you do every fifth, sixth, or eleventh year when the third of February falls on Sunday? Liturgy geeks know that the memorial of Blase, Bishop and Martyr, just vanishes when the observance falls on a Sunday. But there … Continue reading
Posted in The Armchair Liturgist
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The Armchair Liturgist: How Much Mass To Miss?
This post isn’t about the more ordinary worshiper. It’s more about those more in the servant role. It’s been many years since I’ve been in a parish with multiple preachers who were assigned three to five repeat homilies on a … Continue reading
Posted in The Armchair Liturgist
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The Armchair Liturgist: Blessing The Advent Wreath
Like it or not, nearly every parish seems to have an Advent wreath. Homes, not so much. The US bishops give this home ritual, in case you and your household are sticklers about it. If you’d like something special for … Continue reading
Posted in Advent, The Armchair Liturgist
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The Armchair Liturgist Seats Latecomers To Mass
On a friend’s facebook feed, I noted a link this op-ed from last month’s edition of US Catholic. I confess I don’t get trussed up about people arriving late for Mass. I commented on the link that (I think) I experienced … Continue reading
Posted in The Armchair Liturgist
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