Roman Catholic by Choice has a transcript of a letter by 16 year old Ethan Milukas of Peachtree City, Georgia, USA, in the Georgia Bulletin. He is replying to a previous correspondent who said that younger people would not be attracted to the Latin Mass. The letter is an intelligent and succinct analysis of the attempt to draw young people to the Church by trying to make the liturgy more relevant. He pertinently draws attention to this as a lack of faith in the power of the liturgy itself to change people's lives.
Full text at Roman Catholic by Choice: 16-yr-old writes about the TLM
6 comments:
Writing as a former 16-year-old, the point surely is that there are various reasons why one MIGHT go to Mass. But going to Mass because you like guitar music is a fairly weak one, whereas going to Mass because you believe in the power of prayer is a very strong one. The strength of the Mass comes from its ability to change the soul, not from how much it is or is not like Top of the Pops.
That's more or less the point he makes.
It also shows that young people don't like to be patronised, which is basically what the trendy liturgists are doing.
This reminds me of a time (in my youth) when I stayed with a Catholic Charismatic community in the USA, who did wonderful work with the poor on the border with Mexico. I myself never "felt" in any way charismatic, and although I really respected their way of life, and the work they did, I always felt slightly uncomfortable with the "style" of worship,(guitars etc) and liturgical dancing at Mass. There were several children in the community, and I always assumed that they all liked the way the Liturgy was celebrated, so imagine my surprise one day when one of them came up to me (she was about 14 at the time) and said "don't you think the way Father says Mass is just SO boring?"!!!
Later, this girl visited me in England, and had a deep spiritual experience when she spent time in silent adoration before the Blessed Sacrament in a chapel of perpetual adoration - it wasn't something that was done in the community, at the time.
I know that my 10 yr old son, who serves both rites, new and old, prefers the old, and prefers not to be "appealed to"!!!
Though I am now getting pretty old (by their standards anyway) I too should like to write as "a former 16-year old" and say that we (16-year olds) have been feeling this, and some as articulate the subject of this post telling it, for over 30 years.
It must be close to the 50th anniversary of the word "cringe" first being applied to the Holy Mass, almost certainly by a 16-year old. Perhaps this should be marked by Masses of Reparation?
Let us pray that now we have SP our collective voice will be heard and understood, louder and clearer, year by year, by those who have made a life's work of patronising us.
I thank God for the continued faith and witness of 16-year olds, in them lies the hope of Holy Mother Church.
AMDG.
Young Ethan hit the nail on the head in his letter.
It should ALWAYS be about the Holy Mass challenging us to change our lives and grow closer to Jesus, and NOT us tinkering with the liturgy to suit a bewildering range of personal preferences for Sunday entertainment. Which, is precisely what has been happening for the last '40-some' years with disastrous consequences!
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