We've all witnessed the nightmare of "Welcome to Saint Fillintheblank's church. I'm blahblah, and I'll be your cantor today. Our servers are blah and blah. Our Lector is blahblah. Today is the 27th Sunday of Lent, and in our readings today, Jesus tells us to blahblahblahblah (for 2 minutes) blah. Our gathering hymn can be found in our 'Breaking Wind' Music Issue, number 12. Please rise to greet our celebrant."
8 comments:
You are killing me here!! "Breaking Wind!"
We have just been told to follow a "script" for announcing hymn numbers (and telling people to turn off their cell phones).
We are acting out of obedience, even if the whole thing doesn't make too much sense.
I appreciate the voice of sanity here.
My personal favorite is the church in my hometown where, before Mass starts, the commentator instructs us to "please stand and greet those around us." Aaaaaaarrrrrrrgggggghhhhh!
Mickey, you hit the nail on the head describing the person as a "commentator."
The role of commentator was suggested either in a Vatican II document or in a commentary on one of the documents or GIRM v.1. It is mentioned in the Liturgy Documents book from LTP.
That being said, when I was a lector, you either did the Scriptures or the Prayer of the Faithful and announcements. I, in my irreverent way would call the times I was commentator "potatoing" (see- common tator- common tater- taters like po 'taters) [not as funny when you have to explain it...)
My new parish does not have any of the commentator activity. No potatoes in E. falls.....:)
I find such diatribes and instructions to be quite insulting. We don't need instruction to rise at mass; people get conditioned to do it. Newcomers can follow the crowd.
The whole commentator role in some parishes makes the whole experience seem very protestant.
I really love my pastor. He's a saintly priest but I can't stand it when the cantor says, "Please rise to greet Fr. Theoden."
I didn't come to mass to greet Fr. Theoden, although my family is always happy to see him, I came to worship God.
Oh yes, the stand and worship me (ie. greet one another)...I just stand still.
Now Father, it's not the Music Issue but the Music Tissue. At least that is what our former choirmaster used to call it.
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