Although I am not as appalled at this as some of the commenters at Free Republic are, it is interesting to read the minutes of this typical parish council in Ohio. The first set discusses the vocations crunch in the diocese. I find it amusing to see that one parish thinks it will be able to solve the vocations crisis, although they are on to something in their focus group research that asks young people if anyone has asked them about their vocations.
The second set of minutes discusses the changes to the celebration of the Mass caused by the revised General Instruction of the Roman Missal and how Bishop Anthony Pilla adapted them for his diocese. Specifically, it was adapted to find rules that were never intended. Somehow they found the GIRM to be saying that we’re supposed to hold hands at the Our Father (it doesn’t), that we’re supposed to hug at the Sign of Peace (it doesn’t), and that sitting is just as good as standing or kneeling during Communion (it doesn’t). The funniest part is that they actually vote on whether they’re going to abide by the regulations. I guess that if the diocesan litugy office thinks it can play fast and loose with the rules, the individual parishes think they can too.
Above all, it shows an amazing level of bureaucracy. Is the community of Christ governed and His will discerned by focus groups and “enrichment” committees? Is a liturgy designed and approved by committee going to produce a praiseworthy form of worship?
