At Holy Mass Last Night

Because of a number of circumstances yesterday, I was unable to attend Mass where I had intended to do so...Because I had to be at work rather early, I could not attend Mass at the Chapel of the Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem. My next option was go to Mass at the Cathedral of to St. Agatha's at noon, but was unable to do this because of a scheduling conflict which arose that morning. It seemed that I had a couple of options left - going to Mass at my parish at 6:00pm or to St. Joseph's at 7:30pm. I reluctantly decide to go to Mass at my parish (I seldom go there anymore due to numerous liturgical abuses and the worst 'music' imaginable - "sacred" is isn't.

Before I went to my parish, I remembered this article, where Brisbane's Archbishop and the priest responsible for at least hundreds of invalid Baptisms agreed that those who report liturgical abuses are "spying" on act of worship.

"In other words it's spying on an act of worship."
Father [Peter] Kennedy said it was a rare opportunity for the two men to agree. "People have no right to be doing this sort of thing. They have no respect for the mass and they have not respect for the liturgy," Father Kennedy said.

Apparently, neither this priest nor the Archbishop has read article 184 of Redemptionis Sacramentum which says, in part:

[184.] Any Catholic, whether Priest or Deacon or lay member of Christ’s faithful, has the right to lodge a complaint regarding a liturgical abuse to the diocesan Bishop or the competent Ordinary equivalent to him in law, or to the Apostolic See on account of the primacy of the Roman Pontiff.

Now was any mention made that priests are specifically prohibited from altering the liturgical rites or that the faithful have a "right" to a true Liturgy:

The faithful have a right to a true Liturgy, which means the Liturgy desired and laid down by the Church, which has in fact indicated where adaptations may be made as called for by pastoral requirements in different places or by different groups of people. (Inaestimabile Donum, Forward)

or from the most recent Instruction from the Holy See:

[12.] On the contrary, it is the right of all of Christ’s faithful that the Liturgy, and in particular the celebration of Holy Mass, should truly be as the Church wishes, according to her stipulations as prescribed in the liturgical books and in the other laws and norms. Likewise, the Catholic people have the right that the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass should be celebrated for them in an integral manner, according to the entire doctrine of the Church’s Magisterium. Finally, it is the Catholic community’s right that the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist should be carried out for it in such a manner that it truly stands out as a sacrament of unity, to the exclusion of all blemishes and actions that might engender divisions and factions in the Church. (Redemptionis Sacramentum)

So it was with some hesitation that I decided to attend Mass at my parish. I did not go to file a report or to fill out a report card on various shenanigans and other 'goings on', but to fulfill my Holy Day obligation, offer praise to God, to ask for Our Blessed Mother's intercession and to pray for the very priests who need the graces to demonstrate their love of Christ and His Church by being obedient to the directives of the Church.

I have been told my others that things were getting better at the parish (I so rarely attend Mass there that I would not know...If I did, I would be compelled to write letters to the Archdiocese.

I knew something was amiss when the entrance procession included a woman who was holding aloft a bowl of incense...How inclusive!

Anyway, as I stated, I was not there to take notes, but I did notice the following:
1. Nearly every prayer in the Missal was changed to some extent, including the Eucharistic Prayer Preface.
2. The homily was given, not from the lectern, but while walking about the steps of the sanctuary (similar to the TV evangelists).
3. The wine was consecrated in a large flagon on the altar (a la Mahony).
4. The Precious Blood was later poured into common wine goblets for the numerous extraordinary ministers.
5. We received no final blessing at the end of Mass from the priest who is supposed to be acting "in persona Christi" - The priest is to impart his blessing by saying, "May Almighty God bless YOU,...not, "May Almighty God bless US,..."

Anyway, we have been told by the Office of Worship and the Archbishop that NO glass vessels are to be used in the Archdiocese for the distribution of the Precious Blood. Apparently, some parishes either haven't received that update or they have chosen to ignore it. I did miss the "Ministry of Danced Prayer", though. That's probably scheduled for the Christmas Masses.

**** Updated ****
I had almost forgotten this...I was struck by the irony of a statement made during the homily which, paraphrased, went something like this: "We show our love of God by being obedient to Him." Of course, this is most true. However, it seems that we do not have to be obedient to the Holy Father or the Church in order to demonstrate our love of God, if we follow the examples given by some of our priests in celebrating the Holy Mass and their infidelity to liturgical laws...

One other thing which I had heard through the grapevine (from a priest I know), but have yet been unable to absolutely verify is that this parish ranks second in number of complaints at the Archdiocese. Whether this means at the Office of Worship or elsewhere, I am not certain. I have written no letters to the Archdiocese for a while, since for all practical purposes, I attend Mass at parishes which do not engage in the "do-it-yourself" Mass.

Lord Jesus, have mercy on us. Mary, Mother of our Lord, pray for us.