This past Christmas Eve, we attended Mass at our local church. There were two Masses at the same time - one in the chapel and one in our new church. We went to the one in the chapel since there was to be "Danced Prayer" at Mass in the church...I figured I did not need to witness even more liturgical abuses on Christmas Eve and have my blood pressure rise too much...
As it turned out, the Mass in the chapel was equally replete with abuses which started with skipping the the penitential rite. And at times, when I closed my eyes, the piano "music" sounded like it was the latest from the local piano bar. Perhaps the worst part was the homily during which the priest began talking about how Jesus really didn't know He was God when He was a small child...He learned it as He grew older...the priest stated that because Jesus was a small child just like the little ones he had come up and sit at the steps of the sanctuary, He learned just as we all did.
All I can say is that ALARMS were going off in my mind like crazy...two women who attended a catechism class I facilitated a couple of years ago, both in unison, as if on cue, turned and looked at me for some reaction and they probably saw my lower jaw on the floor. My wife grabbed and patted my knee to calm me since she could sense I was ready to stand up and walk out...Anyway I stayed and pray for the priest and for all of those who were there who may have actually taken his heretical words to heart - another instance among so many of passing on to profesed Catholics heretical views from the sanctuary.
I try to recall the saying which goes something like, "Never attribute to malice the actions or words of another, when it is entirely possible that it came about because of ignorance or stupidity." My guess is that this 60 something year old priest, while he has a good heart, is infected with an unhealthy dose of modernism. I can say this rather confidently because of previous conversations I have had with him.
Anyway, I did not get a chance to "talk" to him after Mass but I did find out that he did this again at a later Mass and was charitably asked about his comments. Apparently, he became rather annoyed at being questioned - he has done this with me before as well. He, like far too many other priests, seems to have been improperly educated in theology and philosophy - or not educated in the subject at all. Sometimes, it seems like they get their "ideas" from the latest heterodox rag making the circuit in an attempt to 'enlighten' priests and others with the latest heretical theological opinion on some matter of the faith.
These men needs our prayers and they should be rebuked or confronted in private. If they continue to reject the truth as revealed by God and proposed by the Church, the Archbishop should be made aware of the situation so that some remedial education in the doctrines of the Church might be scheduled. The souls of the faithful are at risk.
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