Saturday, February 8, 2014

IT IS ILLICIT

We have been made aware that this Sunday (2/9/14), lay persons from the Neocatechumenal Way will be speaking at all the Masses at the Cathedral. Many of us have seen this before: the celebrant turning the microphone over to a Neo proselyte in place of or as part of the homily. Here's what Pope John Paul II says about that in Redemptionis Sacramentum:





[64.] The homily, which is given in the course of the celebration of Holy Mass and is a part of the Liturgy itself,[142] “should ordinarily be given by the Priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating Priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to a Deacon, but never to a layperson.[143] In particular cases and for a just cause, the homily may even be given by a Bishop or a Priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate”.[144] 
[65.] It should be borne in mind that any previous norm that may have admitted non-ordained faithful to give the homily during the eucharistic celebration is to be considered abrogated by the norm of canon 767 §1.[145] This practice is reprobated, so that it cannot be permitted to attain the force of custom. 
[66.] The prohibition of the admission of laypersons to preach within the Mass applies also to seminarians, students of theological disciplines, and those who have assumed the function of those known as “pastoral assistants”; nor is there to be any exception for any other kind of layperson, or group, or community, or association.[146] 
[74.] If the need arises for the gathered faithful to be given instruction or testimony by a layperson in a Church concerning the Christian life, it is altogether preferable that this be done outside Mass. Nevertheless, for serious reasons it is permissible that this type of instruction or testimony be given after the Priest has proclaimed the Prayer after Communion. This should not become a regular practice, however. Furthermore, these instructions and testimony should not be of such a nature that they could be confused with the homily,[156] nor is it permissible to dispense with the homily on their account. 
[161.] As was already noted above, the homily on account of its importance and its nature is reserved to the Priest or Deacon during Mass.[260] As regards other forms of preaching, if necessity demands it in particular circumstances, or if usefulness suggests it in special cases, lay members of Christ’s faithful may be allowed to preach in a church or in an oratory outside Mass in accordance with the norm of law.[261] This may be done only on account of a scarcity of sacred ministers in certain places, in order to meet the need, and it may not be transformed from an exceptional measure into an ordinary practice, nor may it be understood as an authentic form of the advancement of the laity.[262] All must remember besides that the faculty for giving such permission belongs to the local Ordinary, and this as regards individual instances; this permission is not the competence of anyone else, even if they are Priests or Deacons.
Of course, they are going to tell us that they are not technically "preaching" but "announcing" or "inviting". Okay, then here's what is allowed:
90. The concluding rites consist of
  • Brief announcements, if they are necessary;
  • The priest’s greeting and blessing, which on certain days and occasions is enriched and expressed in the prayer over the People or another more solemn formula;
  • The dismissal of the people by the deacon or the priest, so that each may go out to do good works, praising and blessing God;
  • The kissing of the altar by the priest and the deacon, followed by a profound bow to the altar by the priest, the deacon, and the other ministers.
So if you see a lay person, or even the celebrant, do anything other than what is permitted by the above, then the following applies:
[174.] Furthermore, those actions that are brought about which are contrary to the other matters treated elsewhere in this Instruction or in the norms established by law are not to be considered of little account, but are to be numbered among the other abuses to be carefully avoided and corrected.
You may think we are legalists. No. We're just sick and tired of your disobedience and disrespect, both for our church and for us. If you're at Mass and get the "Neo Ad", get up, walk out, and go find another Mass. It is illicit. 

14 comments:

  1. I believe it may be at all parishes

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  2. I've never attended a Mass (yet) where the "Neo commercial" was allowed to supplant the homily, thank God. The "commercials" always came toward the end of the Mass, before the Final Blessing was imparted and the words of dismissal spoken. By the Grace of God, my family and I won't be at any of the Masses at the Cathedral this weekend!

    BTW: Will this be done only at the Cathedral for this weekend? Or at all the parishes?

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    1. I think the commercial should be after the final blessing with the word, Those of you who wish to hear about NCW may remain after the mass.

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  3. Thankfully this isn't an island wide thing. Only in parishes that are forming new communities. Hence Barrigada and Hagatna with their huge signs announcing open the doors the Christ. Bleh.

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  4. I have to admit that the NCW has helped many people. No doubt about that. The main issue here was the manner in which communion was received.

    Since this issue was not addressed by Archbishop, this blog got messages of retaliation from members of the NCW which only opened a can of worms.

    The worms being:(1) the questions now surrounding the RMS property (2) the XXX amount of $$$$ each parish has to fork out leaving the parishes to,suffer (3) the constant trip of the Archbishop (4) why only admission or sponsorship to RMS and no other and (5) the true identity and color of our spiritual leader.

    One question, one answer. The ignorance of members in the NCW who posted and retaliated only added more fuel to the fire. The fire is getting out of control. Comments like those given by Benjamin II, ZOLTAN, anonymous about building your own church, belittling the aging religious sisters were uncalled for. When you attacked, then expect people to,retaliate. I for one didn't appreciate having to be told to BUILD MY OWN CHURCH. This is not a church that belongs to one person. It is a church that belongs to the Catholic community as A WHOLE.

    Enough said!

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  5. Suggest you attend mass at the Franciscan friary or the Jesuits, or a parish where you are not forced to listen to the verbal you know what that will come out at this weekends masses. Haha.

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  6. I expect the Archbishop to give his testimony. There must have been another reason other than spiritual renewal for him to have joined. Will always wonder what it is.

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  7. Easy Testimony: They all have same components. I hate myself. I hate my Father. I wasted my time with women. I was into drugs. I was an alcoholic. My wife and I were estranged for years. I realized I am nothing, dirt. I was suffering terrible black depression. I don't see any meaning for my life I attempted suicide three time. When I join the community all these problems slowly went away with the support of my Neo brothers and sisters. Of course, I never had treatment for any of these addictions, passions just one day I was whole and living in Joy. IF it wasn't for the NCW I would probably be dead by now with no hope of resurrection. If it wasn't for the NCW, my wife and I would be divorced. Now miraculously I don't hate my father anymore. We are best buds. He now represents God the Father to me. I was lost now I am found. AND, I have learned a bunch of really cool songs and I have a sing along book. Kiko and Carmen saved my life. Thank you for listening to my testimony. Anyone else want to borrow my NEO cliff notes? Pass the trash bag I want to put my life savings in it.

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    1. I love the "Easy Testimony." I dread listening to these "testimonies." Until now the Catholic Church has always been a dignified, restrained place. Some of the "testimonies" are very embarrassing to listen to, i.e. Pat C.'s testimony of being passed from man to man. There are many people who become mainstream Catholics or who return to the mainstream Church due to some crisis and experience the same joy and healing the NCW claims their religion provides. We just don't hear about all these cases because the healed mainstream Catholics have dignity and don't broadcast. I admire the courage that some of you mainstream Catholics will demonstrate by walking out. I cannot because I am one of the lay ministers and would be ousted.

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    2. All the more reason why u should walk out. And then stop being a lay minister that allows these violations. Stand up. Stop cowering.

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  8. Don't forget...don't let your left hand know what your right is doing. Into the trash bag or It will be passed again untill it is the decided amount is in it. What's that back there? I can't hear you. Oh, you want to know where the money is going? Forget about it. It only trash. That's the old boy tempting you to KNOW something. That would be one of the devils biggest victories Tricking you to be tempted to Know sommething. He was told not to eat of the Tree of Knowlege and he did. That's why we are fallen. We are tiny specs of dirt. We don't question where the money goes. EVER. Have I answered you well enough, Brother? Good

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  9. The Statues, which was approved by the Holy See states the following in Article II. Section 2

    In the celebration of the Word of God, before the homily, the presbyter invites whoever wishes among those present to express briefly how the Word which has been proclaimed has spoken to his life.

    This would not be a homily. The priests makes the homily.

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    1. Note that the section refers to the the neo "weekly celebration of the Word", an event separate from the celebration of the Eucharist which is addressed separately in Art. 13.

      It really is incredible how hard you work to find justification. But it isn't there.

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  10. Unfortunately this post was not read by enough people. I heard from a friend who attended the 7:30 Mass this morning at the Cathedral that there was a 10 minute testimony given by member of the NCW after the homily, under the watchful eye of the Archbishop who was in attendance.

    This is a change from past practices in which the "Neo commercial" came after the distribution of Holy Communion. The people did not feel right about getting up to leave this morning because the Mass was not over AND they did not know what was done was illicit.

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