There have been some suggestions as to how we should engage the Neo-commercials inserted into the Mass. (Mass is not truly over until the priest has left the sanctuary). Some say that we should stand up and protest, others say we should immediately be allowed a rebuttal, and others say we should just walk out.
The following person proposes an alternative, and in reply, I propose an additional alternative:
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AnonymousSeptember 2, 2014 at 6:47 AMWell, no, I won't walk out before the final blessing. In my opinion, if you do that, you just let someone come between you and Jesus whose real and true presence has just been celebrated is in fact now staring in the face of that person giving their 'testimony'. I want to spend some time with my Lord after receiving him. We are all made one in the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ. We become his eyes, his voice, his hands and his feet as the song goes and if we walk out before the final blessing, aren't we in effect saying that we are not what we eat? We would be no different than those who walk out right after they receive Communion thinking they got Jesus now and they have more important things to do. I don't like the testimonials either, but that is for the presider to correct and make sure that whatever the testifier is going to say is not nonsense or disrespectful to our worship. The 'presider' has control of this whether he knows it or not. Each presider is ultimately responsible for what is allowed in mass. They review and approve whatever announcements are made, don't they? So why don't they review and 'approve' the testimonies as well? Most of the time it's glaringly obvious the testifier didn't prepare well beforehand. But they are not going to keep me from worshipping my Lord because of their ignorance and ineptness. I would suggest that for those parishes which allow these testimonies, the pastors require them to be reviewed and approved beforehand, just like they do for wedding and funeral songs. The integrity of our Sunday worship is of the most urgent importance, it is the central act of our faith and the utmost care should be taken to ensure that every part of it is done well and gives glory to God.
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At 6:47. Your sentiments are understandable. I myself have sat through more than one neo-commercial at the end of Mass for the same reason, though I was revolted by what I saw and heard. It is a crime though that our Archbishop co-opts our faithfulness and our desire to spend time with our Eucharistic Lord (by not walking out after communion) to insert his neo-commercials.
The Eucharistic Lord is still present within us in those last moments of the Mass (See CCC 1377). In fact, this is why the Church is so adamant about those last moments of Mass NOT being abused with announcements etc., unless for "serious reason". (RS 74)
As an aside this is why it is also critical that we “regular” Catholics maintain an attitude of prayerful respect at the end of Mass and as we exit the Church. Our bodies, so long as the “Eucharistic species subsist” (CCC 1377) are the temporary tabernacles for the God of all Creation. The Church does not give an exact amount of time for this, but a biological estimate is at least 15 minutes.
Yet, we see, almost every Sunday, those sacred moments erupting into hand-shaking, back-thumping, grandma-kissing, happy birthday-singing, and the general din of ordinary conversation while Jesus cries: “Let me spend these few minutes with you.” The Neos are not the first to show irreverence to those moments. We started it.
I can also understand your believing that the “presider has control”. Sorry to disappoint you. He does not. When it comes to the Neocatechumenal Way he has no control. These people come in the name of the bishop and say “the Archbishop says”, or the Archbishop wants”, etc. And seeing how the Archbishop has treated any priest who has stood in the way of the NCW, these “presiders” know that it is death to resist.
Yet, while this is a grave injustice and a horrible abuse of power, the real crime is the rude intrusion into the most precious moments Jesus has with us. But if we are serious about our objection to the Archbishop’s allowing this, then let us first get serious about protecting those moments ourselves. Stay behind after Mass. Learn some “prayers after communion”. Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity is truly within us in those moments. He is “in us” in the most intimate sacred way he can possibly be with us, and us with him, this side of heaven.
Restore the sacred and the “lost” who the Neo’s say they are here to rescue, won’t want to go anywhere else.
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