From the “What Were They Thinking?” file comes this snippet of a recommended “Liturgy On Ecology” from the book How Green is Green? by Rev. Etienne LeBlanc and Sr. Mary Rose Talbot (Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, IN, 1973). The subtitle is “38 Eucharistic Liturgies for Today’s Youth.” As with so many of these books, it is filled with things that make a reader fill with incredulous wonder at what was happening in the 1970s.
The next time you wonder if your pastor is reading the General Instruction on the Roman Missal carefully enough, just think of what you could be having.
________________
A Liturgy on Ecology, pp. 98-99
In the center aisle a trash barrel is provided, and each child as he enters the church should deposit his trash in the barrel. Children should be given time before the celebration to collect trash… The celebrant stops at the trash barrel for the rite.
Penitential Rite: Exorcisms of Pollutions
Exorcism of Earth Pollution
“Depart, deadly spirit of pollution, from our earth. May we recognize you for what you are, an ever growing threat to all life forms, to all that is created.
“You litter our landscape in various forms: paper, glass, metals, and plastics. With beer cans and car hulks, paper bags and non-returnables, with billboards and refuse dumps you cover our streets and highways. Beyond our vision you lurk in pesticides and poisons rained in our soil…”
ALL: “OUT DEMONS OUT!” (child places his collage near or against the trash barrel)
…
Exorcism of Water Pollution
“Depart, deadly spirit of pollution, from our waters… You take the forms of phosphates and various industrial wastes. You come from our kitchen sinks and from the giant factories and municipal sewage plants. The heat of nuclear reactors on our waters makes them sources of death for the flowers and fish of the sea. You do all this in the name of progress.
ALL: “OUT DEMONS OUT!” (child places his collage near or against the trash barrel)
__________
And lastly, on page 101, a suggestion is given for the possible quotes on the banner:
“Did you know that the word ‘American’ ends in I Can?”
January 16, 2011 at 7:26 pm
I recognize that book. It must have been in the library at the Catholic student center I was part of in college in the late 70's.
Here's the thing that continues to stump me. 1973- 8 years after the end of the Council Eight years from priests being taught it was a serious sin to change anything in the liturgy to this. I continue to be fascinated by the formation of religious in the 50's and early 60's that (must have IMHO) laid the groundwork for this kind of reaction in some way.
January 16, 2011 at 7:35 pm
Let's remember there were a lot of mind-altering drugs in use back then.
January 16, 2011 at 8:29 pm
Apparently, there were some lapsations in the wake of Vatican II…
January 16, 2011 at 8:59 pm
What a shame!
What a SHAM!
KM
January 16, 2011 at 9:35 pm
You can almost hear "Feeling Groovey" being sung in the background, can't ya! Out, demons, out!? Sonds like a holy roller evangelist at a tent revival to me! Out, liberals, out! Now that sonds like a Catholic priest! LOL!
January 16, 2011 at 10:12 pm
Amy Wellborn, I too have wondered that same thing. So many folks
seem to believe that the Church before Vatican II was a flawless
wonderland. Yet how does one explain that the (mis)implementation
of VII was engineered by folks who were formed in the pre-Vatican II
Church? Those priests, bishops, sisters and laity that so happily
engaged in the ecclesiastical vandalism of those years weren't products
of the 60's–they were reared in the Church in the 30's, 40's, and
50's.
I suspect that the one truly good thing to come out of VII is that
(to use a gross analogy) it took off the clean-looking dressing from
a wound in the Church and allowed the decaying matter, previously
concealed, to drain into the open. Ugh.
January 16, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Clinton – so well said! I'll be using your analogy in the future.
January 16, 2011 at 11:41 pm
Could be a subtle way to redirect attention from the real spiritual enemies like the devil. This is the best way for evil to thrive i.e. if it's existence is denied. Nefarious. Diabolical.
January 17, 2011 at 12:00 am
I seriously believe now, that our Pope, Benedict XVI is issuing a reform of the reform, that all that has been accomplished for the good by Vatican II might have been and ought to have been done without the Vatican II council. Common sense and a great love for Jesus and His church would have brought about the changes for the vernacular at Mass and the correct understanding of English in the Liturgy. The destruction of the beauty of many churches and the fear imposed upon too many of the laity by the “engineers of fatality” could and should have been circumvented and prevented. The only good, and a miniscule good, is that the laity learned how to stand up to the bullies who hijacked Vatican II and imposed their ugliness on decent people.
The reason I go to church is to see Jesus. The tabernacle must be front and center. Some of the songs are pitiful, especially those written by homosexual practicing priests and their partners. Don’t ask me to name names. The writer made a sacrament of the abomination of soul murder and scandal for himself and his partner, and what I once thought was beautiful, I refuse to sing. I pray for them and for the souls of the people seduced by their evil songs, as I once was.
Thomas Aquinas’ simple and profound hymns are about God.
I put no money in the collection unless the homilist tells me something about God.
January 17, 2011 at 12:24 am
“ON BECOMING A PERSON” the study text for fifth grade religion class in Catholic School in the 70’s inferred that the child was not created a person and set the stage for Roe v. Wade. Most of the children did not know the Ten Commandments or prayers. The children were being taught that “person” and “personality” are the same and that to be a person one had to be and have an outstanding personality, one that the teacher could be impressed with. One celled PERSONS, newly begotten, have personality beyond measure, virginity and sovereignty given by God and freedom given by the state.
January 17, 2011 at 3:51 am
As ridiculous as this was, did you notice that they still referred to the priest as the "celebrant?" Not the presider or president, but CELEBRANT!! If only that were the case everywhere today!
January 17, 2011 at 3:54 am
I forgot one: some dioceses refer to priests as "the sacramental minister." While this may sound good, these places reduce him to just someone needed for the consecration and little more. A lay pastoral "minister" handles everything else.
January 17, 2011 at 4:15 am
OMG
January 17, 2011 at 4:30 am
I was a tween in the 70's, and this explains a lot…
January 17, 2011 at 2:21 pm
I just took a look at the book and you're right there are a lot of classic 1970s ideas that seem funny to us today. It was an attempt to make the liturgy relevant to the lives of young people at a very turbulent time in our Church's history. We are still only in the beginning of the liturgical reform right now (the new translation of the Roman Missal is a clear indication of this). As Mary pointed out, the Holy Father is initiating a reform of the reform–something that is no doubt needed. At the same time I wonder how many reforms of the reform of the reform we will see in the next forty years?
I get questions all the time from teachers wanting to adapt the liturgy for certain parts of the liturgical year or other important days and themes. It is a challenge that continues today and teachers are looking for good resources that meet this generation.
January 17, 2011 at 6:14 pm
Jared, the reason teachers keep looking for "resources" is they are not properly catechized themselves with regards to the meaning and necessity of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is not meant to be "adapted" to our perceived needs. It speaks to our true need for redemption and our final destiny. I sometimes wait for months to speak on a particular "topic" until the prayers of the Mass and the readings give me the opening to comment on that particular "issue". We need to better appreciate ourselves that the Mass is about our worship of God and not of "being relevant".
January 18, 2011 at 4:22 pm
Ah the 1970s. The decade of green shag carpeting, orange counter tops, lousy music, lousier fashions, guitar masses, felt banners, Introspective Rock, the Designated Hitter, and the Pacer… a decade best forgotten.