On Sunday, September 29, Pope Francis concluded his apostolic visit to Belgium with a Mass at the King Beaudoin Stadium. There were about 40,000 in attendance, a drop in the bucket for a country that claims half of the population as Catholic but perhaps massive if one considers that the number of those who attend at least once a month hovers around 8%.
First, let’s address an observation that has been circulating around the blogosphere for some time, that Pope Francis no longer celebrates Mass and, presumably, because he no longer believes in the Eucharist. It is true that, for more than a year, Francis has not been the celebrant of the ‘papal Masses’. He “presides” at the liturgy, instead, due we are told to his physical limitations, which are quite apparent. Many commentators on this development forget or overlook that prior to Pope Paul VI, it was rare for a pope to be the celebrant of a public Mass; rather, he “presided” while another prelate served as the celebrant. This was largely because, before the liturgical reforms following Vatican II, a Mass directly celebrated by a pope would take hours. Even diocesan bishops rarely celebrated public Masses; hence, a category of liturgy–still an option–“the celebration of Mass in the presence of a greater prelate.” That is what Francis has been doing, and what Pope John Paul II did for much of the last year of his life. We are told that Francis does concelebrate daily Mass in his private chapel, but with his priest-secretary as principal celebrant, again, due to physical difficulties.
Second, papal Masses come under the purview of the papal master of ceremonies who either directly plans such liturgies (for example, those that take place in Rome) or approves those that occur elsewhere and are largely planned by local personnel. The current holder of that position is Archbishop Diego Ravelli, a long-time worker in ceremonies office and, we are told, hand-picked by Bishop Guido Marini to be his successor. Readers will recall that Monsignor Marini served in that capacity for most of the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI and for several years under Francis. Marini did much to upgrade papal celebrations; our Newman House Press published a collection of his essays on the topic under the title of Liturgical Reflections of a Papal Master of Ceremonies.
Now, onto the event in question.
The principal celebrant of the Mass was the 55-year-old Archbishop of Brussels, Luc Terlinden. His ars celebrandi is very precise and dignified. The music of the Mass was superb. In keeping with the Vatican II directive, all the Ordinary parts of the Mass were sung in Latin; hymnody and motets were beautifully executed. That’s the good news and, unfortunately, the only good news.
Now, for the bad news.
• Pope Francis opened the liturgy with “Good morning!”–akin to a television or radio talk-show host. No, the greeting of the congregation is prescribed and comes in the form of three possible biblical texts (four, for a bishop). After the sign of the cross, he did a proper formulary.
• The vestments of the concelebrants were ugly, and the design was bizarre, signifying God knows what. I suspect they were the creation of Slabbinck, a Belgian producer of liturgical wear, whose creations were inflicted on the Church in the United States for a good portion of the 1970s. The set-up of the sanctuary was also ugly, minimalistic to a tee; it well could have served as a Quaker meeting house.
• Female servers were in abundance. Does the country not have any seminarians who, surely, could have served the Pope?
• Initially, I could not figure out the purpose of dozens of children on the playing field, clad in yellow and white, surrounding an image of the globe. I got my answer at the Offertory (and again, after Communion): they produced a liturgical dance which, of course, is strictly prohibited. My only consolation is that the kids were better than an entourage of late-middle-age women in mumus or leotards!
• The Eucharistic Prayer was offered in different languages. This, too, is strictly forbidden as it destroys the integrity and unity of the prayer. Given the at least bilingual nature of the population (in addition to those from other lands), why not use God’s gift to the Universal Church of the universal and sacral language of Latin?
• The deacons of the Mass received Holy Communion by intinction (a practice introduced by Monsignor Ravelli some time ago) and thus received on the tongue. However, not a single other person in the assembly received on the tongue (at least as could be observed from what the camera showed). That is shocking and speaks volumes about the liturgical education (or propagandizing) of the laity. On second thought, I should not have been surprised by this since Belgium, in cahoots with Holland, led the way on this issue (even while Vatican II was still underway) by adamantly practicing Communion-in-the-hand, despite numerous corrections from the Holy See.
• With hundreds of bishops, priests, and deacons present (“ordinary” ministers of Holy Communion), I saw only one priest (yes, one) who distributed Holy Communion. Hundreds of the non-ordained took on the role proper to the clergy. And some wonder why belief in the Eucharist has tanked and why that country has so few priestly vocations (which may be why there were no seminarians to serve)? Along those lines, I was genuinely scandalized by the way the girl scouts received the Sacrament–laughing and joking among themselves! Even more scandalous was the sight of some “extraordinary” ministers returning unconsumed Hosts with a ciborium in one hand and a coffee cup or water bottle in the other.
Papal liturgies are supposed to be solemn events, exemplars for all and edifying. This one failed on those scores. How did this happen? Did Ravelli not know about these aberrations in advance? If he did know, did the Pope tell him to let them go on as a sop to the out-of-control liberals in the establishment? If that was the case, it clearly failed on that score as well since, as we saw, Francis was still roundly excoriated for his refusals to kowtow to their agenda on the sanctity of life and the male priesthood.
The display we witnessed was not a unique performance; it is precisely what Belgian Catholics have experienced for six decades, which is why they have such a moribund Church. Quite fittingly, the French word for “Mass” is “Messe”!
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Sigh. What is the purpose of comments like this: “My only consolation is that the kids were better than an entourage of late-middle-age women in mumus or leotards!”
Okay. I hate liturgical dance too, and I don’t see any particular point to it. But can we not criticize the liturgical dance and not the appearance of the dancers? Is there supposed to be something hilarious about older women trying to dance? Would it still be funny if young and slender women danced? It is hard enough to be an older woman without thoughtless remarks such as this. Stay with criticizing liturgical dance itself. That should be an easy thing to do.
Perhaps unseemly is a better choice of words than hilarious.
I thought much the same — it was a touch of snideness, which I don’t expect from Fr. Stravinskas.
Having seen a late-middle-age women in a leotard perform a liturgical dance in Berkeley, I have to go with Father on this one. Seeing (insert pronouns) smash an earthen vessel in front of the altar to “symbolize our brokenness” has scared my memory.
The sigh of Jesus that you don’t know – or care? – to strain out both the camel and the gnat…blessings with Saint Therese
Seeing children do something that is decidedly inappropriate and out-of-place is instinctively easier to forgive than seeing fully grown, mature women do the same.
Scrub the Belgian church and start again
A very good analysis, thank you, Father!
So you are disappointed with Pope Francis? Well, I guess that he will have to live with it.
Thanks for the good news. I have been wondering about the fairly new archbishop, Luc Terlinden.
As for all the bad news, who can be surprised that Mass attendance in Belgium has cratered?
Great analysis. Thank you!
I repeat one my more recent comments about the Papacy. The Pope is the Bishop of Rome; let him stay there and minister to his diocese. The idea of “Pope as Head of State” needs to end. He is the Bishop of Rome – primus inter pares. What needs to end are papal Masses (all Masses, actually) in stadiums, arenas, large convention halls, etc; this practice always results in one abuse after another. Lastly, we need to stop this public image of the Pope as some sort of rock star. He.is.not!
you know much better, he is Vicar and Shepherd of Christ’s Spousal Bride, the whole Church, not just Rome – the total Vineyard…tell the Beloved you are sorry, ask forgiveness…repair…
James Mark: just please settle down.
I think the usual way to deal with Masses said with large crowds, traditionally, is simply to not distribute Holy Communion. It is not obligatory. If, in addition, the MC is knowledgeable of and faithful to the rubrics, I think that would take care of every complaint in this article.
Did they perform this one in Belgium?
🎼🕺
“There comes a time
When we heed a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
Oh, and it’s time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all
We can’t go on
Pretending day-by-day
That someone, somewhere soon make a change
We’re all a part of God’s great big family
And the truth, you know, love is all we need
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day, just the Pope and me…”
🎼🕺
These articles are such a waste of time and effort. The only thing newsworthy might have been if Pope Francis – or any of his immediate predecessors – had celebrated or been present at a Mass that looked even remotely Catholic, a Mass that would NOT have scandalized pre-Vatican II Catholics, a Mass that would have demonstrated that the Church continues to hold the same beliefs She has taught since Her foundation. The relationship between the lex orandi and the lex credendi explains everything, and THAT is why there are almost no Catholics in Belgium or anywhere else in Europe.
This article is a waste of time because it tries to argue for nature wanting/intending/making rules when it doesn’t. Nature isn’t conscious as a concept, abstract concepts as a rule aren’t conscious and this guy trying to argue about implicit ends is confusing ‘could’ with ‘should’.
I’m sorry, this man’s worldview is based on a lie and it’s galling he’s trying to make it out like it’s the other way around. I see he’s still complaining in that crisis news site about gay families and marriage like his poor pacemaker-ed heart depends on it, sad world he lives in.
be vigilant…for every idol – and vile and idle – word, an account will be rendered…please let not the adversary draw you into this web, stay in the Net of Christ-Peter, it is the Light, not the darkness…graces and mercies as a Fisher of Souls not a fillet-er…
I might be guilty of something you propose even if you’re not clear on it. But if you refer to Fr. Stravinskas, mark what you say: “the other way round” comes to “he’s trying to make it out like his lie is his worldview” -which is the same thing as your first proposition, “his worldview is based on a lie”.
What is that?
In the picture at the head, one of the spokes radiating from the globe on the field, looks misaligned and points awkwardly. Not sure what to make of it. The back of the stadium, the seating is empty there. The Mass got celebrated according to the habit of the locals. The Pope didn’t “impose”. In addition, he presumably wants to synodalize” the Mass and all these items are proper features of “synodal”.
I think things like liturgical dance inside the Mass, melds parts of the Gospel together with other components in life, wrongly. Collapsing everything into the Eucharist as “the culminating point for everything” that “must be felt” and occur “all at once”, is at odds with reality. Yes the Lord is risen but we have to follow Him.
The Pope today extends an invitation for everyone to join him in the “synodal style”. While on his trip there in Belgium etc., he admitted that there was a demographic problem and families should be having children. Not quite the Christian message but nonetheless he saved a part of Europe from his rebuke “Stop breeding like rabbits!” Yet they are insisting that “synodal” is “from the Holy Spirit” and “being like Mary”. This is what Grech (apparently) is teaching at the “synodal” reopening.
The synodal is even “a prayer” and “a liturgy” and a whole new “pentecost”, according to Grech.
https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2024/09/30/synod-on-synodality-retreat-aims-for-renewed-pentecost-through-mary-and-the-rosary/
Sunday 29, 2024 was a day of special grace to several of us who had the good fortune of being present for the Papal Mass in the capital city of Europe.
“Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely” was the underlying theme in the homily delivered by His Holiness Pope Francis at the historic King Baudouin stadium in Brussels.
The Pontiff’s invitation to fellow mortals to serve one another as fellow pilgrims on common journey drew loud applause from the over forty thousand women, children, and men at the jam-packed celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
It was a life-time opportunity for many to receive precious ethical advice, pray, worship, and sing on such a happy Sunday.
empty images and empty words…Christ’s homily and mission was not and is not ethical…this is not even Christ’s Worship, it is self worship….
Offer Christ not self, let the Holy Spirit live, move and have His being within like Saint John Paul so that the Head Christ-Priest is Worshipping in God the Holy Spirit and His Truth, so that it Divine, Triune, Paschal, Sacramental, Moral, Theological – a Unity of Charity and Charity of Unity that is with the Holy Triune Lamb and His Efficacious Words and Deeds…making Christ a disobedient obedient sinner by abuses in pretending to ‘do this in Memorial of Me’ should not make anyone happy – let Christ be the Priest-Head and let His Body follow Him and His directives, not doing their own…so many abuses present do not come from Christ the Well-Beloved, but the adversary….
It seems like word salad is a contagious condition in today’s world.