Abuses in Catholic Liturgy Attributed to Lack of Serious Spirituality

So says the Bishop of a Brazilian community that celebrates the Mass according to the 1962 missal, reports Zenit News. Bishop Fernando Rifan spoke with ZENIT about the richness of the extraordinary form of the Mass. The use of that form was extended with Benedict XVI's "Summorum Pontificum," released last July.

Behind this is the lack of a serious spirituality, [the idea that] to attract the people, novelties should be invented. Holy Mass is attractive in itself, because of its sacredness and mystery. Deep down, we're dealing with the diminishment of faith in the Eucharistic mysteries and an attempt to replace it with novelties and creativity. When the celebrant wants to become the protagonist of the liturgical action, abuses begin. It is forgotten that the center of the Mass is Jesus Christ.

A few thoughts from Quebec’s Cardinal Gagnon, who recently passed away, were also shared.

Cardinal Edouard Gagnon was of the same opinion. "It cannot be ignored that the [liturgical] reform has given rise to many abuses and have led in a certain degree to the disappearance of respect for the sacred. This fact should be unfortunately admitted and it excuses a good number of those people who have distanced themselves from our Church and their former parish communities [in] "Fundamentalism and Conservatism," interview with Cardinal Gagnon, "Zitung -- Römisches," November-December 1993, page 35.

If you are a novice in regard to the controversies in the Catholic Church surrounding the Mass, here’s a few resources.

Primer on the Mass …a sweeping but brief look at the Mass.

The Eucharist: Source and Summit of Christian Spirituality Pt 1 and Pt 2 …a more detailed and excellent examination of the Mass (Holy Eucharist) by Catholic convert Mark Brumley

Differences Between the Traditional Latin Mass and the Novus Ordo …simple explanation of the differences in the two forms of Mass, with many other helpful links.