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On Being a Religious Mutt
A few years back I read the term "religious mutt," referring to someone who didn't really have a place to congregate, to worship, but someone who felt religious nevertheless. Sort of a religious person without a home. And I felt that term fit me well.
Oh, at one time, most who knew me then would agree, I was a purebred Roman Catholic. I attended Mass faithfully, prayed daily and followed the teachings and rules of the Church without fail. But something happened around the time of the famous Second Vatican Council, which met from 1962-1965. As a result Pope John XXIII decreed several changes would take place within the Catholic Church.
I guess I was an early dissident of most of the changes that were implimented. The most obvious innovation was that English would replace Latin as the language during Mass. This change brought the religious services "closer to the people," but, to me, at the same time it took away the reverence of the holy services.
Anyway, as I sat in St. Peter's Church this week for over 90 minutes, I had the opportunity to think about the Church that I miss so much from my youth. There have been so many changes.
There was a time that you had to fast three hours before receiving Holy Communion. Suddenly that was changed and the Church said, "Never mind. We were just kidding you all those years. You really don't have to fast at all." Someone can be fresh from McDonald's and receive Holy Communion with Egg McMuffin on their breath.
And didn't we used to have to avoid eating meat on Friday? That rule has gone by the boards. My goodness, when I was seven years old I thought I was going to hell because I ate a bologna sandwich for lunch at Terry Prentice's house on a Friday. I couldn't wait to go to confession on Saturday and explain the whole thing to Monsignor Brisson.
Confessions sure were different in those days, too. You would pray for awhile and think about your sins, like what bad words you might have thought of when you struck out in the Little League baseball game. Then you would wait in line for awhile with a bunch of other sinners. Finally you would go into the confessional and wait for the priest to slide that little window open.
The priest would usually have his hand on his head, leaning in and making sure he wasn't peeking at who was in the booth ready to spill his guts about being a bad boy this week. "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned!" I am sure I uttered those words thousands of times as a kid.
Nowadays confessions can be face-to-face. No dark booth, no sliding window, no kneeling down to cleanse our souls, no secret sinners. I wonder if they still give penance or does a simple handshake wipe away those sins?
Throughout the year and sometimes during Mass we would say the rosary. In the Gagnon family saying the rosary was an evening ritual during Lent. Every night at exactly seven o'clock the three children would meet our Mom and Dad in the living room. The lights would be out and candles would be lit. We all kneeled and said the rosary aloud. There were five of us and the rosary consists of five decades, so it worked perfectly.
Our friends would sometimes gather on the sidewalk in front of our house, wondering what strange ritual the Gagnon family was conducting. As soon as the final Amen was said, we were out the door to see our friends. Goose was always the first one out the front door.
Do you know what a scapular is? I wore one faithfully when I was young. I doubt anyone wears a scapular today. It was two pieces of cloth, joined by strings passing over the shoulders, and you would wear it under your shirt as a form of devotion to God and His Church.
While I was wearing my scapular, my Dad wore a medal. It was a big silver thing that hung around his neck on a chain. During the years I guess the younger generation gave up the religious medal in exchange for gold chains and bling.
Are there any Catholic churches in the North Country that still have an altar rail? You used to kneel at the altar rail to receive Holy Communion. As the priest placed the host on each communicant's tongue the altar boy would hold that little gold plate under the person's mouth in case the priest missed.
One time Monsignor Brisson dropped a host and I didn't catch it on the plate. The service immediately came to a halt as the good monsignor said prayers before picking up the religious host, which represents the Body of Christ. I stood there like I'd made an error at first base, my face turning redder with each second.
Nowadays regular people hand out Holy Communication. I think you have to go through courses and maybe a retreat before you are qualified, but good old Mr. Jones from next door can come fresh from McDonald's with Egg McMuffin on his breath and hand out Holy Communion. I find this shocking!
I guess I've never been ready for all these changes. I feel like sometimes I'm too old-fashioned for my own good. I mean, I have modern ideas when it comes to other things, even if I was about the last faculty member at Stafford Middle School to sit in front of a computer.
I know I miss the good ol' Catholic Church that I grew up in. Give me a Latin Mass and some incense and holy water and I'd be happy. I wonder if I'll be a religious mutt forever.
Comments
Dear Mr.Gagnon,
Why don't you find a Latin Mass to go to? Now that the Pope has made them more accessible, you should be able to find one and maybe not far from your area.
All the things you miss can be found at a Latin Mass.
People still wear scapulars and they are easy to find.
Posted by: john carter | March 18, 2008 10:46 AM
Hello, Thought I'd comment on this even though nearly a year has past since this entry. I hope it gets to you.
I came upon this blog entry looking for any latin masses that might be coming to a church near Plattsburgh. I'm 28 so I don't remember the old church, but I spent a year in Buffalo and attended the latin rite there - was an alter-server as well. It's hard not having a mass near Plattsburgh, and after learning the Tridentine Rite, I find it difficult sitting through the Novus Ordo. I've come to realize that there are a lot of people like us, enough so that I think we could fill up a church on Sunday. Maybe not, however, I'm hesitant in saying that bringing back the old rite would fill the pews again. I do think the latin mass could bring back society's respect for the Church though, and that's a start. The latin mass is a very dignified ritual that speaks for itself. We'll see... over all, it's coming back in a quiet way - and it's probably better that way. I don't want this beautiful mass to cause any more trouble for the Church, I'd just rather people found the Tridentine Mass the same way I did - there was church that offered it, I went and I stayed.
Notre Dame de la Garde in Montreal offers the mass, though you could presume the readings and sermon would be in French (a good reason to take a day trip to Montreal anyways). St. Mary's in Brushton says it as well and St. Peter's in Troy. So, you're looking at a significant drive in any direction.
(Foxy's note: Thanks for the interesting comments. You make some very good points.)
Posted by: Jeremy Stygles | January 13, 2008 10:34 AM
This message is for jim carr, if you can find a religious shop you can find a scapular, I never leave the house without mine -- I wear a green one and a brown one -- does anyone know what they each mean??? Jewel
Posted by: Judy | May 8, 2007 4:10 PM
Foxy;
Thanks for the memories! Although I was an altar boy (At Assumption in Redford) after the Second Vatican, I saw a lot of changes in my ten years on the altar. So much so that I drifted away from the Church. I attended an Assembly of God Church when I moved to North Carolina but I was still not finding God. So, I moved on. I am now a Messianic Jew. I fully believe that Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus Christ) was the Messiah, I follow the teaching He taught and live life as close to the way He lived as I can. I have found fulfillment for the first time in my adult life. While I am a religious mutt, like yourself, I have found my doghouse. Praise Yah!
Larry
Posted by: Larry Waldron, Jr. | May 6, 2007 10:24 PM
The memories you stir, Foxy, are appreciated. The walk from St. John's as a class to spend the quiet hours on Good Friday at church, Baltimore Catechism questions, Midnight Mass, standing up when Sisters and Fathers enter the room, and my religious medal I still wear to this day.....Great to reflect on....
(Foxy's note: You have added some great pieces of memories, The Donald! Thanks. Yes, I now recall meeting as a team for 7am Mass at OLV Church on the day of a big game. Did you learn Latin as an altar boy? "Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maximo Culpa...")
Posted by: The Donald | April 23, 2007 6:55 PM
I agree with your comments on the Catholic Church. Many years ago as a full-time organist at the Air Base for both the Catholic and Protestant services, I was asked to play for the wedding of a neighbor at St. John's. After the wedding rehearsal on a Friday nite, I was advised by the Pastor that I would not be allowed to play for the wedding as I was separated from my husband and, therefore, no longer a Catholic. I will never forget those words. That was a big turn-off on the Catholic religion for me. And now, you can get annulments even though you have children - how the Church has changed! I now live in another state and asked the priest at my church if we could have a Latin Mass once a year (Easter) and his answer was that he wouldn't be able to find any altar servers who knew the Latin responses and that he himself didn't know the Latin Mass (hard to believe). I miss the old times.
Posted by: June Seymour | April 22, 2007 12:22 PM
One of the purposes of your blog is to stir past memories. Your use of the word scapular did just that in me. When I went to Viet Nam the first piece of mail I got was from my grandparents,( you remember oldman Carr from taking care of Baily Ave park) it was a scapular, and they asked me to wear it at all times. As you stated it was made of cloth and not made to endure the heat, humidity and sweat of Nam. I did carry it with me my entire 13 month tour. My only regret is that somehow I can't locate it any more. I wasn't the best Catholic, but at the time I was willing to take all the help I could get.
Posted by: jim carr | April 21, 2007 4:45 PM
Hi Foxy
I enjoyed reading your views on the changes within the Catholic Church. You are certainly not the only one who feels as you do and I can understand that viewpoint though I do not agree with it.
Times change and people and their attitudes change along with the times. I believe JohnXX111 was a visionary who realized that if the Church was to continue to succeed in its work, it was imperative to keep up with the times. I think it is important, in any discussion such as this, to keep in mind that Canon Law is decreed by humans, not God. Humans, whether they be popes, cardinals, bishops or anything else, often err in judgement. In this case, I think the judgement error occurred, not in making the changes, but rather in postponing them for as long as they did.
It could be argued, I suppose, that when we are dealing with popes, cardinals etc that God is actually influencing their decisions and steering them in the right direction. I don't happen to believe that and could point to a number of incidents down through the years where it was very obvious God wasn't involved in the decision.
As far as this country's Catholics are concerned, I believe the Mass in English has gone a long way toward maintaining the stability of the Church - particularly among young people. And without the young people and their interest, the future of Catholicism would be very questionable as our generations are replaced by others.
Times do indeed dictate that changes be made in the way we all think and I also believe it's only a matter of time before the Catholic Church has to go with married priests and perhaps nuns. Making that change has also been postponed for far too long. It either happens or the shortage becomes so critical that the Church in this country is in really big trouble.
I would agree that all of the tradition connected with the Catholic Church is to be admired and that much of it is hard to let go of. I can see why folks such as yourself miss the portions of it that have disappeared but I also believe that as the result of the changes, the Church has become much more "user friendly" since the 60's. Much as is the case with professional baseball, if the family is priced out of attendance, the youngsters interest wanes and without the youngsters on down the road, the game is destined to die or at least be critically wounded. If the younger generation and those to follow are turned off by the Church's stubborn refusal to go with the times and "redecorate" portions of outdated dogma, it may well face the same fate. I am a Christian and a Catholic and I don't believe in attempting to change the things that God obviously has decreed. On the other hand, I have no problem questioning decisions made by some of the humans He has seen fit to place in our midst.
(Foxy's note: Al, thanks for taking the time to provide these interesting observations. Very well-said!)
Posted by: Al Ryan | April 21, 2007 2:34 PM
Sounds like you're lost! I too was raised a Roman Catholic and in my early adult years I found myself praying more and putting a lot of thought into my religious life! Then I found a breath of fresh air in a Bible Church in Alburg Vt. and the teaching that followed the word of God as put down in the King James Bible. You might want to look into it. It has a lot to offer for very little!!!!
Posted by: beef | April 20, 2007 11:11 AM
Foxy:
You are a mirror image to my view of the Church. I was an altar boy at St. John's and really miss the Latin, I still use my St. Joseph's Missal at Mass although I have a problem finding out where I should be since 'Ordinary Time' came about. In Hudson Falls there is a Chapel of the North American Martyrs on the Boulevard under the auspices of the Pius X Society where the traditional Latin Mass is said Sundays @ 5 PM. Altar rail, chapel veils, Altar boys and prayers at the foot of the altar. I read on Drudge some months back that the Pope was going to authorize the saying of the Latin Mass throughout the world but your local bishop would have the option of not allowing it. Not much hope with the liberal American bishops.
Ite missa est.
Posted by: Bob Buck | April 20, 2007 10:18 AM
Foxy, have you been to Italy? If not, or hey even if you have, I suggest a trip to Rome. You can go to St. Peter's and listen to a Traditional Mass in Latin (The Traditional Mass must be allowed in St. Peter's as a result of a command from the Pope - contained in a document called rescripto exaudienza). When I went in 1978 my Latin was still functional (thank you Clara Otis) and although I couldn't understand the spoken word I could translate the written enscriptions all over the Vatican, which I did to my (1st) wife's delight. That may have constituted the only thing she appreciated from me. I sat through a High Mass - it lasted almost 2.5 hours - but I loved the pageantry, I'm old fashioned like you. When I went, someone had taken a hammer to Michelangelo's Pieta and it was roped off - but being me, I waited until the guards were looking the other way and reached over & touched it - same with the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum, I just can't follow the rules. Sorry, but the Pieta is enclosed in a glass structure now. The Vatican is simply breathtaking - world treasures everywhere. And St. Peter's is awe inspiring - all 5.7 acres of it. You can go down below to the crypt where St. Peter was buried. Actually he was buried in the cemetery next to the Circus of Caligula and Nero where he was crucified. A monument was placed over his grave then the church was built over that - you can still see part of the monument down in the crypt. And don't miss the Sistene Chapel with Michelangelo's fabulous paintings. The whole city of Rome is incredibly beautiful & well worth the trip.
Posted by: Miney Rowlson | April 20, 2007 7:52 AM