Participation is PCDear Editor: I recently received a copy of your Sept. 1996 issue and was looking forward to reading the magazine. However, I was very disturbed by Barbara Guenther's article ("Whose Prayer Is This?"). Obviously Ms. Guenther has little understanding of the theology of the Eucharist. Liturgists have advocated standing during the eucharistic prayer for years, and repeatedly the bishops have said that kneeling is the proper posture for the eucharistic prayer. The assembly can actively participate in the posture of kneeling and praying along with the presider in silence. To advocate that they assume the same position and use the same gestures as the presider is absurd. All persons gathered are celebrants, but they do not have the same role. "Full active participation" has become the politically correct term to turn worship into a mutual admiration society for the assembly rather than an act of praise and worship to God. For an author to presume that he or she has more authority than the General Instruction of the Roman Missal is a slap in the face to the universality of the church. I pray that these notions do not become the norm, because in my opinion they do serious harm to the liturgy as well as to the tradition of the church. Rev. Richard Stansberry Jr. How did you get started?ML recently posted the following question in the America Online folder: "How did you get started in ministry?" The following is one of the responses. To share your response to the question, send regular mail to ML Sharings, 160 E. Virginia St., #290, San Jose, CA 95112. Or send e-mail to MdrnLitrgy@aol.com. I got started when my husband and I decided that we had put off finding a church home long enough. We walked into St. Michael's here in Aurora, I heard the singing, and that was it! I was home. Ten years later I'm full time director of music and I thank God every day for this vocation. My mentor was my sponsor into the church, Eileen Farrell. Yes, she's an opera singer, no, not that famous one. She's since moved away, but is now traveling with a professional chorale. She was a great sponsor, so faith filled. That's my story. Holly Chartier ML |
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