Woofie-ism & post-Woofie-ism(1.1)

18 January 2007

"We celebrate the Eucharist that God be glorified and man sanctified"

Post Woofie-ism must focus clearly on this fundamental. How is any Formation going to achieve this focus?

I have always advocated Formations and training which are highly contextual, specific and hands-on. As well as Formations which address the "small things" within the bigger picture, coupled with very easy-to-follow steps ie. pragmatic. It means you could put the 'improved habit' into practise immediately if you chose to do so. There are far too many "formations" which sit the pariticpants down for hours while the presenter does his/her monologue to everyone.

If you must, consider our Catholic faith, specifically our celebration of the Eucharist, as the "bigger picture". The "small things" are our habits and the way we come to celebrate Mass and actually celebrate it. Within the Eucharist, we have yet to realise the 'formation'/training value of the texts of the prayers, the lyrics of the hymns/antiphons, our gestures and movements, the contemplative silences - to name a few. Why look to external formats, external training contexts and the like when the best context is right in front of our noses!

So, let's begin.

To achieve this focus, we begin with another fundamental, that of prayer. Specifically in the context of group meetings. Every "minstry", be it Altar Servers or EMOHC or Wardens or Choir etc., must at some point in time, meet, either by themselves or collectively to prepare for the coming Eucharist or other celebrations. Meetings generally begin and conclude with prayer. It is in this context of the opening and concluding prayers which the following is proposed.

But before that, an aside. Our Choir's (as the Church udnerstands it, and a.k.a. Music Ministry in some parishes), very existence is a direct result of the celebration of the Eucharist. The Choir's "life" is all about singing and playing (instruments) in Mass. Another way of saying it - the Music Ministry has no "life" outside of the Eucharist. It is born for the Eucharist. It is sustained and renewed by the Eucharist. It lives to serve this Eucharist, over, above and beyond everything else.

If you are a Warden or Altar Server, (dare I add - Priest.....) or from another 'ministry', put your name and the capacity in which you serve, in the above and see if it means anything.
Think about it.

I have digressed. Meanwhile back at the farm....opening and closing prayers in the context of ministry meetings.

1.
To provide a "template" (or prayer structure if you like) of common prayer/s (either existing ones or new ones) for all the "ministries" for their opening and concluding prayers.

We are different 'ministries' serving Mass. We have a shared existence and a shared mission. Would it not be sensible to pray prayers with the same words and in the same manner to bind us and reflect our one-ness. Such important prayers need preparation and should not be left to a spur of the moment "spontaneous" prayer alone.

Then there is the agenda and deliberations. Do these often take precedence over praying?

2.
Without re-inventing the wheel, common prayers are already in existence. So what's so different about this "template'? The approach and the rendering. It goes without saying, you are not allowed to change the words of the prayers, no matter how 'spontaneous' you feel.

3.
Some examples of "common" prayer:
(Sign of the Cross)
The Creed
The Our Father
Hail Mary

4.
What of the 'approach' and rendering?

4.1
The approach:

4.1.1
Let's be clear shall we.
Prayers are PRAYED. They may be rendered as spoken prayer or recited or chanted or sung or whatever other ways you can think of.
We really should grow out of introductions like, "Let us say(?) the Our Father"
The distinction is all about clarity in our understanding and in our describing it exactly as it is. Being absolutely clear (or as "absolutely" as our present understanding permits) is neither about semantics nor hair-splitting.

4.1.2
As we come to room where the meeting is to held, let us begin to calm down. Finish our chit-chat with our friends. Be acutely aware that we are coming together
- by the grace of God
(turning God-ward)
- to glorify, praise Him and bless his holy Name (..in this little meeting)...gratitude/thanks
(our primary purpose)
- to prepare for an Eucharistic celebration
(our secondary purpose, the 'technical' matters)
- that everything to be done is "...through Jesus Christ our Lord..."

Immediately you have all the ingredients for a common opening prayer should you string the above words together.

I can see the light bulbs. I can see some of you already making the connections. For those of us who are a little more senior, how often have we heard this:

"Before Mass, as you come to the entrance of the Church, be mindful you are coming into the house of God, a sacred and holy place. He is here. Move to the font of holy water, reverentially dip your finger and sign yourselves. Genuflect. ....."

As we prepare to celebrate Mass, by our movements, state of mind, preparedness or absence thereof; so too the same approach for simple meetings whose aim is to prepare for Mass.

4.1.3
Items below are self-explanatory:
Closing & concluding prayers -
- thanksgiving
- pray for others/intercessory/prayer for vocations.....through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- glorify....Glory be to the Father, and to the Son...etc.
- sign

4.2
The rendering:

4.2.1
The prayers are to pre-prepared.

4.2.2
The prayers are to be 'sounded', regardless of whether they are read or recited or chanted by all present. No business of the leader reading and everyone else being quiet. Feel free to render it
- with everyone reading it TOGETHER
- antiphonally, ie., with two groups
- responsorially, ie. one "cantor" and everyone else "responding"

4.3
Every word and every sound produced by the enunciated word is precious.
Breathe.
Prepare your face - mouth, tongue, cheeks, etc. to enunciate the words.
Lengthen each vowel a little.
Be crisp and timely with the consonants, dipthongs, etc.
Listen to the sound you have produced; its beginnings and endings.
Listen to all the tiny silences in between phrases or at punctuation points.
Listen to the resonance of the ends of phrases.
Listen to the resonance of the silence which follows.
Immerse yourself in the depth of the 'silent' echoes.

In celebrating Mass, every word and every sound of every hymn, Reading and other prayers is even more precious. Prepare for each one. Breathe. Enunciate. Read/chant/sing. Listen to these precious sounds and silences.

5.
Try it.


Glory be to the Father,

and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning,

is now,

and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.