Fr. Dwight Longencker: Full Participation

How many times have I heard priests exclaim their enthusiasm for 'full participation' at Mass. It is a kind of modern Catholic mantra. Indeed, not only a Catholic mantra, it has become an ideological slogan before which all must bow.

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And has it worked? I have celebrated Mass at churches where an eager liturgy director (usually an ex-nun or priest) waves his arms about and brings the energy and fake enthusiasm of a Broadway dancer to his task and still the hymnbooks stay in the pew rack, the arms remain folded on the chest, the lips remain firmly closed and the expression of bored frustration remains stamped on the faces of the faithful.

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After experiencing my own frustration at expecting congregations to sing hymns I am beginning to come around to their point of view. Let us stand things on their head and really listen to the 'voice of the faithful' and ask ourselves whether they might actually be right. Maybe their instincts to be silent at Mass and not sing or wave their arms about or hug people are right. Maybe they know more about it in their blissful ignorance than we do with all our good ideas about 'full participation'.

Maybe what the faithful actually want is not wonderful orgasmic hymns and breath taking music. Maybe what they want is a quiet, dignified Mass with a simple, skilled choir or schola. Maybe what they want--even if they don't know it--is a Mass where they simply watch and pray and listen and wonder at the mystery of what is going on at the altar. Maybe they are 'fully participating' in this way and who am I to judge?