Matthew Stanley Church visit #2

St. John Cantius Church
 825 N Carpenter St, Chicago, IL 60642
May 4th, 2016
Roman Catholic

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

The worship service that preceeded it (which was a service petitioning St. Monica for people to return to the faith) flowed right into the Tridentine Mass without a strong separation or clear transition. The priest walked out, flanked by two attendants. He faced the altar the whole time. The only time he faced the congregants was to deliver a homily (in English), and to offer the bread to the congregants. He was the only one to drink the wine. Other than these actions, he mumbled in Latin to himself, moving between the cup and a propped up copy of Scripture on the altar. Luckily, the Church provided hand outs that explained what was happening. Some of the actions even said for the priest to perform "silently to himself." The cathedral itself was absolutely stunning. Unlike anything I'd ever seen before. It was a Wednesday night so it was largely empty, but there were some faithful individuals there. They stood and kneeled at the appropriate times. They all knew when, but it wasn't clear to me how.

How did the worship service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity?

It left me feeling sad for many Christians for the past thousand years. I felt deeply grieved that this service was all that generations of Christians had known. How was a poor woman in France supposed to have understood the Gospel or participated in worshipping God if this same action was performed by the priest her whole entire life, from cradle to grave? It's conceivable that one could live in such a parish and never hear the Gospel once. She would not know Latin. She wouldn't even receive the wine. Some of the actions are even intentionally done silently to the priest. I am so blessed to hear the Gospel in my language, to be an active participant in worship, and to share in the wine as well as the bread. I realize that those who "celebrate" the mass with the priest pray silently the whole time. There is value in that. However, the idea of "celebration" does not seem to accurately describe what happens. Not because it's not fun and enthusiastic, but because it's not communal. The priest appears to exclude the people. At the very least, they are not necessary. He would carry on just the same if they were absent or present. It's a mechanistic rite to be carried out, and the people observe. This is the Reformer in me rising up. I'd love to discuss the mechanics of the rite with a priest.

How did the worship service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?

I do feel a greater sense of being Protestant. On the one hand, the cathedral was absolutely beautiful. It was ornate, solid, and timeless, whereas most Protestant buildings are chique, hip, and built of steel and glass. However, on the other hand, I was left un-edified by the service. I have to say, the Eastern Orthodox service was much more worshipful and edifying. The primary reason for this was participation. The people in the EO Church participated together, worshipped together, and were being lead along as they worshipped. They all partook of the cup and the bread. They all worshipped in the vernacular. However, the Roman Catholic Church requires nothing of the congregant beyond being a simple observer. The Priest murmurs between just him and God. The Priest alone partakes of the cup. The Priest, in the Middle Ages, would have delivered a sermon in Latin, not the vernacular. This makes me feel profoundly thankful of the blessings I have received. But it also reveals what I value as a part of my religion. First, the explicit words of the Gospel are vital. The sacrament alone is not enough, but the word and table need to both be present, illuminating one another. Second, I value the participation of the lay person. The active involvement and rejoicing of all God's people, and particularly in their own unique language which God gave them and affirmed at Pentecost. These things are core to my identity as a Protestant and how I conceive of the Church living in this world as the Church.