Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion Letters

Concerned About Youth Mass

byStaff writers
22 July 2001
Reading Time: 2 mins read
AA
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

IN principle, a youth Mass sounds great as a way of encouraging young people to attend Mass with people of a similar age and it’s good to see that people are prepared to do something to achieve this.

But the event being organised in the Redlands area (CL 8/7/01) gives rise to a number of concerns.

From apostolic times the structure of the Mass has been what we have today – readings from Scripture, preaching and the Eucharist. While the language may have changed over the centuries, the form has remained and for the prime purpose of giving praise and glory to God, to draw closer to Him and to reflect on His goodness to us.

In order to do this properly our minds must be focused on God. Swapping stories and experiences, and sitting around on cushions is not going to be conducive to this.

Those activities are more properly left until after the Mass and then shared over a cup of coffee.

During the Mass we should be receiving the Word of God written (in the Gospels) and the Word of God Incarnate (in Holy Communion).

It is stated in the article that “… the Eucharist would be more intimate”. I cannot see how. It is already the most intimate sacrament. When we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we receive Him entirely – Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. He unites Himself with us in a way which not even the angels share.

Removing “a bit of the formality” is not a means of making the Eucharist more intimate.

I also know people who unfortunately don’t go to Mass because “… they say it’s boring” (yet they’ll sit for hours watching the cricket).

That statement, though, indicates that they have no idea of what the Mass is. Could anyone standing at the foot of the Cross on Calvary with Our Lady, St John and Mary Magdalen say “it’s boring”?

Related Stories

All Catholics invited to pray rosary for peace with Pope Francis next Tuesday

Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria

Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia

The Mass is a re-presentation (ie a presentation again) of the once-only sacrifice of Calvary. It transcends time and space and is where heaven meets earth.

For an excellent and very readable description of this, I’d recommend The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth by Scott Hahn, published by Doubleday.

So the reason we should be going to Mass is not to be entertained, but to give praise to God and to receive Jesus in the Eucharist.

MICHAEL BYRNE Caboolture, Qld

ShareTweet
Previous Post

BLACKBOARDS

Next Post

Tribute to Archbishop Rush

Staff writers

Related Posts

Vatican

All Catholics invited to pray rosary for peace with Pope Francis next Tuesday

27 May 2022
Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria
World

Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria

27 May 2022
Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia
Australia

Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia

26 May 2022
Next Post

Tribute to Archbishop Rush

Humble Man of God

Youth Urged to Take Up Challenge

Popular News

  • Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

    Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Christian Brothers’ community mourn the passing of Brother Tony White

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • All Catholics invited to pray rosary for peace with Pope Francis next Tuesday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Vatican

All Catholics invited to pray rosary for peace with Pope Francis next Tuesday

by Staff writers
27 May 2022
0

By Catholic News Agency THE Vatican is inviting Catholics to join Pope Francis in praying the rosary...

Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria

Gunmen kidnap two Catholic priests in Nigeria

27 May 2022
Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia

Ethiopian cardinal brings sense of gratitude to Australia

26 May 2022
Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

Blessed Sacrament desecrated in robbery of sacred vessels at Canberra church

26 May 2022
Pope Francis – ‘My heart is broken’ over Texas elementary school shooting

Pope Francis – ‘My heart is broken’ over Texas elementary school shooting

26 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping