As the priest began praying the Eucharistic Prayer during Mass on Saturday night, I realized with a start that with this, I had heard the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I) prayed in the last three Masses I’d attended.
I’m sure there are entire years in which I have not heard it that frequently.
And these Masses? All over the map. Literally.
The first was the Feast of the Assumption at a small parish down on the Gulf Coast. Mobile Archdiocese. The priest was elderly and infirm – he had to celebrate Mass sitting in a chair. Well, let me correct that. His body was infirm, but neither his voice nor his spirit were. He celebrated Mass with strength and reverence – including that Roman Canon.
The second was a week ago at the Sister Servants of the Eternal Word. The priest was an order priest, I believe. Rather young. Mid-30’s.
The third was, as I said, this past weekend in a parish on the North Carolina coast. Diocese of Raleigh. The priest was not too old – older than I, though. He was straightforward in his presiding (a big plus), and said not a word outside the black. The music was the usual awful sentimental contemporary slop, though (and not so contemporary, too – closing hymn being Let There Be Peace on Earth (THE WORST. EVER. ), so because of that music, I admit I was taken aback by his praying the Canon.
Three times. In as many Masses.
Times, they are a-changing…
(Resisting the temptation to start warbling, The Spi-rit is a-movin’, all over, all over this laaaaaaaaaaaaaand!)
I only hope the music catches up in more places….soon. The dissonance between more elevated language of the new translation and schlocky, simplistic, music is just….too much.
(Let me add that at the other two Masses, this doesn’t apply. There was no music at the Assumption Mass – only 31 in attendance (Joseph counted) , and you’re not going to hear Let There Be Peace On Earth at Casa Maria, trust me. It will be simple, unadorned, unfussy chant. The best. Ever.)