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Ella and James Preece are a Catholic couple living in Kingston Upon Hull in Yorkshire in the UK. This is our blog.

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What do Catholics believe?

Know Your Rights...

Blogged by James Preece on 3rd February 2010

Lay people don't have any rights, and the clergy can do whatever they like... right?

On the contrary, it is the right of all of Christ’s faithful that the Liturgy, and in particular the celebration of Holy Mass, should truly be as the Church wishes, according to her stipulations as prescribed in the liturgical books and in the other laws and norms. Likewise, the Catholic people have the right that the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass should be celebrated for them in an integral manner, according to the entire doctrine of the Church’s Magisterium. Finally, it is the Catholic community’s right that the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist should be carried out for it in such a manner that it truly stands out as a sacrament of unity, to the exclusion of all blemishes and actions that might engender divisions and factions in the Church.

Redemptionis Sacramentum 11

But we don't have a right that Bishop's do anything about anything? Do we?

Christ’s faithful have the right that ecclesiastical authority should fully and efficaciously regulate the Sacred Liturgy lest it should ever seem to be “anyone’s private property, whether of the celebrant or of the community in which the mysteries are celebrated”

Redemptionis Sacramentum 18

It is the right of the Christian people themselves that their diocesan Bishop should take care to prevent the occurrence of abuses in ecclesiastical discipline, especially as regards the ministry of the word, the celebration of the sacraments and sacramentals, the worship of God and devotion to the Saints.

Redemptionis Sacramentum 24

Do we have the right to a decent liturgy?

It is the right of the community of Christ’s faithful that especially in the Sunday celebration there should customarily be true and suitable sacred music, and that there should always be an altar, vestments and sacred linens that are dignified, proper, and clean, in accordance with the norms.

Redemptionis Sacramentum 57

All of Christ’s faithful likewise have the right to a celebration of the Eucharist that has been so carefully prepared in all its parts that the word of God is properly and efficaciously proclaimed and explained in it; that the faculty for selecting the liturgical texts and rites is carried out with care according to the norms; and that their faith is duly safeguarded and nourished by the words that are sung in the celebration of the Liturgy.

Redemptionis Sacramentum 58

Any clergy reading?

Have you respected our rights?

Let each one of the sacred ministers ask himself, even with severity, whether he has respected the rights of the lay members of Christ’s faithful, who confidently entrust themselves and their children to him, relying on him to fulfil for the faithful those sacred functions that the Church intends to carry out in celebrating the sacred Liturgy at Christ’s command. For each one should always remember that he is a servant of the Sacred Liturgy.

Redemptionis Sacramentum 186

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Reader Comments

Gabriella said...

Thank you for setting out our rights so clearly - I'm going to print them out and stick it on the Church Notice Board ... In my Novus Ordo Parish it's the lay men (especially women) that have taken over everything and think they are the only ones who have rights!

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Reply to Gabriella

Hestor said...

Why do you complain about this, when you keeping going to parishes where liturgical abuse is rife in the new rite? At least go to the old rite and have peace of mind, when worshipping God.

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Reply to Hestor

+3

James said...

Don't think I haven't considered it...

But then there's Redemptionis Sacramentum 183...

"let everyone do all that is in their power to ensure that the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist will be protected from any and every irreverence or distortion and that all abuses be thoroughly corrected."

In other words, I can't just go to a nice Mass myself and pretend these things aren't happening.

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Reply to James

epsilon said...

Well said, James! Nevertheless, we must remember that we have to find ways to work together (remember the Pope said the other day "one voice") Catholic Oasis blog has it right as well - we need to pray for priests and bishops (especially the ones who are dragging their feet!)

Have you listened to the Fr Samuel Medley ustream talks for young people (as opposed to school-children)- check recent postings on my blog. Maybe
you as a youth leader could arrange for a 'virtual cafe audience' in Hull when the ustream sessions are on live on a Friday night / Saturday morning (7 more sessions to go) combined with a fundraining sleepover for Aid to the Church in Need and Eucharistic Adoration throughout the night.

The ustream sessions are based on Pope John Paul II's book "Love and Responsibility".

You could teach the young people the Latin Gregorian Chant for Benediction.

Before long you could have a schola for singing a few within Sunday Masses to start with, and so on...

The Pope does not expect "Rome to be re-built" overnight:)

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Reply to epsilon

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