the conscious active tense

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Oct 13, 2006

"This would make it much more difficult for people to engage in full conscious and active participation, which was the goal of the Council," says Rev. James Martin, an editor at the Jesuit magazine America.

He's talking to Time magazine, in a story about the rumored papal indult allowing broader use of the Tridentine rite. But it's not entirely clear what worried Fr. Martin.

Even if we grant his major premise, for the sake of the argument, it's still not easy to see how my attendance at a Latin Mass would prevent your "conscious and active participation" at the LifeTeen liturgy.

Wait. I think I'm getting the picture. The notion that someone, just two or three towns over, was kneeling quietly and listening to prayers in Latin-- that realization would be so grievously troubling to you that you'd be distracted, and unable to dance to the beat of the Offertory macarena?

Or could it be an even more frightening nightmare? Might you be imagining that next Sunday, some of those nervous-looking middle-aged couples might not be at the LifeTeen Mass? That they might actually choose the bad old Latin Mass?

Because that cannot be allowed. Everyone must participate consciously and actively. Do you hear me? Smile, everyone; we're having fun! OK, now, all together, everybody sing!

I can't hear you!