On Holy Ground: Church and Mass Etiquette
by Victor R. Claveau, MJ
BOOK REVIEW:
by Mary Ann Kreitzer, President
Les Femmes - The Women of Truth
Human nature is such that activities we repeat tend to become routine. The one who does something the first time with attention and diligence, is apt to do it casually and carelessly after dozens of repetitions. If the activity is trivial, casual performance doesn’t much matter; but when it has cosmic significance like the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, indifference and carelessness toward the sacred mysteries are tragic. Such slovenly participation at Mass is, unfortunately, common. And so I began Victor Claveau’s book On Holy Ground: Church and Mass Etiquette, with eager anticipation hoping to find a tool to encourage more respectful attention at Mass. I wasn’t disappointed.
Claveau has written a little gem to call the Catholic heart to a renewed understanding and appreciation of the Mass, particularly the Sunday communal celebration. The book provides a wealth of historical information including the shift in days from the Jewish Saturday Sabbath to Sunday, the development of the liturgy from the first century, and the importance of keeping the Lord’s Day holy. He also focuses on the elements of the Mass and the etiquette of properly preparing and celebrating. He does it all in an engaging way interspersing quotations from Scripture, the apostles, the early fathers of the Church, and Church documents. Sound dry? It’s not. No one who reads this book can ever again take for granted the central mystery of our faith, the Holy Eucharist.
From the first page of the book I was fascinated by the description of the historical development of the Mass. Unlike Protestants, Catholics are not merely “people of the book.” We have a rich tradition that predates the Bible and it is clearly evident here. Claveau begins by explaining how different Jesus’ approach was to keeping the third commandment given to Moses, “Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.” He gives examples of the draconian rules and regulations for Sabbath observance imposed by the Scribes and Pharisees and describes Jesus’ radical departure emphasizing that “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Claveau writes:
Like everything else He touched, Jesus put this law into its true position and light. He rescued it from the hands of the Scribes and Pharisees and showed it as God would have us esteem it…. He exercised his Lordship, not only by reclaiming it from Jewish traditions under which it lay smothered and distorted, but by showing us in his life how we should regard the day—with what works of love and mercy we should occupy its sacred hours.
The first third of the book is a walk through the early Church, learning how the Mass developed following Pentecost. The last two thirds could be described as “everything you ever wanted to know about properly participating at Mass.” Claveau examines the terms we use such as transubstantiation explaining that, “In 1215, the Fourth Lateran Council consecrated the word ‘transubstantiation’ as expressing correctly the Christian doctrine of Christ’s real presence by conversion of the substance of bread into the substance of Christ’s body…. Transubstantiation means the substance part of the bread and wine elements changes; but the accidental parts—sight, taste, smell, touch—do not.”
Claveau describes the etiquette of proper celebration of the Mass from how to prepare, to appropriate attire, to why Catholics genuflect before the Blessed Sacrament, to the use of sacramentals like holy water, incense, the sign of peace, and the sign of the cross. He also explains the different elements of the liturgy: the profession of faith, the preparation of the gifts, the Eucharistic prayer, etc. If you’ve ever had a question about the Mass, you are likely to find the answer here clearly and succinctly explained.
Interspersed in the book are short and fascinating vignettes. For example, Claveau describes the persecution under Diocletian (4th century) of a group of 49 Christians who illegally participated at the Mass. The account taken from the Acts of the Martyrs of Abitene gives the testimony of the Christians including that of a young boy named Hilarian. When asked if he was at the Mass and why he attended the child replied, “Because I am a Christian, that is reason enough. No one made me go. I went freely with my father and brothers, and I took my part as a Christian.” He died along with all the adults none of whom recanted his faith even in the face of a grim death. In this age that is so bereft of true heroes, what a wonderful example of courage to present to young people!
Another intriguing story is one told by a priest, Fr. Llorente, S.J. He repeats an experience shared by a fellow priest. After closing and locking the church on Christmas Eve after the midnight Mass, the priest returned the next morning to find many people poorly dressed filling the pews praying in total silence. When he asked how they got in, a woman replied, “Strange things happen on the night of Christmas.” The priest checked the doors which were locked and when he returned, the church was empty. He asked Fr. Llorente for his opinion about what he had experienced. This is what the priest writes:
‘My explanation was and still is as follows: Those were dead people who were doing their purgatory, or part of it, in the church. It is safe to assume that we atone for our sins where we committed them. Those people were immersed in total silence. Why? Consider the irreverence committed before the Blessed Sacrament; how many people act out in church: chatting, giggling, and looking around. After Mass some people gather in small groups around the pews and turn the church into a market place with no regard for Christ’s Real Presence in the tabernacle. Why did they vanish? They did not, they simply became invisible; but they remained tied to their pews unable to utter one single word to atone for their disrespectful chatter while living.’
This story addresses one of my pet peeves, i.e., treating the church like a social hall before and after Mass. Claveau explains the reason for silence during parts of the liturgy, but what he says could equally apply to an attitude of reverent silence before and after Mass:
‘Let there be silence in your soul. Do your best not to be distracted, or allow yourself to daydream. We must forget about ourselves and think only of Jesus in the Mass. He will take care of us as He is active in us. We just have to let Him act; to let Him change us into the person He desires us to be. If we want to become one with Him, we must join our heart with His, so that they will beat in unison, one for the other, and One in the other. He will love us and we will love Him; He will look at us and we will look at Him. In Him we will find are heart’s desires; in Him we will find a life of intimate union if only we remember to be still and know that He is God.’
Silence before Mass offers a time of preparation to participate well in the Eucharist. Silence after Mass offers a time for thanksgiving.
There are several particularly useful elements of Claveau’s book. The table of contents is divided in such a way to make it easy to quickly search for a particular issue. Do you want to read about proper reception of the Eucharist, how to make a good thanksgiving, or the rules for fast and abstinence? Have you wondered about tithing or perpetual adoration? You can find answers easily by referring to the contents. A glossary in the back offers a list of common terms that is also helpful.
At 272 pages the book offers a useful guide and handbook that would be appropriate for RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults), candidates, middle and high school religious education, or for anyone interested in understanding the Mass better but looking for a simple and easy-to-read guide. On Holy Ground: Church and Mass Etiquette fills a real need in an age where Catholic ignorance about the Mass is epidemic. I plan to give it as a gift to my children, godchildren, and friends. Our greatest gift from God is His Real Presence in the Eucharist. We have a duty to prepare ourselves to hear Mass well. This treasure of a book offers a true guide to a closer walk with the Lord through properly celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
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