ROAMIN'
CATHOLIC
By Charles A. Coulombe
ARTICLES
LETTERS
NEWS
Contents © 1998
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.
Hand Bells and Conga Drums
Our Lady of the Assumption Church is a vaguely Romano-Spanish red brick building at Berkeley Avenue and Bonita Street in Claremont. However traditional its exterior, however, its interior is cutting edge. Holy table, ambo, and six-foot tall free-standing tabernacle (discretely tucked into the left corner of the worship-space) are all of twisted metal, somewhat like the patterns of petrified lava lamps. The effect is somewhat reminiscent of the alien world sequences of the film This Island Earth. The right side boasts an imitation-blue-marble topped baptismal pond with running water. Immediately to the pond's left is a rather forlorn-looking traditional statue of the Virgin. Moreover, there are two rows of pews behind the worship space--not merely for the musical ensemble, but also for any parishioners who care to sit there.In the center of the sanctuary was placed an enormous Paschal Candle; its stand was of a set with the other furnishings, and while it did have the five grains of incense, it lacked the traditional cross and year markings. Its location was a bit odd, but the bulletin for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, May 3, 1998, carried the pastor's, Father Tom Welbers', explanation: "Unlike many places that place it to the side, I insist that it be in the center, as the liturgy calls for."
That day I arrived for the 11 a.m. "contemporary ensemble" Mass. Arriving a half hour early, I saw the ensemble assemble in the rear pews behind the worship space: three guitarists, drum-set (complete with cymbals), bell section (consisting of two ladies in white-gloves with a truly dizzying array of hand-bells), and a fellow with two conga drums, identical to those made famous by the late Desi Arnaz, Sr. The church was packed with a multi-racial crowd of all ages, although light in twenty-somethings. They filled the choir loft and various side rooms.
The entrance procession included the pastor, Father Tom; a crucifetrix (whose cross bore no corpus); altar boy and girls; and lectoresses. The hymn was Marty Haugen's "Gather us in," which characterized the music of the Mass--a medley of Haugen, John Michael Talbot, Bob Hurd, and other favorites of that type.
Once all were in place, Father Tom recited a Kyrie with tropes--commentary-like prayers. The children were called out elsewhere for a "Liturgy of the Word" of their own; they answered the invitation, coming up from wherever they were scattered around the room. Then followed the readings: both lectoresses were in skirted power-suits. Father Tom read the Gospel, and in his sermon invited us to reflect on the news story of the AIDS infected man who committed suicide on T.V as a protest against HMOs. Then he warned us that we could belong to only two sides--that of God, or that of Satan. Then, a man in parti-colored clothes came in to talk about the upcoming parish fiesta, in the course of which talk he put on a large and colorful top hat, before walking out.
Together, we recited the Creed. The offertory was fairly ordinary, with the ensemble singing pieces by the artists earlier mentioned. The "Holy, Holy, Holy" was sung by all. With ordinary congregants behind him, Father Tom employed the Third Eucharistic Prayer, and while he did not genuflect to the Host, he did so to the Precious Blood. The vessels were of glass. The Our Father was recited, with everyone holding hands, up to and around the Holy Table. Then all sang the usual setting of the Agnus Dei. Afterwards, one sole lady in front of me knelt until it was time to go up to receive.
Reception of Communion was a peculiar process, with those in the choir loft and side galleries going first, followed by those in the back of the main chamber, and so working up to the front where I was. Eucharistic ministeresses manned both lines, but Father Tom stood off with his own ciborium to the right, where some hardy souls made their way to him.
Communion finished, Father Tom recited the closing prayers, and the sanctuary party gathered. To the tune of some other ditty, they marched off. After the ensemble finished, the crowd applauded. While most stayed to chat in loud tones inside the church, others left. I joined these, day-dreaming of coffee and a glazed doughnut.