ROAMIN'
CATHOLIC
By Charles A. Coulombe
ARTICLES
LETTERS
NEWS
Contents © 1998
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.
Reverent and Sacred
As reported in the July 1998 Mission ("The Outing of the Archdiocese") St. Victor's Church in West Hollywood lays great stress on its outreach to homosexuals. Given this fact, one might suspect a less traditional form of worship; however, attending the Saturday Vigil Mass there on August 23, the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, I found I need not have worried.Despite its unprepossessing exterior, the church (located at 8634 Holloway Drive, near Sunset and La Cienega) is exquisite inside. A beautiful baroque baldachino, flanked by two polychromed statues of Saints Peter and Paul, dominates the sanctuary. The altar rail is intact, and there is a lovely Madonna. The candles are mounted in huge holders, and the whole effect--despite the obvious mixed origin of the various pieces-- is pleasing.
Before Mass began, the congregation were handed bulletins, and cards with the Gregorian Chant Ordinary on them. The sanctuary party, consisting of the pastor, Monsignor George J. Parnassus (using a cane due to a recent tumor removal from his hip), and three cassocked-and-surpliced adult male acolytes, processed in to the strains of "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation." The Kyrie was expertly sung in the simple Requiem mode by the small but practiced choir, assisted by the congregants who sang from their cards. The Gloria, on the other hand, was taken from the Missa de Angelis.
The readings were delivered by the acolytes in turn, after which Monsignor Parnassus read the Gospel, (St. Luke 13:22-30). Among the announcements was the upcoming AIDS Mass on September 13, "for persons who have AIDS, those who are HIV positive, their families and friends and caregivers." Monsignor then analysed the Gospel of the day, a difficult one for present-day homilists, because of its mention of the narrow gate, with the implication that few are saved. Monsignor declared that Christ is the narrow gate. He said that one could only go to Heaven through imitating Christ, even if one was an ignorant native who did not know about Him. Considering the question which opens this Gospel, "Lord are they few in number who are saved?" Monsignor replied that most people are in fact saved. Moving on to the obvious question which must face each of us, "will I be among them?" Monsignor confidently answered that he expected to see us all in heaven.
The congregation in unison recited the creed, and the offertory hymn was an old Latin chant. Monsignor used the Third Eucharistic Prayer. The Our Father was sung by the congregation in the usual para-Latin tune. At the handshake of peace, a welcome restraint prevailed. Once again, the simple Requiem setting sufficed for the Agnus Dei.
Due to his illness, Monsignor was unable to give out communion himself; another priest emerged in cassock, surplice, and stole to service one side, while a vested acolyte attended to the other. All knelt at the altar rail, although a few of these received in the hand.
The Mass ended, and the sanctuary party withdrew. It was an experience reminiscent of the early 70s, when the new rite of the Mass was still new, and the more orthodox parishes attempted to make it as reverent and as sacred as possible. This was an effort which obviously appealed to the packed, mostly Anglo congregation.