The Mass, Dutch Style

Posted on February 24, 2008
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Secularization of the Dutch Dominicans is complete.   Very little, if any, belief remains in an order that calls anyone to consecrate the Eucharist in the absence of an ordained priest.  Seems that those Dominicans have been distributing a little pamphlet which instructs the "faithful" in the proper and ordinary celebration of the Eucharist:

dominic The proposal of the Dominican fathers is that, in the absence of a priest, a person chosen from the community should preside over the celebration of the Mass: "Whether they be men or women, homo or heterosexual, married or unmarried is irrelevant." The person selected and the community are exhorted to pronounce together the words of the institution of the Eucharist: "Pronouncing these words is not thought to be the sole prerogative of the priest. The words constitute a conscious declaration of faith by the whole community."

The booklet opens with the explicit approval of the superiors of the Dutch province of the Order of Preachers, and its first pages are dedicated to a description of what happens on Sundays in the churches of Holland.

Not to worry.  Those Dominicans find their beliefs entirely in accord with Vatican II.  Of course.

Within these practices, the Dutch Dominicans distinguish three widespread expectations:

– that men and women be selected "from below" to preside over the Eucharistic celebration;
– that, ideally, "this choice would be followed by a confirmation or blessing or ordination by Church authority";
– that the words of consecration "could be pronounced both by those who preside in the Eucharist and by the community from which they take their origin."

In the view of the Dutch Dominicans, these three expectations are well grounded in Vatican Council II.

And of course this kind of apostasy is not complete without an explicit statement excusing them from the authority of the bishops.

The booklet from the Dutch Dominicans ends by exhorting the parishes to choose "from below" the persons who are to preside over the Eucharist. If, for disciplinary reasons, the bishop does not confirm such persons – because they are married, or because they are women – the parishes should continue along their way regardless: "They should know that in any case they are able to celebrate a real and genuine Eucharist whenever they come together in prayer and share the bread and wine."

For goodness sakes.  Just leave the Church formally; you have already spiritually.  St. Dominic, pray for them.

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