Most Reverend Earl Fernandes (bishop of Columbus, Ohio) is one of the youngest bishops in the world. He recently gave an interview to the National Catholic Register. An excerpt:
As I moved through life—from college to medical school—I began to make more sense of the Mass. For me, Gregorian chant at the Mass was much more consonant with what the Mass truly is: the beautiful, unbloody sacrifice of Our Lord. I was young, but I remember thinking I wanted the old-time religion, just like my father did. […] I watched an interview with a British woman who had gone to an Orthodox liturgy. “I didn’t understand the language,” she said, “but I didn’t know whether I was in heaven or on earth. It was so beautiful.” And I wonder how many Catholics could say they’ve had that kind of experience at Mass? Reverence is not confined to one form of the liturgy.
As a pastor, I built on one important foundation: No one wants irreverence. The faithful might not always recognize what’s reverent and what’s not, but no one wants irreverence. The point of the “active participation” in the Mass is prayer. It is worship. And whatever fosters an interior life of prayer is what builds up the Church. Let me confess to you, my brothers and sisters: some of this was selfish. I wanted to be able to actually pray at Mass—not be irritated during it. What many people don’t realize is that for a priest, offering the Mass is the highlight of the day—really, the highlight of our life. But to do it well, a priest must be able to pray — and that requires silence in the liturgy.
Please consider reading entire interview.
