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Contents © 2003
by Jim Holman.
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RESURRECTION CATHOLIC COMMUNITY, APTOS

Mass With a New Age Feel

On the third Sunday of Lent, I attended Mass at Resurrection Catholic Community in Aptos. Approaching the building, I crossed a labyrinth covering a large surface -- not unlike the labyrinth found within Chartres Cathedral. A handout inside the church boasted of the non-specific spirituality of the labyrinth -- it "helps us to seek God regardless of the tradition in which we stand...." It helps us to "waste time" with God in prayer. Upon entering the church's spacious foyer, I encountered a large, jagged stone, which is flat on top (a resurrection stone?). Passing through the glass doorways into the nave, I noticed a standing baptismal font which strongly resembled a large tooth (a molar to be precise).

Adjacent to the font was an immersion pool covered with a wooden grid. Beside this structure lay a disorderly group of collection baskets and wooden logs, next to which stood a case holding chrism, oil of catechumens, and the oil of the sick. Around the perimeter of the interior, the stations of the cross were depicted in floor tiles. No kneelers complemented the curved or "radius" pews. A plain wooden tabernacle, which partly revealed its contents (as through slightly opened venetian blinds) was located in an adjacent reservation chapel. The ambo on the left side of the sanctuary faced the priest-presider's chair on the right side of the sanctuary. Between these was the altar table.

Before Mass began, a man I took to be the choir director explained that the choice of recessional song, "Somebody's knocking at your door" (a negro spiritual), was inspired by today's Gospel where "Jesus knocks some people around" (which, by the tone of his voice, the director seemed to think was pretty cool). After practicing the song, a woman who led the congregation in singing asked if we were having fun. No one responded.

The ensemble's instruments included an acoustic guitar, an electric bass, bongo drums, tambourines, a recorder, an electric keyboard, a piano, and cosmic chimes, which gave the Mass a New Age feel. The ensemble was situated just off the sanctuary platform.

Before Mass began, a woman instructed us that when the celebrant bows or genuflects at the consecration, "our bishop [Monterey's Sylvester Ryan] asks us to bow to acknowledge Christ among us in the Eucharist." Then, the cheerful, prominent sound of the recorder, along with the tribal rhythm of the bongo drums, set the stage for our gathering song, "In Christ There Is a Table Set for All." Leading the procession were two altar servers, a young boy, and a middle-aged woman. The boy carried an equilateral processional cross, circumscribed within two concentric circles, without a corpus. Following the boy and the woman were the eucharistic ministers, the raised lectionary, then the purple-vested pastor, Father Peter Crivello (described by Resurrection's website as being a "living example of Stewardship."

The priest welcomed us all and asked visitors to raise their hands and share their names and where they came from. Some came from as far away as Long Island and Maine. A somber sounding recorder and piano introduction began the Kyrie from Marty Haugen's "Mass of Remembrance." Each Kyrie-Christe-Kyrie set was treated as a refrain, between which Father Crivello recited prayers over soft background music. Crivello, then, called forward and blessed the pre-school children.

There were no missalettes, and I later found out the readings were not the standard ones. After a long silence, Psalm 95 ("If today you hear God's voice") was sung like a soft pastorale. The epistle reading from Romans reminded us that we are saved by faith, and the alleluia verse was replaced by a song of praise to the "King of Endless Glory." The Gospel reading, Jesus and the Samaritan woman, was read both by Father (playing the part of Jesus) and a lector playing the part of the Samaritan woman. They read over soft uplifting background music. At key points, the choir would break in with an ominous sounding, "King -- of saving water -- King -- of Saving Water --".

Father began his homily by telling us that people who marry and divorce a lot are always seeking to find fulfillment in their spouse. Many of us perhaps think we will feel fulfilled if we own a material possession such as a nice car or house, but we live an illusion if we think we can be fulfilled without Christ. When the Samaritan woman accepted Jesus as the Messiah, she didn't let her past weigh her down. She had her faults, as we have ours, but God loves us in our faults, though God desires that we return to him. We must acknowledge our creator and redeemer.

The priest called for a moment of silence to repent of our sins. Then he called forward the catechumens. A deep, clear, and strong voice from the choir boomed tropes for yet another (a capella) Kyrie. After each trope there were two call-and-response kyries (four kyries per set). Each trope was of the form, "from thirst of addiction deliver us," "from thirst of drunkeness...," materialism, stealing, selfishness, etc. Father laid his hands on each of the candidates, said a prayer, then dismissed them. We then recited the Nicene Creed.

The offertory song was the inclusive "I am for you." One of the ushers passing around the baskets for the offertory wore shorts and sandals.

At the consecration, Father bowed after consecrating the bread and the wine, as did a small handful of people. During the recited Our Father, the congregation extended across aisles to hold hands.

Father improvised a little for the Ecce Agnus Dei by saying, "this is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, the one who quenches the thirst of our hearts, happy are those who are called to the supper of the Lord." Everyone was then encouraged to either receive communion or a blessing from the Eucharistic minister.

After communion Father stood in front of his chair while the Eucharistic ministers finished cleaning up.

Announcements included mention of exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the labyrinth to pray for peace in the world. Father Crivello also announced a seder meal led by a rabbi. Father then drew our attention to and explained the new stained glass windows. He said that the one window, which looked like a collection of mostly bluish rainbows, depicted water -- a common symbol in Scripture. The other window, explained Father, depicted fire which represents, among other things the Holy Spirit.

Father and the altar servers recessed to the song, "Somebody's Knocking at Your door," complete with bongo drums and a happy recorder melody.

After Mass I "wasted" some time in the labyrinth.

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