"An excessive need for admiration and praise and with this comes an equally excessive need to avoid criticism. Often this is associated with obvious attention seeking behavior. These narcissistic traits are frequently found in those who introduce and participate in liturgical innovations....
It is important for priests to keep in mind that most Catholics go to Mass to encounter Jesus Christ, and not to come into contact with the particular psychology of the celebrant. Furthermore, they go for something that is not present in the popular culture — a sense of the sacred (and a recognition of the need for humility). "
That quote was taken from an excellent article, titled "Messing with the Mass: the problem of priestly narcissism today" written by Prof. Paul Vitz and his oldest son Paul Vitz, a former Navy officer and a seminarian of the Institute of The Incarnate Word. Prof. Vitz holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Stanford University (1962) and for many years was a professor of psychology at New York University. He teaches at the Institute for Psychological Sciences (IPS) that offers a Doctor of Psychology degree in clinical psychology within an orthodox Catholic perspective. The elder Vitz life work focused on the integration of Christian theology and psychology, breaking from the secular humanism and post-modern relativism that most Catholic seminaries and houses of formation use today. Among his books are: Psychology as Religion: The Cult of Self-Worship; Sigmund Freud's Christian Unconscious; Modern Art and Modern Science: The Parallel Analysis of Vision; and Faith of the Fatherless: The Psychology of Atheism.
So father and son know what they are writing about.
When you find something out of the ordinary happening at Mass like:
1. dancing
2. clapping
3. homily turned into a stand up comedian show
4. changing the words in the Missal
5. "creativities"
Blame it on NARCISSISM!
Do not feed the egos of these kinds of priests.
You are not helping them. You are furthering their psychological sickness.
Read more from this wonderful article about the root cause of liturgical abuse.
And narcissism includes lay people who are involved in liturgical abusing!
Well, just a reminder about narcissism.
Yes, these men need prayer and counselling. LOTS OF THEM.
Hindi kaya kailangan din natin ng taimtim na prayers and counseling? Anong sabi ng Vatican tungkol sa mga napuna natin? O mas simple, anong sabi ng Obispo niya? Sakit ba sa dibdib? Worse na tanon...ma-impiyerno ba sila sa ginagawa nila? Tsk
ReplyDeleteThe Son's name is Fr Daniel Vitz who is diagnosed with brain tumor. Pray for him.
ReplyDelete