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各位教友： 這個星期，我深思著種種現代科技對教會禮儀的影響，過去，我們只能通過想像，推斷早期教會舉行彌撒的情景：一切都是那樣的原始真樸，仰賴教堂古建築的迴音，不設擴聲器；蠟燭本為司鐸唸聖經時照明所設，後來教會才規定在特定的慶典，燃點一定數目的蠟燭，以及當主教主持彌撒時，稍與平日不同，以示隆重其事。時至今日，大多數人對這些都不能一一詮釋了。 在我成長的歲月裡，從未想到電腦、大銀幕、投射機等，竟會成了今日教會的必須用品，也難以想像司鐸會用錄像、 power point 作講道；在彌撒中，教友該留心傾聽讀經、福音，而不是埋首翻閱讀經紙。如今，不少教友對冷暖氣、風扇、泊車等附帶「優惠」條件趨之若鶩，竟成了選擇去哪間教堂參與彌撒的重要考慮因素。看來外在環境及高科技為我們的信仰帶來不少衝擊，甚至影響了禮儀的變更。 然而，我深切感到有些現代科技，是應該拼諸於教堂門外的，那就是彌撒中手電的喧囂，我通常被迫戛然中止數秒；最令我詫異的是這樣的「叮嚀」： “ 彌撒即將開始，請把手電關掉或設震機，歡迎各位參與聖莫尼加教堂的彌撒.... ” 教堂是祈禱的地方，屬於天主的國度，在教堂裡天主才是最重要，請向你的朋友說一聲：抱歉，我在參與彌撒，不能接聽你的來電。 主佑， 莫靖龍神父 (此乃莫神父致教友書信之意譯，書信內容以英文為準) |
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Dear Parishioners: This week I have been thinking about the impact that technology has had in the life of the church and especially how this has found its way into the Liturgy. Looking back in time, we can just imagine how masses used to be celebrated during the first centuries in the history of the Church and how those were at the high of the middle ages. Big cathedrals and churches relied only in good acoustics; no microphones were used to fill the churches with the serene melodies of the Gregorian chants. Candles were introduced to the liturgy more as a way to light the place where the priest was reading from the liturgical books than any other reason. However the liturgical norms still require that candles will be placed near the altar, with this we can understand why, in the past, when a bishop came to a certain place to say mass, more light was needed to reflect the importance of the liturgy and even now, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, advices that seven candles should be light when a bishop is presiding over the ceremony. Today, with our churches well lit and spot lights to mark certain important places and moments we can hardly notice the impact that candles had in the liturgy in the past. When I was growing up, I never thought that computers, screens and projectors would be part of the basic requirements of a church. I never thought of my parish priest to use a video or a power point presentation to make his point during the homily. Instead of reading from a printed bulletin, we were supposed to listen carefully to what the reader was reading and that is why silence was so important as well. Today fans, heaters, and air-con are also part of the “adds-on” that people like to see in churches. In some cases, those little details influence our choices to find a place to worship. It is not uncommon to hear people saying: “we go to that place because they have good parking”; “we go there on summer because the church has air-con” and so on. As you can see, our environment and the advances in technology really have an impact in the way we worship. Some of these changes really make our liturgies different. However, I really believe some of that technology can be best left outside the church and especially outside the celebration of the Mass. And I am talking about the very annoying cell phone. As you have noticed before, I usually stop for a few seconds when I hear the phone ringing in church. Sometimes I think how ridicule would that sound to our great great parents if the mass started with “please remember to turn off your cell phones or put in silence mode and welcome to this mass at St Monica’s” So in brief: as a matter of respect to the celebration of Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and to those near you, I will ask you to please remember that the Church is a place of worship, nothing is more important than to be in the very presence of God himself. What a good way to let your friends and relatives know that God is far more important when you say to them “sorry I couldn’t take your call, I was in Mass at that moment”. Peace in Jesus Fernando Montano MG |