From a reader:
Lately, with your help, I have had much higher expectations and a greater appreciation for the liturgy at my parish. I expect to see the altar servers with black shoes, and the music and Mass settings appropriate and approved, which is almost always the case. However, I still hear (pretty frequently) “Come as you Are” and “Companions on a Journey”, see way too many extraordinary ministers on the altar and witness some pretty irreverent behaviour from those ministering. I’ve found that I’ve been becoming increasingly annoyed with people who act irreverently or play that terrible music. Is this a righteous annoyance or am I being too fussy? Is it even possible to be too fussy with something as precious as the Mass? Or should I just put up with it and be grateful that we don’t have liturgical dance in my parish?
I think you are right to be annoyed with bad liturgical practice. Also, I think you should put up with it even as you patiently, prudently, charitably, work for improvements.
I don’t think you are being too fussy. We should have exceptional liturgical worship.
Also, it may be that you were always annoyed. It is just that now, you know why you were annoyed.
