This morning I went to SAG in Palo Alto to attend the divine liturgy for the community of St. Basil. It was the Sunday of Orthodoxy, but no anathemas here. (I think that's when the anathemas are traditionally said?) There was a procession of icons after the liturgy, though -- the liturgy itself took 1 hr and 45 minutes. The procession and dismissal took another 30 minutes. I would have gotten out of STA about the same time if I had gone there today.
The nubility number for the community is probably 0. There are some young families and the rest are all... old people. I don't know why the community is celebrating their Sunday liturgy in Palo Alto.
It is Ruthenian rite, to which I have been exposed before, but nonetheless it still felt foreign at the beginning. By the end, I was used to it (more on this in a second), but I am still unsure of whether I'd switch over to this or another rite. I still feel more comfortable in a Latin rite.
But I was reminded of why I enjoy attending the Byzantine rite -- there is so much singing. Responses in the OF (or the EF) are rather limited in comparison. Would it be possible to change this in the Roman rite?
Because I am a liturgical tourist, I am uncomfortable with entering the life of the community, which makes me ask whether being a regular liturgical tourist is good or not. Should one not be in a deeper fellowship with the other worshippers? No one is saved alone, and being a liturgical tourist may be accompanied by the danger of becoming an individualist in the practice of religion.
I will probably be back at STA next week -- I think Fr. Augustine will be celebrating Mass then.
(A liturgical tourist -- a term used by Fr. S at Christendom in reference to AP's activities.)
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