 But I notice some Catholics online complaining a great deal about small points of liturgical form, while the vast majority of Catholics commit mortal sins of various kinds frequently, and the vast majority also never go to confession. The Church is plagued by some very serious problems right now.  I guess the question is whether or not there is a relationship between the two. Not "small points of liturgical form," but do liturgical changes and practices - female altar servers, banal hymns, folksy talk, applauding during the mass, communion in the hand, etc. - have an effect on Catholics? Over time, do we take Mass less seriously because it seems, outwardly, less serious? Does that affect our beliefs and our practices? If a priest is going to wear a Mickey Mouse hat during a sermon (I witnessed that), how serious should we take this? Do we then take the "rules" less seriously elsewhere - abortion, contraception, etc?  I think there should be a balance and, as our society is growing less formal since the 0000's, our Church should not race to meet that informality.  Ron, to what extent is Sacrosanctum Concilium's directive that Gregorian chant have pride of place binding? The document's purpose was to allow for a change of the Mass, which was accomplished with a 0000 Missal that was then superceded by the current Novus Ordo. Must Gregorian chant have the pride of place, or was that just a suggestion from the Second Vatican Council?  __________________ St. Thomas More --"The King's Good Servant, but God's First"  I guess the question is whether or not there is a relationship between the two. Not "small points of liturgical form," but do liturgical changes and practices - female altar servers, banal hymns, folksy talk, applauding during the mass, communion in the hand, etc. - have an effect on Catholics? Over time, do we take Mass less seriously because it seems, outwardly, less serious? Does that affect our beliefs and our practices? If a priest is going to wear a Mickey Mouse hat during a sermon (I witnessed that), how serious should we take this? Do we then take the "rules" less seriously elsewhere - abortion, contraception, etc?  I think there should be a balance and, as our society is growing less formal since the 0000's, our Church should not race to meet that informality.  