Phenomenology and the Eucharistic Mass Essay Example for Free

Phenomenology and the Eucharistic Mass EssayIn the test of communications, reaching a popular consensus on how to apply a shared and common understanding of communications seems to be a near impossible task. After being introduced to the seven traditions of communications by Craig in his essay discourse Theory as a Field, I choose to explore the tradition he categorizes as Phenomenology. My initial understanding on the study of communications were quite limited to the transmission view, dominated by a sender and receiver framework.Interestingly, the transmission amaze in its origin was culturally root in religion, and used as a tool for the dissemination of Euro centric religious values and practices globally. With procession in technology, especially in the 1920s, the North American perspective on communication shifted the transmission model from religion to science to reflect a multidisciplinary approach in to the study of communications. As a practiti one and only(a)r o f what was once the transmission view, the Catholic Church had experienced tremendous religious propagation of its message finished forcible transmission all over the orbit.Based on Craigs essay, the Catholic Church of straightaway then embodies traits of a ritual view of communication, and is aligned with religious communication, and expression such as fellowship, participation, community, communion, and common doctrine. The phenomenological model of communication shares characteristics with the ritual view that I lead be exploring through the Roman Catholic Eucharistic liturgy. The phenomenological tradition described by Craig, conceptualizes communication as dialogue or the experience of severalty (p. 217).Communication in this tradition is non rooted in verbal transmission but sooner a shared experience on plains that extend beyond tradition verbal or textual communication. For the purpose of this paper phenomenological tradition can be seen as a form of communication explicit metaphysically as well. Gadamers theory from Truth and Method, focus on tradition and language as a primary form of communication. His ideology is that we are only able to make sense of ourselves and the world around us because our consciousness has been shaped by history and traditions in ways we are largely unaware of wareness expands our understanding of the tradition.His description of an I-Thou family relationship as the question-answer logic that underlies hermeneutic experience creates communication by identifying, hermeneutics, that lead to a dialectical process of interpretation and growth of understanding. As a phenomenological practitioner, this theory has genuinely intrinsic value. Communication in this practice provides a very plasteredingful and existential experience that I am to able to engage in with my Creator, in the absence of any other person. As a Roman Catholic, I agree had many questions about the way we participate in mass.My parents grew up on the island of Trinidad, in a devout Catholic community. The Spanish, that had at one time colonized Trinidad, were very affiliated to their mission of converting the indigenous concourse of the island. The spread Catholicism throughout the country was profuse, with community church buildinges everywhere, (even building one across the street from my mothers house), and adding a monastery and seminary college a mile further up the mountainside where my father lived. Catholicism was non just a religion in our community, it was a part of the culture, and busy many of the villagers as they worked for the seminary.My grandparents were in fact Hindu, and converted to Catholicism because of the strong influence and presence it had at heart the community. As a Roman Catholic child, I had been told to repeat, chant, and act with humility, adoration and reverence during mass. I did not understand what we were doing or what the intention was. I became harder and harder to find meaning in going to church. In my posthumous teens I stopped attending mass because there was no intrinsic get togetherion for me in my faith practice. I remained a spiritual and deeply rooted faith based person, but I could not go up to terms with many of the teachings of my church.I stayed out of church for many years. At some point, I became curious about what it meant. I was not looking for a theological understanding per se, but instead, what did it mean? The chanting, the corporate response in unison, the prayers itself. What was I blindly repeating every Sunday? I chose to study the teachings of the Catholic Church in university at Newman Theological College to gain a scholarly perspective. Many things became clear, although I did acquiesce on some ideological points, (my own hermeneutical experience).Inspired by my academic insights, I returned to church as a knowledgeable participant of the mass, understanding that as part of the community, I would belong to the collective voice of the fellowship of Christ. The Catholic mass is deeply enriched with both Phenomenological Theory as well as Semiotic Tradition. In some regard you must look at the semiotics in ordination to fully understand what is being communicated during certain points in the eucharistic liturgy. For the purpose of this paper I will focus on the phenomenological aspects.The Eucharistic liturgy is a two century old tradition, considered the real presence of Christ at the last supper carried out each Sunday, and is considered an integral part of Catholic worship. As Catholics we call up delivery boy began a significant new fellowship meal that we observe to this day. It causes us to collectively and in and of itself share in the experience of his sacrifice through his death and resurrection. The description of the liturgy Im presenting here reflects a very basic summation of the ritual. At the start of the liturgy we are asked to raise ourselves up, and surrender to God.As we participate i n the Eucharistic Prayer we are in the act of bragging(a) thanks. The congregation is humbled as Christ is transubstantiated from man into the elements of bread and wine. We collectively mourn as Jesus is headed to the Father in sacrifice for the sins of man. We participate in the Lords Prayer, and a prayer for peace. The Holy Spirit is invited to come down upon us and unite the community of worshipers into one body as we prepare to accept the communion, and offer each other a sign of peace. As a community we should be considered one body, adjust to receive Christ as a single body in the form of the host.Prior to evaluate the communion we collectively humble ourselves stating our unworthiness and asking for compassion and forgiveness for our transgressions. As particles of the congregation tour to the the altar, it represents a pilgrimage in this life from a journey of birth to death, and to the heavenly Father. Once each individual receives the host, we communally belong to t he larger body of Christ. An aspect of the phenomenological theory of communication as seen by Buber can be practically applied in this simulation. The I-Thou relationship is present when looking at the relationship each individual member of the ongregation has with their Creator, or even Catholicism itself. The act of worshiping communally creates an experience and sensory faculty of each other that reflects dialogue in Gadamers model of phenomenology.Prayer itself is a great example of the I-Thou relationship the Buber describes. Although it contradicts Gadamers parallel concept of conversation emphasizing the object or subject matter of conversation that brings people together in dialogue (p. 219). Buber also notes that, dialogue can be entirely wordless, yet deeply meaningful (p. 19), and talks about how sacred silence itself can be on page 227, which is pellucid throughout the moments of the liturgy in which individuals respond on an emotional level through reverence, humili ty, sorrow, or repentance. Burbers theory of a person living life with an open mind, open to experience and in inwardness living the life of dialogue is what resonates most for me. My critical exploration into understanding the Catholic mass has back up my dialogue in prayer with my creator, as well as my participation as a member of the Catholic church.It would be assumed that since developing a clearer understanding of the mass, that I would be regularly attending. That is not the case. What I grew to understand is that I cannot effectively belong to the congregation if I am not intrinsically communicating through action, intention and prayer when I attend. For that reason, I go to church when I have a deeper calling to do so. My I-Thou relationship within my faith is not compromised as I connect to my creator in conversation and prayer every day, however, my I-Thou relationship with the other church goers would be compromised and absentminded authenticity if I attend mass out of obligation.