I am not disagreeing with you at all, as I also dislike circuses in church.
If I may tell you of two experiences some seven years apart.
My first pilgrimage from Sarria (June/July 2010) saw me in the bookstore about the time the Eucharist was ending. And from there, even with my dodgy hearing, I could hear a solo voice. On enquiry I was told it was the Ode to Saint James and I purchased a copy. I stayed there for three nights and went to Eucharist sufficient times to encounter the signing nuns. They taught us the responses before Mass and on one more occasion sang the Ode as the outsized censer was sung. How much further could one be from a circus.
Fast Forward to late 2017: I have completed the odyssey from Le Puy I had started more than 18 months before and was, like you, disappointed the liturgical aspects were not then present. So I went to Fisterra and saw dragons breath well above the western horizon beyond lands end at sunset (I thought they were dragons but I suspect the more prosaic amongst those present may have thought terribly noisy planes).
I returned to Compostela on 31 October and the next day was inside the Cathedral well before 11 am: I wanted the best seat in the house - front row against the barrier on the right. As soon as that 10 h mass finished I was in position. And pomp and circumstance there was for All Saints Day starting with a procession of Saint James (four bearers), others, the Archbishop and a very complete lay choir in the north transept. And, of course, the censing of all those present as the choir sang the Ode. All things being "done decently and in good order" on that occasion, in my view.
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PS: I arrived in London in mid June 2010 and the next day was off to a battlefield that our two countries fought for, Passendale, with your countrymen succeeding where mine fought with only great loss to show. After nearly a fortnight of that and other similar places, accidentally starting a brief pilgrimage was a grand antidote.
PPS: In one of my Wellington (Anglican) parish churches we celebrated Easter, Pentecost, S Michael (patron saint) and Christmas by including incense in the customary way. Whenever I was thurifer, I went into the gathered community about 10 minutes before starting and selected a youngster to be boat-bearer: never had a refusal. We also had the two adult readers act as torch bearers for the Gospel procession: this simple activity helping to emphasise the relative importance of the Gospel. Again, in my view, all being done decently and in good order.
@Albertagirl, I hope this helps with a context.
Kia kaha (take care, be strong) and get going when you can.