(I will continue with the Vat 2 comments when I have read up a little more...I am rather tired of late)
A Diocesan Newsletter contains details of a most wonderful Mass held recently for the Mission Sunday Mass in one of their Churches.
Members of our congregation come from 27 different countries around the world and we celebrated this with a truly International Mass. The prayers and readings were carried out by parishioners in their own languages including English (wonderful !), Creole, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Malay, Mende, Polish, Slovakian , Spanish, Swedish, Igbo and Malawi. (Why not a little Pigin and some Double Dutch ?)
The Kyrie was sung in Greek (correct), the Hail Mary in French, the Psalm in a Malayan language and the offertory Hymn in Igbo and English with AFRICAN DRUMS backing the music........for many of the parishioners the service was a very emotional occasion....as well as agreeing we must do it again next year, the general feeling amongst the congregation is that we should take ELEMENTS FROM THE MASS AND USE THEM MORE OFTEN IN OUR REGULAR SERVICE
The notice is accompanied by a picture showing about 10 people queing up to read their bits round a wooden table with one candle in a flower stand on the altar and the Gospel Book in the centre. Surely this was a good time for the Mission Sunday service to be celebrated in Latin.?
That Mass must have lasted ages !!
GENERAL POINTS. Thanks for all those comments on the Eco busness. I would like to draw your attention to the return of Paulinus to blogging. If you go on to
Fr Finigans Blog you will find a link in his latest post to Paulinus and his entry for the "Reception Service" for the admission of Mr Blair to the Catholic Church is a real hoot....Strongly recommended.
I had another wonderful meal at Kambi's Restaurant in Western Road Brighton today with another friend of mine. Now I am exhausted with over eating !! Not right for Advent...(E mail from the Pearly Gates, .."One week extra in Purgatory")
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I quite agree about the multilingual nonsense. When at university I once assisted at a Whitsun mass where the reading from Acts was read simultaneously in several languages, which hardly seemed appropriate - quite the opposite in fact. Also, it seems to me that the only culture that cannot be "inculturated" in many places is the western European Latin one - even in western Europe and in the Latin church. Perhaps things are changing, albeit slowly. I pray that they are and thank God for Pope Benedict.
From time to time I have the pleasure of visiting Uppsala. It's a cosmopolitan university town and at the only catholic church in the town centre mass has been advertised in Swedish, English, Polish, Spanish, some other languages I can't remember ... but not Latin. Perhaps Summorum Pontificum will lead to improvements there.
That's very kind of you to plug my meagre blog offerings.
If we are to have a polyglot culture, where it is said with pride that a primary school has xx languages spoken by the pupils, surely all the more reason to use Latin.
Yes, I do find this sad. It is obvious that it was known beforehand that there would be many nationalities present hence readings in the different languages. It would have been a wonderful opportunity to explain to the congregation the universality of Latin and offer an introduction to either the NO in Latin (which I have never seen) or the Mass of Ages whilst providing leaflets of explanation. surely the members of the congregation whatever their origins understood basic English if they lived here?
There is something very powerful in the recital or singing of for example the Gloria or Credo in Latin whilst in the company of many different nationalities. There is a wonderful unity but when everyone does their bit in their own language it merely emphasises disunity.
I am wondering how long it will be until pilgrims in Lourdes are lead to recite the Rosary in Latin during the torchlight procession.
Yes, I can join in and pray in both English and French but find it impossible to carry on in either language once other languages are added. I find myself trying to guess the language - this summer their was even vietnames added! I long for the return of latin for such international gatherings at Lourdes and I believe the Holy Father has suggested this in his Motu Proprio.
P.S. I would have enjoyed listening to all these languages - especially Igbo! - but that would not have been a proper reason for attending Mass.
Post a Comment