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[Guest caddear]

[size=4]I am not Catholic, but I am a EWTN fan. I was sooo disappointed with Raymond Arroyo and Father Neuhaus. While watching the Pope's mass in the park in Washington C, I was shocked out of my admiring concentration when I heard Arroyo say many calls were being received about the multicultural mass. Next, Father Neuhause piped up: "who planned the program at the mass?" Personally, I liked the different cultures and languages. Well, Joan Lewis cleaned it up unknowingly when Arroyo asked her how she like the multicultural mass. She innocently replied that this was in line with His Holiness' philosophy. Since Arroyo and Neuhaus didn't notice that Benedict used more than one language himself and didn't listen to his speeches, they obviously don't understand the breadth of his understanding of world affairs. Those other cultures are the church's future and Benedict knows it.[/size]

[Scofizzle]

being that the Mass is only 1 of 2 masses he will be saying and His Holinesses trip is to America. Shouldn't the entire Mass have been said in English. Is America the only place where people make a big deal multiculturalism.

[Madame Vengier]

There was quite a lot more use of Spanish than was necessary. That was pandering and offensive to me as an American, and offensive to all the other minority Catholics in the U.S.

Every other lector, song, or prayer was in Spanish. The only time a language other than Spanish was used was when the 6 people read the intentions. There could have been more music in other foreign languages. Even when the choir performed a traditional Latin hymn, it was backed by Mexican folk instrumentation. Outrageous.

I had really had enough of it. Who told the Holy Father that America is a bi-lingual nation and that it was okay to essentially crowd out all the other ethic Catholics in favor of pandering to the Hispanics?

We preach equality, but it's not practiced on the small, noticeable levels.

[MC IMaGiNaZUN]

It may sound strange, but where I am from in California
go to an enlgish mass, its dead, and people are bored out of the minds. Go to a mass in spanish or vietnamese or a phillipino mass, people are involved, engaged, and in love with Jesus in the blessed sacrament.
I moved to the southside of chicago, and its the same thing.

sometimes i wonder if American Catholicism is going to die out.
but then again, my experience is so limited.

SHALOM
Bro Mark

[Brother Adam]

Apparently it is limited. The fundamental problem is the way in which you see the purpose of the Mass. The Mass does not exist to please YOU or excite YOU. It certainly is not there to entertain YOU. That is individualism. The Mass at the national stadium went against everything Pope Benedict has said about the liturgy and you could see it on his face. American Catholicism will never die out - GOD FORBID! Hopefully though we will see an end to this liberalism and a return to the tradition of the Holy Catholic Church so people will once again respect the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The commentators were right to point out that multi-culturalism causes division, not unity. A Mass said in Latin according the the norms and universal rubrics brings true unity.

[Paladin D]

I really didn't have a problem with the different languages (the music on the other hand...), but if they were going to do this whole multiculturalism ordeal, I then wish there was more representation of some of the European ethnicities, which greatly contributed to the history of the Catholic Church in the US (especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries). Such as the Irish, Polish, German, and Italian immigrants to name a few.

I'm predominately Polish, and we received practically no representation (compared to the hispanic, African, etc). The hispanic Catholic population is no doubt an influential one in this country today, but we cannot forget those that came before us.

Yet again, I'm not upset over it. Just found it interesting the way they chose to focus only on certain groups over others.

Edited April 18, 2008 by Paladin D

[Paladin D]

[quote name='MC IMaGiNaZUN' post='1502706' date='Apr 18 2008, 04:11 PM']It may sound strange, but where I am from in California
go to an enlgish mass, its dead, and people are bored out of the minds. Go to a mass in spanish or vietnamese or a phillipino mass, people are involved, engaged, and in love with Jesus in the blessed sacrament.
I moved to the southside of chicago, and its the same thing.

sometimes i wonder if American Catholicism is going to die out.
but then again, my experience is so limited.

SHALOM
Bro Mark[/quote]

My experience is more limited compared to yours (never been to a philipino or vietnamese Mass); however, our Spanish Mass seems to be more dead/bored compared to our English Mass.

Refering specifically to the English Mass, I've been to some parishes where the congregation seemed to be hostile! While others, extremely welcoming and involved. I guess it varies depending on the community.

Edited April 18, 2008 by Paladin D

[Galloglasses]

The multiculturalism was unneccesary.

Il Papa already represents the whole of the Catholic Church, the mass did not need to pander to the Ethnic/Religious thing because quite frankly, cultural backgrounds was unimportant. Like Paladin D said, if they were planning to include everyone at an already universal mass, they Shouldn't have forgotten about the other ethnic Catholics who've contributed massively to the Catholic Culture in the US. Oh wait, sorry, I suppose we should reamin 'Contemporary' to give the impression that the Pope is 'in touch' with the People of America. They should have said it in the common Vernacular of the country: IE; English, or in Latin given it was a common language used by the Church its various [b]locations throughout the world[/b].

Sides, if they were really trying to be multi-cultural, why was there not any German in it? I suppose Bennedict XVI doesn't count. Sorry but the horrible music I keep hearing about and the shoddily covered up political correctness of the Mass is annoying me, I wonder what the Pope's opinion was.

[Lena]

actually Spanish is a common vernacular in the US. Whereas, German is not.

[Knight of the Holy Rosary]

If only the Church had a common Liturgical language with which to express our unity past present and future in addition to our unity throughout the world...oh wait.

[StColette]

[quote name='Knight of the Holy Rosary' post='1502740' date='Apr 18 2008, 03:55 PM']If only the Church had a common Liturgical language with which to express our unity past present and future in addition to our unity throughout the world...oh wait.[/quote]

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I happen to agree that the multiculturalism, however well-intended (and I believe it was), was not in keeping with Pope Benedict's liturgical preferences. Now, if someone on Pope Benedict's staff advised the liturgists to do Mass that way, then I'm not going to complain, but I have a huge problem with excessive multi-culturalism. As we know, cultural norms and devotions are perfectly acceptable when in reasonable limits, but I think some liturgists almost pander to every imaginable ethnicity. The Mass at the National Catholic Youth Conference (and the whole weekend in general) was a perfect example.

Now, I didn't watch the papal Mass, so I can't judge it, and I think it probably wasn't right for the EWTN commentators to voice their opinions on air, but I agree in principle with what they were saying. Personally, I think it all has to do with how PC we feel the need to be in this country.

[veroni213]

I only started watching at the end of the homily. The commentary was annoying, almost as bad as the music. If I were tuning into EWTN for the first time, I don't think I would turn back on again. There is enough negativity in the MSM and the sarcasm etc. just didn't belong in the middle of Mass regardless of what was wrong.

That being said- I wish the multi-culturalism was less exaggerated. It's fine in theory, but in this case it basically turned chunks of the Mass into a parody of the "It's a Small World" ride. The point is that diversity is supposed to come natural to Americans.

[doe-jo]

I know a solution to this multicultural/language problem... Latin!! That way, no particular ethnic group understands it... yup.

[Galloglasses]

[quote name='doe-jo' post='1502831' date='Apr 18 2008, 05:19 PM']I know a solution to this multicultural/language problem... Latin!! That way, no particular ethnic group understands it... yup. [/quote]
I was actually kicking that joke around my head