St. Joseph Church has a new associate pastor (parochial vicar)Fr. Godfred Boachie-Yiadom from Ghana, West Africa. He should be with us for three years. His style of Liturgy at least here at St. Joseph is very western and he loves the solemnity of the manner in which we celebrate the Mass. I had a conversation with him about the style of Mass in Ghana. He said that a Sunday Mass could last up to three hours or more. There is much more singing and taking one's time with the Liturgy. Time stands still.
He also spoke of the resistance to inculturation, bringing some of the culture of Ghana or West Africa into the Roman Liturgy. However, with time this has changed and the Church is booming and liturgies are packed; vocations are strong! This video gives some insights into what has transpired there:
Peter Kwesi Sarpong, Ghana--Pioneer in making church African. from james ault on Vimeo.
12 comments:
Great video. It reminds me of the fact that our faith in Jesus Christ is not tied to a particular culture or group of people, allowing the message of Christ to speak to the diversity of human hearts found throughout the world.
So, where do you draw the line? This multi-culturalism, which is primarily a modernist political movement, is the very reason why all the post-Vat II progressives want to bring all kinds of nonsense into the liturgy. Why not dancing and acrobatics? Why not parade costumes and cartoon character outfits? Why not change the liturgy just a little bit to accomodate...whoever the next cultural group is?
I have seen black Priests in this country, who were born here and raised here and who do not speak a word of Swahili or Bantu, say mass wearing stoles the colors of the African flag. The women altar servers come juking and jiving down the aisle dressed in African looking clothes (made in China and bought down at Wal Mart)and they probably couldn't find Africa on a map. But, this is ok because they are black and nobody wants to be called a racist for saying anything about it. All this, and our resident modernist priest on this blog gets all upset because the chausable is lifted...so typical. So, everybody, keep tip- toeing around that huge pink elephant right in the middle of the Church.
The point about the intercultural meaning of gestures is well made and one that we see even in the USA. And the masses look like a lot of fun. I do wonder how much of the actual prayer they ever hear in that din. This fits my own question about the state of liturgical music in this country. Can we segregate, or the word I am thinking is concatenate, the solemness of the mass and quiet prayer, with the exuberant display you see here? It seems to me that it can be,
rcg
RCG, "Intercultural" gestures in the Mass mean nothing to me. The traditional and historical gestures in the Mass that go back nearly two-thousand years and which have meant the same thing to every Catholic should be enough. It was a mistake for the Jesuit and other missionaries long ago to begin this "inculturation" of the Mass. We are to be conformed to Him and the Church; the Church is not to be conformed to the world or any culture other than the Judaeo-Christian culture of its origins. Too bad that culture of origin just happens to be Western and largely Caucasian (feeling guilty yet?). So, other "cultures" should walk down the aisle, wear the same vestments, use the same gestures, and celebrate the same Mass the same way...after all, "egalitarian" implies uniformity, n'est ce pas? Modernists hate individualism and exceptionalism everywhere else except when it comes to some odd culture or minority they can use as a tool to attack traditions, structure, and Western values. Then anything goes. I find this to be hypocritical,disingenuous, and based upon a lie. Once again I ask, where would you like to draw the line? By the way, Mass is not supposed to be fun...unless you think the death of Christ and his Sacrifice re-lived in us in the Mass is fun. What is happening to you, RCG?
Best part of the video was Communion. None of that in the hand BS like you have in the English speaking world.
As for the video as a whole, well as I just posted in the "The Help" thread I think nationality should be left out of things. I do have a nationality (obviously) but it should be suborned to my Faith, which is Latin Rite Roman Catholic. If you want to be Latin Rite Roman Catholic, BE LATIN RITE Roman Catholic. That goes for Americans and Ghanians. One Church, one Mass, no options, clear unambigious rules. I expect the Priest to supress his personality on the Altar, and I expect the congregation to supress their personality and nationality in the pews. Save that cultural stuff for the social hall after Mass.
But since the "new Springtime" it's everything goes (and ultimately when every goes, everything goes to Hell).
There is a place for wacky dancing and craziness in worship, it is just not the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. If one's particular culture is going to peek out, it should be in the midst of some devotional practice.
I'll never understand why the August Sacrifice just isn't enough for people...
Perhaps the smoke of Satan in the Church is actually a particular plant's smoke that has made everyone lose their minds completely.
Nurse, I seem to have touched a nerve. LOL!
Seriously, I am being my usual over analytical self. For example, I may be wrong, but if beating one's chest is considered offensive, That does not seem too much to change. OTOH, the point I was making about the segregation of these expressions is exactly that: separate them. There are moments of great reverence and solemnity in Ghanan culture that could be used to explain the need for reverence in the Mass. There is a time and place for everything.
In my original post, I didn't send it in, I recounted a Mass where a woman danced a long and circuitous procession toward the alter wearing a chicken on her head. It was her gift and not inconsiderable sacrifice. The American priest was hugely impressed. I agree, but I think the point is missed, and not by a little, when the mass becomes a performance that elevates the congregants or the gifts versus Christ.
What I can see is an event where before Mass an elaborate procession is made to bring gifts and families to the Church, then a reverent Mass with the emphasis on our lowliness, yes, even the poor Africans, and a recession that has singing and distribution of the gifts to the poor, etc.
Here is the perfect music for the occasion, too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jl4IOSLX-o
rcg
Much of what we have in the mass, EF or OF, has cultural origins, specifically, Italian or Roman. The style of vestments, the decorative styles of many of our churches, Gregorian chant - all of these are representative of a particular culture.
Inculturation has been part of the Church's experience since Jesus ate a Passover meal with his disciples.
Ignotus, Of course they are Roman/Italian...and they should stay that way. The Judaeo-Christian, Roman/Italian structure is the vessel God chose through which to establish His Church. What is wrong with that? One might be reminded that, while the Judaeo/Roman world (led by the Church) was glorifying God by giving us Rheims, Chartres, Notre Dame and St. Peter's, birthing Giotto, Michelangelo, and Raphael, and nurturing Newton, Shakespeare, and Dickens...not to mention exporting civilization to the world...those of the Dark Continent were living in straw huts and making crude clay pots. They still are. I am sure that primitive expressions of worhsip, if sincere, are pleasing to God, but to suggest that the forms and structures and their embodiment of theological and doctrinal truth, not to mention "true worship" in the sense of giving back to God our best and highest, are in any way equivalent is ludicrous. So, RCG, if you want a chicken to wear on your head or some goat entrails to drape around your neck, next trip down I'll run you by one of the farms in the county and you can pick up some tithes. LOL!
There are some pretty strange processions in Mexican and other Latin countries, but they generally happen in a festival atmosphere outside and the Church is reserved for the more solemn activities.
I think there is a big difference between not insulting a culture and ignoring the differences. Salvation comes from the Jews. Can't get around that or equivocate manifestations from other cultures. The disciples scattered to the corners of the earth, but the Rock picked Rome. There is a reason. Certainly the many cultures that come into the Church should have a visible presence, but we have to confess that incorporation of the various practices needs careful consideration. For example, I expect that if I showed up to a 'Fight for Life' rally naked in blue body paint people might be distracted from the point of the rally. Not every European tradition has made it to the GIRM, nor has every word written by St Matthew himself made it into the Gospel.
rcg
Well, RCG, regarding your appearance at the Fight for Life rally...I would pay good money to see that! LOL!
Very interesting video. Somewhat interesting comments.
Since posts are moderated, I do wonder if Fr. McDonald saw the post from pinanv525 that went from odd to offensive very quickly. He explicitly does not want "to be called racist" and yet proceeds to use "Dark Continent" and "primitive expressions" to describes our brothers and sisters in Africa.
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
"Every form of social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God's design." #1935
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