BEAUTIFUL, TRIUMPHANT MASS WITH POPE FRANCIS IN MANILA!
Mass with Religious begins at minute 14!
The processional hymn is stunning and triumphant!
Magnificent Cathedral and not wreckovated!
Wonderful Benedictine altar arrangement!
5 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Wonderful may be in the eye of the beholder, but I'm not sure why you'd call that altar arrangement Benedictine. I wouldn't.
I understand the term Benedictine arrangement referred originally to six large candles and the large altar cross arranged straight across the front of the altar so as to constitute a virtual iconostasis that that figuratively if not literally shields a versus populum celebrant and the Holy Sacrifice from "profane eyes".
The arrangement we see in this Mass--of smaller candles clustered tightly at the two ends of the altar and a mini-crucifix that's probably invisible from a distance--provides no iconostasis effect at all.
Indeed, to me it seems functionally equivalent to the typical Motel 6 arrangement of a couple of candles at one corner of the altar and a flower vase at the other.
Thank you, Father, for posting this video. It is a magnificent Mass, indeed. I've been critical of many of the Holy Father's confusing off-the-cuff remarks in the past, but this time around, I've been won over to praising him.
His homily rang as authentic as Catholic preaching can be. I did wince a bit at the phrase "in the service of the common good", only to find later in the text its connection to the "reconciling love of Christ."
One light touch that the crowd found engaging - when Pope Francis started his homily with a smile, without deviating from the text said, "Do you love me?..." [he then paused as the congregation of bishops, priests, deacons, seminarians and religious smiled back a "yes".] Then the Pope continued, "Tend my sheep - Jesus's words in the Gospel today, etc." Love it, just love it!
Big surprise [considering what happened at the October Synod], the Pope actually urged them to "proclaim the beauty and truth of the Christian message to a society which is tempted by confusing presentations of sexuality, marriage and the family."
Another beautiful surprise: He preached on the necessity of prayer in the priest's daily encounter with the Lord. He endorsed devotion to Our Lady and her rosary as a great missionary tool. He said the Rosary is the ideal prayer to prepare for the Philippines's coming 500th-year anniversary of Catholicism celebrations.
I wept to see how warmly and enthusiastically my people received this Pope and his message. I'm praying it stays that way.
I see what Henry is saying. This was not the "Benedictine altar arrangement" in that the large candles were lined up on the sides of the altar instead of set up like a wall between the Pope and the congregation. And the altar crucifix is much smaller than Pope Benedict would have preferred. But I think this Franciscan arrangement fair enough. There's a life-size crucifix nearby that the camera kept pointing at.
I think it's all right that the Pope shows his face to the people who came far and wide to see him. It's a Novus Ordo Mass, after all. I'm prepared to say the Franciscan altar is a huge improvement over those of Pope John Paul II's two visits in Manila years ago. I'd also say the Mass was almost flawless, considering it was celebrated in four [four!] languages - Pilipino [Tagalog], English, Latin, plus a modicum of Spanish. The choir was assisted by a full orchestra but left to accapella on the Responsorial Psalm chant. I'm impressed.
I caught this Mass last night on EWTN midway at the Offertory and could not tell which Church in Manila it was being held. I don't remember the Cathedral having vaulted ceilings, square pillars that support wide arches, wooden panels at the entrance, and a choir loft so huge that it can accomodate a full orchestra and a hundred singers.
I was in that Cathedral ten years ago at my daughter's wedding, and it certainly did not look like that. But the outdoor scene was definitely Intramuros, so I could not tell for sure.
It was not until Cardinal Tagle explained later after the Mass that the Cathedral interior has been renovated five years ago. I'm so relieved to know I that, in my old age and decrepitude, I haven't quite lost my memory.
Bless Cdl. Tagle, too, for quoting Fr. Horacio de la Costa, a Jesuit [must not forget that!] historian who once wrote on the two main qualities of Filipino Catholics: their faith and their music.
Please pray for the Philippines. Thanks again, Fr. Allan McDonald! God bless you.
5 comments:
Wonderful may be in the eye of the beholder, but I'm not sure why you'd call that altar arrangement Benedictine. I wouldn't.
I understand the term Benedictine arrangement referred originally to six large candles and the large altar cross arranged straight across the front of the altar so as to constitute a virtual iconostasis that that figuratively if not literally shields a versus populum celebrant and the Holy Sacrifice from "profane eyes".
The arrangement we see in this Mass--of smaller candles clustered tightly at the two ends of the altar and a mini-crucifix that's probably invisible from a distance--provides no iconostasis effect at all.
Indeed, to me it seems functionally equivalent to the typical Motel 6 arrangement of a couple of candles at one corner of the altar and a flower vase at the other.
Thank you, Father, for posting this video. It is a magnificent Mass, indeed. I've been critical of many of the Holy Father's confusing off-the-cuff remarks in the past, but this time around, I've been won over to praising him.
His homily rang as authentic as Catholic preaching can be. I did wince a bit at the phrase "in the service of the common good", only to find later in the text its connection to the "reconciling love of Christ."
One light touch that the crowd found engaging - when Pope Francis started his homily with a smile, without deviating from the text said, "Do you love me?..." [he then paused as the congregation of bishops, priests, deacons, seminarians and religious smiled back a "yes".] Then the Pope continued, "Tend my sheep - Jesus's words in the Gospel today, etc." Love it, just love it!
Big surprise [considering what happened at the October Synod], the Pope actually urged them to "proclaim the beauty and truth of the Christian message to a society which is tempted by confusing presentations of sexuality, marriage and the family."
Another beautiful surprise: He preached on the necessity of prayer in the priest's daily encounter with the Lord. He endorsed devotion to Our Lady and her rosary as a great missionary tool. He said the Rosary is the ideal prayer to prepare for the Philippines's coming 500th-year anniversary of Catholicism celebrations.
I wept to see how warmly and enthusiastically my people received this Pope and his message. I'm praying it stays that way.
I see what Henry is saying. This was not the "Benedictine altar arrangement" in that the large candles were lined up on the sides of the altar instead of set up like a wall between the Pope and the congregation. And the altar crucifix is much smaller than Pope Benedict would have preferred. But I think this Franciscan arrangement fair enough. There's a life-size crucifix nearby that the camera kept pointing at.
I think it's all right that the Pope shows his face to the people who came far and wide to see him. It's a Novus Ordo Mass, after all. I'm prepared to say the Franciscan altar is a huge improvement over those of Pope John Paul II's two visits in Manila years ago. I'd also say the Mass was almost flawless, considering it was celebrated in four [four!] languages - Pilipino [Tagalog], English, Latin, plus a modicum of Spanish. The choir was assisted by a full orchestra but left to accapella on the Responsorial Psalm chant. I'm impressed.
I caught this Mass last night on EWTN midway at the Offertory and could not tell which Church in Manila it was being held. I don't remember the Cathedral having vaulted ceilings, square pillars that support wide arches, wooden panels at the entrance, and a choir loft so huge that it can accomodate a full orchestra and a hundred singers.
I was in that Cathedral ten years ago at my daughter's wedding, and it certainly did not look like that. But the outdoor scene was definitely Intramuros, so I could not tell for sure.
It was not until Cardinal Tagle explained later after the Mass that the Cathedral interior has been renovated five years ago. I'm so relieved to know I that, in my old age and decrepitude, I haven't quite lost my memory.
Bless Cdl. Tagle, too, for quoting Fr. Horacio de la Costa, a Jesuit [must not forget that!] historian who once wrote on the two main qualities of Filipino Catholics: their faith and their music.
Please pray for the Philippines. Thanks again, Fr. Allan McDonald! God bless you.
Marie
please people this is better than 99% of parish Masses
He did well, until the sign of peace when he left the altar
If I'm not mistaken, the entrance hymn is the Tu es Petrus in Filipino, "Ikaw ay Pedro".
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