Again, patriotic songs during Mass!

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

Has nothing to do with prayer in schools. I think having a patriotic song (God Bless America is not a hymn!) during the Eucharist is totally inappropriate, period. OK, I might have to give in on the recessional although I still don’t like it. But the subjects are completely unrelated to school prayer.

No they are not unrelated as the same kind of thinking is involved. In each you are compartmentalizing it ok to talk about God here but not here or the country here bout not here.

A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word hymn derives from Greek ὕμνος (hymnos), which means “a song of praise.” Collections of hymns are known as hymnals or hymnbooks. God Bless America fit the definition of a Hymn.

There are a lot of things I do not like that does not make them wrong,

 

[ConstantineTG]

What about people who aren’t from this country? But who are Catholics? It is One Holy Catholic and Apostolic, not one National Church.

Well they are in America.

 

[Daim3]

We sang Lee Greenwood’s God Bless The USA at mass today and it was beautiful.

Ok, just kidding.

I am as patriotic as anyone, in the right milieu. But at church, I am a Catholic and not an American. I don’t think it’s right to sing “God Bless America” while we are supposed to be praying to Jesus and thanking Him for the gifts of His Body and Blood.

I love this country and am so fortunate to be living here but I could not agree with the above statement more; behind you all the way on this.

 

[LegoGE1947]

We sang Lee Greenwood’s God Bless The USA at mass today and it was beautiful.

Ok, just kidding.

I love this country and am so fortunate to be living here but I could not agree with the above statement more; behind you all the way on this.

We sang Moody Blues “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere” or maybe not

 

[Daim3]

We sang Moody Blues “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere” or maybe not

Lol. We also sang God Only Knows by the Beach Boys.

 

[OraLabora]

What about people who aren’t from this country? But who are Catholics? It is One Holy Catholic and Apostolic, not one National Church.

I tend to agree, the Mass is not the place for the profane. Of course during the universal prayer it is ok to offer prayers for one’s country (Canada in my case). As a recessional maybe as that’s extra-liturgical. But the Mass itself is to focus on God.

 

[AnneTeresa]

“Not CAF Approved”, made me chuckle.

BAHAHA. We sang America the Beautiful at the end too and I took it as a prayer to thank God I live in this country even with all its faults. I am grateful to live here. In fact, our priest talked about that in his homily (he also talked about the gospel). But really, it gets old to hear people constantly complaining about the USA. Where else would they rather live? Yep, my parish is probably not CAF approved either!

 

[Daim3]

No place is perfect but I really do love this country, I feel so fortunate to live here and I would not want to live anywhere else. We need to give thanks and pray for the USA, even more so than usual these days. I think including our country in the universal prayer intentions is excellent as is reminding the faithful to pray for her during the homily. But, as stated above, the focus of the mass is God and the offering of the sacrifice that wrought our salvation.

 

[curlycool89]

During the universal prayers, right after the Creed we pray for our country and elected leaders all the time. With that in mind I have to ask why is it inappropriate to sing an hymn that praises God and ask for his blessings and grace to be upon our country? It is that kind of thinking that lead to prayer being removed from the class rooms of public schools.

I don’t think anyone really has a problem with intercessions or recessional hymns asking for God to bless the country (we had some kind of “God bless Canada” type song that I’ve never heard before as the recessional after O Canada. It was in the CBW III).

The problem I have more is for around communion (pre/during/post-communion songs). Communion is the time where you encounter Jesus and express your communion with Catholics around the worldby sharing in the same Eucharist, not for nationalism or intercessions.

I tend to agree, the Mass is not the place for the profane. Of course during the universal prayer it is ok to offer prayers for one’s country (Canada in my case). As a recessional maybe as that’s extra-liturgical. But the Mass itself is to focus on God.

I think that’s what’s rattling people here is to do a patriotic hymn during communion time. It’s just an inappropriate time; during communion your mind should be on God and any hymn should help you to focus on those related mysteries. Not on secular things. When it comes to my country vs. the Eucharist, the Eucharist wins hands down.

 

[YoungTradCath]

Hopefully there will be a tolerance when it comes to a diversity of opinions and tastes.

I do not think every opinion is of the same merit.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

I don’t think anyone really has a problem with intercessions or recessional hymns asking for God to bless the country (we had some kind of “God bless Canada” type song that I’ve never heard before as the recessional after O Canada. It was in the CBW III).

The problem I have more is for around communion (pre/during/post-communion songs). Communion is the time where you encounter Jesus and express your communion with Catholics around the worldby sharing in the same Eucharist, not for nationalism or intercessions.

I think that’s what’s rattling people here is to do a patriotic hymn during communion time. It’s just an inappropriate time; during communion your mind should be on God and any hymn should help you to focus on those related mysteries. Not on secular things. When it comes to my country vs. the Eucharist, the Eucharist wins hands down.

:clapping::yup:

 

[Phemie]

I tend to agree, the Mass is not the place for the profane. Of course during the universal prayer it is ok to offer prayers for one’s country (Canada in my case). As a recessional maybe as that’s extra-liturgical. But the Mass itself is to focus on God.

We had no Mass yesterday but a Sunday Celebration of the Word with Communion since Fr. had flown to the Mission which had not seen a priest since Easter. There was an intercession that mentioned Canada Day and that was it – well, other than the flags improperly displayed in front of the altar. It offended me as a military brat to see the flags displayed that way and had me looking around to make sure no Legion members were present to have a stroke. It offended me as a Catholic to see the flags set up in such a way as to take the focus off the altar.

If Fr. had been here we’d have sung ‘O Canada’ because he is also a military brat. It would have been as the recessional.

 

[pnewton]

I think that’s what’s rattling people here is to do a patriotic hymn during communion time.

I don’t think this is an issue. No where have I seen where a patriotic hymn was done during communion, or anyone supporting this idea. I don’t even like Marian hymns during communion.

 

[LegoGE1947]

Lol. We also sang God Only Knows by the Beach Boys.

We might have sung “Fun, Fun, Fun” by the Beach Boys, but it has been 24 hours ago so I don’t exactly remember. I remember the intense heat out of doors was definitely NOT fun, fun fun. And besides that, Daddy took the T-Bird away)

 

[curlycool89]

I don’t think this is an issue. No where have I seen where a patriotic hymn was done during communion, or anyone supporting this idea. I don’t even like Marian hymns during communion.

Uh:

After Communion - God Bless America

It was in the OP.

 

[pnewton]

Uh:

It was in the OP.

After communion is not during communion. I did read the OP.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

I don’t think this is an issue. No where have I seen where a patriotic hymn was done during communion, or anyone supporting this idea. I don’t even like Marian hymns during communion.

Well it actually WAS during communion. First there was a piano solo intro, and then the cantor broke out into “God Bless America” about as I actually got to the EM. So I had to hear it as I walked back to the pew and as I tried to pray and thank God for His Son’s sacrifice.

 

[pnewton]

Well it actually WAS during communion. First there was a piano solo intro, and then the cantor broke out into “God Bless America” about as I actually got to the EM. So I had to hear it as I walked back to the pew and as I tried to pray and thank God for His Son’s sacrifice.

So it was* not* after communion, as stated in the OP. As I said earlier, I do not even like Marian hymns or the Hail Mary during communion.

 

[Rejoice_Always]

:slapfight:

 

[Cat]

Uh:

It was in the OP.

Does anyone else besides me pray for others during Holy Communion?

Perhaps it would be helpful to think of America as the “people”, not the “land” or “a country” or “Red and Blue”.

Something like this:

God bless America (all my family, friends, neighbors acquaintances, co-workers, and strangers), land that I love.

Stand beside her (my family, friends, etc.) and guide her (especially those most in need of guidance at this time)

Through the night with a light from above (especially those that are passing through a dark time in their lives–please be the Light of the World to them).

From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans, white with foam (I know and love people all over the United States–please, God, don’t leave anyone out of this prayer just because I’m not listing all their names!)

God bless America, my home, sweet home (OUR home sweet home–please bless us all, dear God!).

While we were singing the hymns during Mass this morning (daily Mass), I was once again impressed that these hymns are meant to be prayers, not just opportunities for me to demonstrate that I pay attention to the conductor when I play for choirs and soloists, and I know how to sing properly, if not beautifully.

Some hymns, especially some of the older hymns, have very complex and literary prayers, and you really have to concentrate hard to understand exactly what you’re praying for.

Other hymns, like God Bless America, have a pretty simple prayer–God bless America. So just pray the prayer and remember that God has commanded us to pray this prayer (Romans 13:1).

And some hymns seems to have no prayer at all–but they do. You just have to mull over it.