Again, patriotic songs during Mass!

[Elizium23]

Thank you, Cat, that is a refreshing perspective on patriotism. We must remember that our motherland is more than just her current administration and government departments. She is more than elected officials and ephemeral laws which we may not agree with. She is where we find our family and friends, our parish community; she is the land that nurtures us with food and shelter; she is the businesses we patronize and freely spend our money.

If you can’t feel patriotic or supportive of the way things are going with our anti-Catholic, Culture of Death White House administration, our activist liberal judges, our inefficient and ineffectual Congress, you can at least summon up sentimental feelings for your community, family and friends. And isn’t this what we celebrate in the Eucharist? Communion with one another, unity, strength in numbers.

I love my country for all her flaws, all her current failings, I love her idealistic principles and I love the diversity of cultures that make up that unique American community. This is the very reason I fight so fiercely against the unjust decisions being made every day by our leaders. Patriotism is not about blind discipleship to government leaders and it’s not about unquestioning obedience to political parties. It’s about fighting for the freedom to live as individuals and a community in harmony with others.

 

[DaveBj]

Nicely said, Cat!

 

[SaintPatrick333]

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

My sentiments exactly. Playing songs like that at Mass of all places, calls into question the universality of the Church

 

[mlz]

Given the political attack of the faith and our religious rights being threatened and the Bishops support for this past 14 days I feel it is appropriate this year and have no problem singing God bless America…isn’t that what our prayers have been for in earnest during this difficult time in our history? No problem here at least this year for me.

mlz

 

[JaneBennet]

I feel your pain. I was out of town this weekend and had to attend Mass at a different parish and they played Battle Hymn of the Republic as the recessional song…

-Paul

I was taken aback a bit as well. I attend a traditional parish and we sang this song. I felt somewhat uneasy and very surprised. In general I find songs linking God to our wars to be presumptuous to say the least. I am as American as they come but God’s Kingdom has no borders and requires no green card for admittance.

 

[bearer]

I thoroughly enjoy the singing of patriotic hymns at Mass. Each nation has its own culture and customs, and the Church respects and supports the inclusion of these within the guidelines of our liturgy. We are Catholic Americans and don’t leave our citizenship at the door. Considering the constant attacks on our Faith and on our right to the free exercise of religion, the last thing we need right now is apathy regarding our nation. Why wouldn’t we pray for God to bless America, and to celebrate His creation of so beautiful a land?

Faith and patriotism are not mutually exclusive, and in fact they complement one another well. For that matter, the Fourth Degree of the Knights of Columbus is patriotism.

Reading through this thread, I get the feeling that some people confuse patriotism with politics, whether theirs or their political opponents’.

 

[Daim3]

I pray for others faithfully after receiving communion and have even prayed for our country. Even with all its faults, I love the USA and would not want to live anywhere else. I pray to God that this country does the right thing in the coming weeks and months. I still believe we live in the greatest country in the world. And no, I don’t want to hear patriotic songs during mass. The purpose of sacred music in mass should be to praise God, not some worldly place or each other. If the Eucharist is more about community than becoming the unified mystical body of Christ, then how about we sing the school song from the high school down the street?

 

[JaneBennet]

I pray for others faithfully after receiving communion and have even prayed for our country. Even with all its faults, I love the USA and would not want to live anywhere else. I pray to God that this country does the right thing in the coming weeks and months. I still believe we live in the greatest country in the world. And no, I don’t want to hear patriotic songs during mass. The purpose of sacred music in mass should be to praise God, not some worldly place or each other. If the Eucharist is more about community than becoming the unified mystical body of Christ, then how about we sing the school song from the high school down the street?

Exactly.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

I pray for others faithfully after receiving communion and have even prayed for our country. Even with all its faults, I love the USA and would not want to live anywhere else. I pray to God that this country does the right thing in the coming weeks and months. I still believe we live in the greatest country in the world. And no, I don’t want to hear patriotic songs during Mass. The purpose of sacred music in Mass should be to praise God, not some worldly place or each other. If the Eucharist is more about community than becoming the unified mystical body of Christ, then how about we sing the school song from the high school down the street?

I corrected your post - it’s “Mass,” not “mass.”

Otherwise, this is what I mean. We are unifying in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and His Holy Body and Blood. We are CATHOLICS in that sacred space.

 

[pnewton]

The purpose of sacred music in mass should be to praise God, not some worldly place or each other.

I do not think anyone is wanting us to praise each other, although I do not see what is wrong with this if done within the context of the Church. After all, we have feasts days that purposely honor others in the Church.

The Mass reflects a communal sense in ways other than feast days. We also offer prayer intentions. Masses are said for the deceased. Mass is said at weddings. Yes Mass is the Sacrcifice of Calvary, but it is also Mass in its purpose. That is to say, a mission.

 

[DaveBj]

I was taken aback a bit as well. I attend a traditional parish and we sang this song. I felt somewhat uneasy and very surprised. In general I find songs linking God to our wars to be presumptuous to say the least. I am as American as they come but God’s Kingdom has no borders and requires no green card for admittance.

Baptism? Granted it’s easier than filling out the paperwork for a green card, but it’s still a requirement. And there is a “border,” described in several places in the New Testament.

Those who are whining about the patriotic songs should read the lyrics. As has been pointed out, they’re all prayers (except for the National Anthem itself).

 

[Daim3]

I do not think anyone is wanting us to praise each other, although I do not see what is wrong with this if done within the context of the Church. After all, we have feasts days that purposely honor others in the Church.

The Mass reflects a communal sense in ways other than feast days. We also offer prayer intentions. Masses are said for the deceased. Mass is said at weddings. Yes Mass is the Sacrcifice of Calvary, but it is also Mass in its purpose. That is to say, a mission.

This is true. The purpose of the Mass is for us to participate in the Sacrifice of Calvary and we can bring with us our own prayer intentions. However, while God Bless America and other patriotic songs are certainly prayerful in their attitude, the object of praise in those songs is not God but instead a worldly place. So while we can have prayer intentions during Mass for people and situations, I believe that saying we should raise our voices in praise of something other God during Mass is different.

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

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.

 

[Usige]

Soooo glad we went to high mass this past weekend. Not one mention of independence day. The homily was all about the Precious Blood of Christ (July 1st is the Feast of the Most Precious Blood in the old calendar) and the songs were about praise to God.

My two teens did go to our local parish and said they sang same two songs. The homily was about how great America is as a nation. My 17 year old daughter asked me later that evening “Isn’t the mass about Christ and so we should focus on him rather than a secular country?” It would seem that the homily should have been about the healing power of Christ rather than about American Independence. As far as I remember the Gospel readings were about the healing of the woman and the daughter of a synagog official, not about a secular country.

I have no problem with people being patriotic, but it just seems wrong to beat that drum during the holy sacrifice of the Mass. I guess it just saddens me when the Mass becomes about the accomplishments of people rather than the sacrifice of the Lord.

 

[Elizium23]

If your American parish was not observing Fortnight for Freedom in every way possible, then your parish was deficient and ignoring the clear advice of the United States Episcopal Conference. My parish has been delivering prayers and homilies regarding religious freedom and the HHS mandate for two weeks, in concert with our own ordinary and the whole USCCB. I commend them for their fidelity to this most important cause for American Catholics which should never have been ignored just because the calendar indicated some feast day. Indeed, the homily last week for the Nativity of St. John the Baptist clearly demonstrated how St. John’s call was related to the duty of American Catholics today. I am more than certain that the Precious Blood of Christ can be related to the need to freely exercise our deeply held faith in this country in the light of persecution.

 

[Rence]

Try looking at the words to God Bless America as a prayer of petition.

“Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.”

America the Beautiful as a prayer of Thanksgiving.
*
“God shed His grace on thee”*

There is more to these songs than patriotism.

You should be thankful that you were able to be in a church structure, and able to openly worship your faith. (not everyone in the world is so lucky)

I could go on and on about this, but I will let my signature tell you the rest.

I agree. Song is a form of prayer. It’s very appropriate to pray for one’s country while at Mass. I don’t see a problem with it at all. Maybe it should be done more often, instead of just on the 4th of July.

 

[Rejoice_Always]

America! America!
Don’t sing this song at Mass!
For if you do, then folks at CAF
Will call you a big … !

:harp:

 

[57classic]

Baptism? Granted it’s easier than filling out the paperwork for a green card, but it’s still a requirement. And there is a “border,” described in several places in the New Testament.

Those who are whining about the patriotic songs should read the lyrics. As has been pointed out, they’re all prayers (except for the National Anthem itself).

The last verse to the National Anthem:

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

 

[Stylites]

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.

My citizenship in the USA ranks lower on the scale than my citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven, temporary address the Catholic Church.

I am not going back to this parish next Sunday for fear they will play the same 2 songs. It really bothers me that this is done.

That’s a shame that you would avoid a parish on account of the Church’s fostering of patriotism. There is nothing nationalistic about being thankful for the home God has placed one in. Patriotism is the recognition of the love of one’s country God has placed one in, and the acknowledgment that people in other countries can love their own country God has placed them in as well. It is not the idea that my country is better than your country. The Church teaches that a person is more than spirit, that he or she is a member of a society, and a citizen of a country. No one is saying that a worldly citizenship ranks on par with the Kingdom of God, and I am sorry that singing a patriotic song during Mass gave you that idea. Why not ask the parish priest his opinion about it, if it upset you so much?

 

[TheRealJuliane]

That’s a shame that you would avoid a parish on account of the Church’s fostering of patriotism. There is nothing nationalistic about being thankful for the home God has placed one in. Patriotism is the recognition of the love of one’s country God has placed one in, and the acknowledgment that people in other countries can love their own country God has placed them in as well. It is not the idea that my country is better than your country. The Church teaches that a person is more than spirit, that he or she is a member of a society, and a citizen of a country. No one is saying that a worldly citizenship ranks on par with the Kingdom of God, and I am sorry that singing a patriotic song during Mass gave you that idea. Why not ask the parish priest his opinion about it, if it upset you so much?

I have nothing against patriotism, just not patriotic songs during Mass! It is incongruous to hear about America because during the Mass, Jesus is not saving me based on my citizenship of a country on earth! It’s just not relevant and is exclusive.

This is the non-traditional parish, so I won’t be asking the priest about it. I can guess his answer will be, “Like it or lump it.”

I have another very orthodox parish to attend this weekend and I will be happy to be in the pews. They also don’t clap after the recessional, or the homily for that matter.