America the Beautiful - at Mass today?

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Rob_s_Wife

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We sang America the Beautiful at mass today. Granted it was the exit song, but still…
Mass is for the worship of the Lord.
Seems like the songs should be for/about HIM, not our beloved nation.

**So thoughts? I’m NOT against the song. Heck, no. Not me. One of our favorites. We’re patriots in this house!:love: **

But we’re Catholics first. If we sang it at a Church BBQ, if we sang it at the ice cream social, these would not have bothered me in the least.

**BUT at MASS?! Yikes. This rather bothered me.:o **
**My dh, non-catholic, says it would have been better to sing “God Bless America”, thus it would have been a blessing in his mind. hmm, spliting hairs a bit there I think? Besides, the church is neutral in nationality?:confused: **
 
I agree with you, doesn’t seem to be very appropriate (I’m guessing it was sung because of the 4th coming up?) but I also agree with your husband - God Bless America can be sung as a prayer request for a blessing and would’ve been a much better choice.

Just as I first started attending Mass before I converted I hadn’t yet found Catholic radio and so was still listening to a Protestant channel. I had just left Mass one Sunday and was in the car driving home and a Protestant service was on the radio. The Pastor introduced a marine officer and then led everyone in the Pledge of Allegience. I thought it was the tackiest thing I had heard in a long time because they were only doing this because the Marine was there that day (and I know that this wasn’t a normal part of the service because it was a service at the church I attended before I started converting. Made me even more sure of where God was leading me).

The Church has no nationality, but it’s acceptable (IMO) to make note of the local celebrations, even more so if you can incorporate God into that celebration, as “God Bless America” would’ve done.

Just my opinion.
 
Rob_s_Wife said:
We sang America the Beautiful at mass today. Granted it was the exit song, but still…
Mass is for the worship of the Lord.
Seems like the songs should be for/about HIM, not our beloved nation.

**So thoughts? I’m NOT against the song. Heck, no. Not me. One of our favorites. We’re patriots in this house!:love: **

But we’re Catholics first. If we sang it at a Church BBQ, if we sang it at the ice cream social, these would not have bothered me in the least.

**BUT at MASS?! Yikes. This rather bothered me.:o **

**My dh, non-catholic, says it would have been better to sing “God Bless America”, thus it would have been a blessing in his mind. hmm, spliting hairs a bit there I think? Besides, the church is neutral in nationality?:confused: **
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Our church sang this once. It bothered me, but it was in the hymnal, and the hymnal’s was approved to be published by the bishops, so it must not be all wrong.

The church is supposed to be neutral in nationality. Once, I read in NCR about how the statements of the Vatican (Roman Curia) are influenced by Italian political thought, but that’s a discussion for another day…
 
I’m not sure what I think about it, but we sang it today, also, as a recessional hymn.
 
At least it wasn’t, My Country 'Tis of Thee which employs a tune (God Save The Queen) that ought never be used on Independence Day, in the name of Jefferson!

That said, I see nothing wrong with such a hymn as a recessional (which, technically, is not “part of the Mass”, anyway) on or near a patriotic holiday. Though, my personal preference would be for God of our Fathers. (I suppose that one is a little difficult to make inclusivized changes in language for, however).
 
I voted “yes” since you included all patriotic songs. While I don’t know about America the Beautiful, we sang God Bless America (and do every year). It is very God centered, specifically the “guide her” part. It is more regligious in content that some of the Kum-Bay-Ya music we get regularly.
 
Rob_s_Wife said:
We sang America the Beautiful at mass today. Granted it was the exit song, but still…
Mass is for the worship of the Lord.
Seems like the songs should be for/about HIM, not our beloved nation.

**So thoughts? I’m NOT against the song. Heck, no. Not me. One of our favorites. We’re patriots in this house!:love: **

But we’re Catholics first. If we sang it at a Church BBQ, if we sang it at the ice cream social, these would not have bothered me in the least.

**BUT at MASS?! Yikes. This rather bothered me.:o **
**My dh, non-catholic, says it would have been better to sing “God Bless America”, thus it would have been a blessing in his mind. hmm, spliting hairs a bit there I think? Besides, the church is neutral in nationality?:confused: **
Click to expand...
My husband loved that our parish chose that as a song at mass this weekend, but I am with you–it seemed a little odd to sing it–I wonder though, if it was designed as a religous song to begin with?

It’s funny…I thought I was alone in that thought.😛
 
I vote for singing the national anthem at Mass, last verse especially:

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their lov’d homes and the war’s desolation;
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Pow’r that hath made and preserv’d us as 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!
 
We live on a military base–and we sing this song periodically. If you really look at the words–it has God mentioned throughout. Just a thought.
 
I think I would be ok with it as long as the song started after they said “The Mass is ended, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” If they played it during the actual Mass though, I think I would have a BIG problem.
 
Kevin42 said:
I think I would be ok with it as long as the song started after they said “The Mass is ended, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” If they played it during the actual Mass though, I think I would have a BIG problem.
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yes, that’s how it was introduced in my parish this weekend. good point!
 
I’m not sure why “God Bless America” is any better than “America the Beautiful”. Both are semi-religious patriotic songs. IMO neither is the best choice for Mass (I side with those who think we should stick to nationality-neutral hymns during Mass). As the cantor, I had to lead the congregation in “America the Beautiful” for our recessional this morning. Seems like I end up leading that hymn every year. It always seems a bit…not quite right. However, it’s one that we can always count on to encourage congregational singing.
 
When I think of this song I immediately think of our freedom and how we have been given it by God and the sacrifice of those who fought, and died, for that freedom.

I don’t mind it. 🙂
 
I voted “no.” While we respect the laws of the state and country wherever we are as Catholics – our faith is seperate. As is America with division of CHURCH AND STATE.

I can see the point, and I too have pride in my country. Heck, my husband is NAVY!!! BUT our faith is sacred and without-nationality as you mentioned.

With you.
 
Actually I was the one that played it today. :rolleyes: Well, actually it was God Bless America. Close enough, though. 😉

But it was after the Mass was over as the recessional. Not as part of the actual celebration of the Mass.

I’m not sure where it would possibly have any proper place in the middle of the Mass…

:: Winces at the thought of some California parish playing it during Communion :: 😛
 
We sang it as a prelude to mass, immediately before the entrance hymn…all four verses,

If you read the words they read as a prayer of intentions:
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain.
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.

O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern impassion’d stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness.
America! America! God mend thine ev’ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.

O beautiful for heroes prov’d
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life.
America! America! May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev’ry grain divine.

O Beautiful for patriot dream
that sees beyond the years.
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears.
America! America! God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood,
From sea to shining sea.
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I voted “no.”

We, too had a patriotic medley at mass today. However, it was during communion. :bigyikes: It was a combination of “God Bless America” and (I think) “America the Beautiful.” I wish I could tell you what the second one was, but I was trying to tune it out and focus on Jesus.:banghead: :crossrc:

I think that today pushed me over the line. I didn’t used to mind these songs during entrance or recessional. However, having it sung (to a recording nonetheless) during communion today really has left me with a foul feeling.

Don’t get me wrong. They are both great songs. However, they have their own times and circumstances for when they should be played. IMO that is not at mass
 
I heard the same exact thing the radio going to Mass this morning and I was praying to God it wasn’t Catholic Mass. I’m pretty sure it was protestant but I was still :banghead: I have the same reaction to people who want to “americanize” the Catholic Church. Catholic means Universal for a reason and the church is not bound to any nation indeed not even to this world. So there is no reason in heaven, earth, hell, or otherwise for patriotic songs to be sung at mass. Plus I’m not too fond of this country nowadays, gained back some of respect when the partial birth abortion ban was upheld, but still feeling very unpatriotic. The idea of having the US “blessed” during Mass really turns my stomach.
 
In my parish in the UK, we have Polish, French, Italian, Ukrainian, African and Indian Catholics. (and probably from everywhere else.)Mass is the universal worship of the universal Christ, so patriotic songs really have no place there.
 
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