Braxton installed with modern dance, drum beats

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Belleville diocese bishop is installed
By Tim Townsend
Of the Post-Dispatch
06/22/2005

In a ceremony that combined ancient ritual with modern dance, organ pipes with drum beats and reverence with protest, Edward K. Braxton was installed Wednesday as the eighth Roman Catholic bishop of Belleville.

Braxton, in his first homily as Belleville’s bishop, promised to do his best for the people of his new diocese and asked for their help, support and trust.

St. Peter Cathedral served as both refuge and venue Wednesday afternoon for the 1,000 invited guests packed into its pews. They were relieved to be out of the afternoon heat, and equally relieved to see Braxton finally sitting on the cathedra - or large wooden throne that symbolizes his authority as bishop - after the controversy-filled months since his appointment in mid-March.

Members of the African-American Knights of Peter Claver and the Knights of Columbus, dressed in colorful capes and hats, led the procession into the cathedral at precisely 3 p.m. Abbots, bishops, cardinals, nuns and priests, mostly dressed in white, filed into the cathedral ahead of Braxton. Archbishop Wilton Gregory, the former bishop of Belleville and now of Atlanta, and Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis walked down the aisle together. . . .
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Franze:
I don´t believe that it would happen in my country Spain. :eek:
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Perhaps it would if you have a bishop of African background; one of the most beloved bishops I ever met (Bishop Fisher RIP) noted that in the cultural melting pot of the US every ethnic group has incorporated into their liturgies elements of their cultural background. When he died he had himself buried in vestments of kinta cloth representing his African background, his preaching was decidedly on the charismatic side and he used to just about bring the congregations to their feet with his “Glory to the Church” “Glory to God” exclamations. A most powerful preacher.

I see nothing wrong with Braxton incorporating part of the liturgy of his cultural background as long as it was done in a respectful manner on such a big day for him. He is who he is, he is what he is, I would have enjoyed it I think.

As Cardinal Arinze himself has noted, in African liturgies waiting in the lines for Eucharist, some sway a little to the left, and then to the right- what’s the harm? In Japanese oriented parishes, they bow before taking Communion, in charismatic parishes they often make loud exclamations, it’s the expression of faith in different ways.

Has it been done to excess in some places by some people? Of course it has – has some of it been more resembling a pagan temple ritual of prancing, shmancing, incense bowl burning cavorting? Yes. This should not however, make us throw out every expression of cultural identity. It’s the old adage, of it’s often not what you do, but how you do it.
 
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