Joyeux Noel

[mardukm]

I just saw this awesome movie with the above name. It is the true story of how German, French, and British troops in a local area during WWI laid down their arms to celebrate Christmas together. What struck me during the movie was that all these troops, who previously had the worst ideas about the other group, and despite their different languages, came together to celebrate Mass in Latin. They were all able to participate in the Mass because of a common liturgical tongue.

It is amazing how the language of the Liturgy can bring people together. At the same time, I am strongly opposed to positions that would make that selfsame language a reason to tear the Church apart.

Blessings,
Marduk

 

[shuzo1189]

It is a great movie, its a shame about what they did to the Priest.

 

[mardukm]

It is a great movie, its a shame about what they did to the Priest.

Yes. The priest was Anglican - one of the dangers of being a “state Church.” After writing that, I am wondering - did Anglicans back then have Masses in Latin?

Blessings

 

[shuzo1189]

Yes. The priest was Anglican - one of the dangers of being a “state Church.” After writing that, I am wondering - did Anglicans back then have Masses in Latin?

Blessings

See the way i interpret it, is that His superior was an Anglican and he was a Scottish Catholic Priest with the Doughboys? It actually doesn’t make sense as i am fairly sure the British Army wouldn’t allow a Catholic Priest to serve with them back then…but I could be wrong, it may have been a Catholic Unit? Or simply it was a rather non-christian catholic bishop extoling his soldiers to war.

Point is it was a great demonstration of a Common Liturgical Tounge.

 

[dixibehr]

Yes. The priest was Anglican - one of the dangers of being a “state Church.” After writing that, I am wondering - did Anglicans back then have Masses in Latin?<<

Some of the extreme Anglo-Catholics/ultra-high-church would.

In defiance of their bishops and state law, of course.

Once there was a C of E priest who was jailed for “practicing Roman rites.”

 

[Hesychios]

Catholic Emancipation dates from 1829.

I am sure that by that time (circa 1914) the British army was making a provision for Catholic priests, the number of Catholics in Parliament and in the army had grown considerably over the years.

It is conceivable that the chaplain was a Catholic priest, with an Anglican superior in the Army. It would take someone with better knowledge of British military history to clarify this. I did not see the movie, so I am not aware of what exactly happened to the priest.