Mummers' 'Mass' Philadelphia

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yinekka

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I was heartsick when I read the following on the Whispers in the Loggia blog. Aparently the person who writes the blog also writes for The Tablet (a very well known UK ‘Catholic’ magazine)

whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2005/12/hail-hail-gangs-all-here.html

Every year on New Year’s Eve, the parish hosts a gigantic Mummers’ Mass – and it’s one of the most unique, and effective, examples of inculturation you’ll ever see in your life.

The celebrant’s vestment is usually a special white chasuble (the aforementioned one with gold sequins) pulled out for this event. The processional is the Mummers’ version of “When the Saints Go Marchin’ In” (performed with banjos, saxophones and glocken-spiels), after which a proper opening hymn (with organ) is sung. All Lectors wear their “club” jackets – in the colors of their group, with the name and logos emblazoned – a sequined parasol, gold-painted wench boots and banjo are placed before the altar, and the church is downright packed with a steady stream out the door. It’s a big church, mind you, so this means 1,500 people or more even when what used to be called The Circumcision isn’t held on a Sunday. *It’s just a very popular event and it means the world to the neighborhood. * 😦

What occurred may well be a ‘very popular event’ and may well ‘mean the world to the neighbourhood’ but that isn’t what the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is all about is it?

I thought that Archbishop Rigali was Faithful to the Magisterium. How could he permit this travesty to take place? :mad:
 
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yinekka:
What occurred may well be a ‘very popular event’ and may well ‘mean the world to the neighbourhood’ but that isn’t what the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is all about is it?

I thought that Archbishop Rigali was Faithful to the Magisterium. How could he permit this travesty to take place? :mad:
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Why can’t they have a Mass then party? That’s what we do.
 
I grew up just outside Philly, the home of the mummers. Most of the mummers I knew were Catholic, and they did have a mummers mass for them. Mummers perform once a year, on New Years only and they really are an icon of life in Philadelphia. I guess unless you grow up with them, you just don’t understand how much we love our mummers. Are you objecting to sequin outfits at mass, or them playing at mass? I can assure you I am glad for their presence at mass, and I am also glad for their uniquie music too. As for the sequins…I am guilty, I spent every Saturday during football season during high school going to mass in a little sequin outfit since I was a majorette and we had to go between football game during the day and competitions on Sat nights. Our priest didn’t mind us coming in our band uniforms, in fact we usually got a homily geared toward high school kids. Why not just be happy that they are going to mass?
 
:ehh: I don’t know about this. I’m all for having New Years fun but I thought Mass was for the worship of God, not having a gooey social hour. I’m not sure when it happened but a lot of Catholics have gotten into the habit of seeing their parish church as an all purpose hall.
 
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