Patriotic Masses

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Only time I remember flag used in Mass was when I started going to Church. People from neighboring country (that Church was located around 45 min from the border) visited our Church and our Priest made our Altar Servers carry their flag as to show them respect. I don’t really remember the occasion or who was visiting, but it was not bishop, and neighboring side also handled singing during Mass (which they have done beautifully). My guess is that it was some lay community perhaps with a priest (and if so, he was concelebrating).

During Byzantine Divine Liturgy, people pray for their country and people in it- but I would not call that strictly patriotic in the sense you seem to imply.
 
My post was facetious. I have no problem with flags inside the Church.
 
What’s in the GIRM is acceptible. What isn’t in the GIRM, isn’t.
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This is true to a large extent, but this doesn’t cover everything. The rubrics (and GIRM) can’t cover every potentiality, and are not an exhaustive list of every minutia, but rather a set of guidelines, meant to instruct, and establish general rules, however, they don’t cover every individuality, to my knowledge, the Missal (and presumably also the GIRM) make no mention as to pretty much anything about the congregation, leaving it to us and custom to guide things like what posture is assumed at what point (ie standing vs kneeling for the “Behold the Lamb of God” part) so, we can’t take too hard of a line of “if the GIRM doesn’t say it we mustn’t do it” because under that principle, it must be applied that “the GIRM doesn’t say that the congregation is to wear clothes, therefore the congregation shouldn’t” (I don’t know the GIRM that well, so I’m assuming it assumes us to have the common sense that that is expected in an effort to convey a point) this is clearly not good practice, so it is fair to say that just because the GIRM doesn’t say it explicitly, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done.

Also, it is called the GIRM (General Instruction on the Roman Missal). The first word is “General” it isn’t the EILRRRM (Exhaustive Instruction and List of Rules and Regulations on the Roman Missal (I just made this document up)). A “General Instruction” provides a list of general practices and is not meant to cover every single potential obscure situation, but rather a standard practice for the run of the mill case.
 
I went to a nice patriotic Mass offered for 9-11 victims and their families today. The parish that hosts it (another Polish parish) has been hosting it for 18 years. The bishop came and said the Mass and gave the homily, the choir led us all in regular non-patriotic hymns from the hymnal, and after the Mass was over and the bishop and priests had processed out to the closing hymn, the choir led us all in an a capella rendition of “God Bless America”. In front of the sanctuary they put a fireman’s outfit on a chair (this may have come from someone who actually responded on that day) and an American flag. A bunch of local police and fire attended and took up the gifts. It was very nice and had a good crowd for a weekday evening Mass in a rather bad neighborhood.
 
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I guess you could say we have patriotic liturgies, and I have no problem with them. Anything patriotic is confined to after the Liturgy, and that is usually “God Bless America”. I don’t think it does anything to take away from what we pray during the Liturgy:

“For the peace of the whole world, for the stability of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.”
 
FiveLinden said:
You should do a thought experiment if you are American and bring to mind the patriotic masses or other religious observances practiced over the years by the dozens of countries with which the USA has been at war. Did God approve of both theirs and yours during the wars?.
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I don’t see any reason why God doesn’t approve of patriotism. I guess we can each decide for ourselves how patriotic we want to be.

When it comes to killing people, that is a different matter.

You can be opposed to war and violence and still be a patriot. I don’t see a fundamental contradiction there.
 
God would certainly approve of us asking God to bless and guide our country, which would include guiding leaders away from doing unjust or wrong things. God would also approve of us praying for the souls of those who died serving their country, or as the result of an act of war (such as 9/11), regardless of whether the country’s action was good or bad judgment.

In any event, a patriotic Mass is not about asking God to bless our violence. People these days have a very warped idea of what the word “patriotism” means.
 
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We had a past thread where someone noted that many people interpret “patriotism” to mean “nationalism” these days.

I also think “patriotism” in USA got a bad name with the Vietnam War and a certain segment of our population never got over/ got past that. That segment also didn’t like the idea of people being patriotic in their response to 9/11 because they thought the government was using it to manipulate us into another war. I remember shortly after 9/11 I referred to it as this generation’s Pearl Harbor Day - I was thinking in terms of the US being attacked and all the “where were you when you heard about it” that persisted for decades - and one of these old hippie types about had a meltdown because he thought I was trying to justify starting World War Three.
 
I wish you had it as well. And that is the difference between patriotism and nationalism. Patriotism does not desire to be number one. Patriotism is simply an affection for one’s home. It allows others to be equally patriotic. For example, I have a patriotic priests. He also supports the patriotism and affection many Mexican immigrants have for their own home, as he does for his Ireland. A nationalist would not want to see that on American soil. Patriotism however respects that in all people. This universality is why it is compatible with Catholicism.

How much is acceptable at Mass is a bit trickier. I would rather let each priest decide what is best for each parish.
 
As to patriotism in the Mass itself, I have no problem with it if tastefully done, especially in remembrance of the dead, as in 9/11. Heck, we bring coffins into the Church for Mass. I see no substantial difference. We offer prayer intentions for all sorts of things. We offer Mass for personal intentions. Goodness knows our country needs all the prayers it can get.
 
My old parish does the usual Independence Day stuff, (e.g. singing America the Beautiful at the dismissal). It also has an annual international-themed Mass and potluck picnic. People of all national and ethnic origins at this very diverse parish bring flags from their home countries, (or ancestral lands, if they’re 2nd or 3rd-generation immigrants). It’s a beautiful expression of how catholic the Catholic faith is!
 
As you know, veneration and worship are different things. Do you venerate the flag in the same way you would a crucifix? What is the difference if not?
 
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