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Magnus467
Guest
Our church played The Battle Hymn of the Republic and it was completely fine. Should we be ashamed to be Americans?
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momor
Guest
The fact is that many of us don’t think that giving thanks for our country qualifies as “for the heck of it”. Too many people have given their life for our country AND for many other countries around the world. Despite our problems, and they are many, we are still the most generous country in the world and the most likely to come to the aid of another country in danger. I am proud of that and I believe God is as well. So no, I don’t think God is the least offended or jealous that we give thanks and honor for the blessing of this US of A.
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zab
Guest
…or ride the bus to the March For Life rally.
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CoffeeHound
Guest
And praying for a country is “any old purpose”? Like I said before, it’s not like people had Jimi Hendrix come in and blast the Star Spangled Banner - we’re talking about a very respectful song praying to God to bless a country. What better non-liturgical use is there for a church?
People just take things too far sometimes, and find fault when there really is none.
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OraLabora
Guest
Nothing wrong with that, in fact the liturgy even provides a place for it: in the general intercessions.
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CoffeeHound
Guest
So, anything for which we pray during the intercessions cannot be mentioned outside of the liturgy?
We’ve already accepted that singing God Bless America during the recessional is not a liturgical abuse. So the only argument against singing that song is that it’s “profane” or does not glorify God. However, if we already pray for our country during the General Intercessions, wouldn’t that mean that praying for our country is not profane and does not diminish God? If it was, wouldn’t it be banned from the liturgy?
I think some people take things like this to an absolute extreme - it’s as if they want to glorify God more than everyone else, so they seek to automatically find fault with everyone and everything else.
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magdalina
Guest
I think it’s best to keep nationalist music, political speech, flags and non-Catholic imagery OUT of Catholics churches. If not, where does it end? Himno Nacional Mexicano? Thanh Niên Hành Khúc? Lupang Hinirang?
I’m as patriotic as the next person, but after communion I feel the need to offer thanksgiving to God, not lip-sync O Canada.
Maggie
I’m as patriotic as the next person, but after communion I feel the need to offer thanksgiving to God, not lip-sync O Canada.
Maggie
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magdalina
Guest
Liturgical abuse or not, there are those who go to church to pray, not participate in a political rally. Please, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble, take that stuff to the parish hall and let us pray.
Maggie
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curlycool89
Guest
I happen to be visiting America this week, so I went to Church here. A couple patriotic hymns, but I especially liked the fact that the song “America” (from the Breaking Breadbook) lifted the turn right from “God Save the Queen” (I guess America just can’t let go of Mother Britain, eh 
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twopekinguys
Guest
I asked this earlier. Do you think the Papal flag should be out of the church? After all, the Vatican/Holy See is a country in and of itself.
Do you pray during the singing of the recessional? I have to wait until the singing is over.
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benedictgal
Guest
So did mine and I had some serious issues with that. The song was a Northern song composed during the Civil War. A friend of mine, a priest, also had some serious issues with that song because of the context as that song was sung as something terrible happened to his ancestor’s property. What is next? Dixie as the entrance processional?
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CoffeeHound
Guest
Political rally? Did your parish sing “Hail to Thee, Obama” or something similar?
The United States government is a large and powerful organization that not only has jurisdiction over individuals within the country, but also has the power to change the world for good (or bad). Praying that God watches over America (and any other similar organization) is not only a good thing to do, but a necessary thing.
The current US national anthem is set to the music of a famous British drinking song. The de facto national anthem before that was set to the tune of God Save the Queen.I happen to be visiting America this week, so I went to Church here. A couple patriotic hymns, but I especially liked the fact that the song “America” (from the Breaking Breadbook) lifted the turn right from “God Save the Queen” (I guess America just can’t let go of Mother Britain, eh
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ljubim
Guest
It bothers me when we try and celebrate ourselves during Mass. We’ve all seen adjective Masses… youth Masses, graduation Masses, etc. All equally irreverent and awful 
America is a piece of land we happen to live on. God could have put us anywhere else and we’d be no different. It’s absolutely ridiculous to thank the Constitution that we can be Catholics.
Because the U.S. isn’t, and never was, anti-Catholic at all. And of course no Catholics have ever existed outside of the U.S. 
because those foreigners are all sooo oppressed.
I second BenedictGal, if anybody starts singing Eyes of Texas during or after Mass, I’ll plug my ears. Same for any song that praises a piece of land.
-Not a Canadian (might I add that stereotyping other nations seems to be a hobby among nationalists. Check out some historical WWII posters about Germans - this has been around for a looong time. Only prayer can knock people into their senses and get them focused back on God at God’s own Holy Sacrifice.)
America is a piece of land we happen to live on. God could have put us anywhere else and we’d be no different. It’s absolutely ridiculous to thank the Constitution that we can be Catholics.
Because the U.S. isn’t, and never was, anti-Catholic at all. And of course no Catholics have ever existed outside of the U.S. because those foreigners are all sooo oppressed.I second BenedictGal, if anybody starts singing Eyes of Texas during or after Mass, I’ll plug my ears. Same for any song that praises a piece of land.
-Not a Canadian (might I add that stereotyping other nations seems to be a hobby among nationalists. Check out some historical WWII posters about Germans - this has been around for a looong time. Only prayer can knock people into their senses and get them focused back on God at God’s own Holy Sacrifice.)
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CoffeeHound
Guest
No, America is a multi-trillion dollar organization that governs a piece of land. We actively participate and control it. It has enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world, and makes history-altering decisions every month.
Asking God to watch over the leaders and people of that organization so that we use our power for good rather than evil seems like a very good idea.
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benedictgal
Guest
That is why the appropriate place for this is the General Intercessions, not in songs.
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ljubim
Guest
…may I add, end of story.
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NewEnglandPriest
Guest
Its played because on a practical level, many more people will complain if its not then if it is…
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JaredR
Guest
I respect my country, but I was bothered when we sang “America the Beautiful” on Sunday. It didn’t seem appropriate to sing a song addressed to an earthly country after we had experienced a foretaste of heaven. Fourth of July or not, America is not what my heart is set on after I’ve received Communion, and I don’t want to turn my eyes away from Jesus to celebrate patriotism. It’s just not the right moment.
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Monica4316
Guest
I’m not American…
but I just wanted to say that I have some issues with singing the national anthem in the Mass. It’s secular, it’s not about God… the Mass should be all about Him.
Also in Scripture it says our citizenship is in Heaven.
I don’t mind singing the national anthem, just not in church.
but I just wanted to say that I have some issues with singing the national anthem in the Mass. It’s secular, it’s not about God… the Mass should be all about Him.
Also in Scripture it says our citizenship is in Heaven.
I don’t mind singing the national anthem, just not in church.
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