Polka Mass

[Ray_Marshall]

Get out your dictionaries and look up serendipity!

I saw this thread the other day and ignored it, thinking it was an old one that had been bumped.

I checked it again tonight, read it and chuckled. For one of my Christmas gifts was a brand new book, “Dancing a Polka to Heaven, the Story of Father Frank Perkovich, the Polka Mass Priest, As Told By His Friends.”

[Betty Vos, ed., ISBN 0-9709575-9-9, Singing River Publications, Ely, MN; www.singingriverpublications.com $18.50, paperback]

Father Perkovich taught in my high school in Duluth when I was young. I have been to one of his Masses. It was some parish event in Superior, WI and I thought that the music was very reverent.

I’ll cut to the chase first and then give the details: Father Perkovich gave Pope John Paul II a recording of the Polka Mass and the Polka Masters band played several selections for him. The Pope told Father that he was aware of the Polka Mass and he tought it “Veery Gooood!” Father is quoted as saying the Pope approved the Mass and told him to continue. p. 147

Father is quoted as saying he celebrated Mass at the High Altar of St. Peter’s and the band played their music. They attracted the largest crowd they had ever seen, but he doesn’t give the numbers. p. 148

Coincidentally, serendipitously, an Associated Press reporter, who happened to be from Minnesota, filed a lead story on the event that was printed round the world. Pp. 148-9 Father Perkovich has a scrapbook of articles from around the world.

In a nutshell, pertaining to the debate on this forum, the article said: “On April 23, [1983] the group performed the Vatican’s first Polka Mass on the main altar in St. Peter’s Basilica.”

It is important to note that the Pope was not the celebrant nor was he present for the Vatican’s Polka Mass.

Father Perkovich had met a Crosier Priest who had a friend in the Vatican, Monsignor Dominica DeLuca, who was Chief of Protocol. Msgr. DeLuca introduced him to Cardinal Oddi, head of education in the Vatician and the World, who, serendipitously, spoke fluent Croation (Fr. Perkovich was Croation & Slovenian) because he had been the Nuncio to Croatia for five years. Cdl. Oddi arranged a meeting with Dante Allimenti, head of all the communications in Rome. Then Msgr. DeLuca introduced him to Msgr. Martin O’Dea, the priest who was responsible for the Pope’s audiences. pp. 145-6

The Church is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. There are thousands of Bishops, probably. And there are gazillions of theologians and liturgists.

Do you know the difference between a theologian, a liturgist and a terrorist.

You should! You can negotiate with a terrorist!

Cheap shot, but no one person is the repository of what is right and proper. Only the Magesterium has that role. And frankly, most of us, including priests and Bishops can’t quite figure out what comprises the Magesterium. But that is good. Because that is how the Church has survived for 2,000 years.

 

[Ray_Marshall]

Ray Marshall:

In a nutshell, pertaining to the debate on this forum, the article said: “On April 23, [1983] the group performed the Vatican’s first Polka Mass on the main altar in St. Peter’s Basilica.”

Father Frank Perkovich performed his “papally approved” Polka Mass on the High Altar of St. Peter’s Basilica.

That does not mean that Creoles, the Latins, Native Americans, Italians, Germans and Japanese are now required to perform Polka Masses on the 59th Sunday after Easter.

What it means is that one billion of us are members of a Universal Church that recognizes that we are unique, as humans, and unique as members of ethnic/language/nationality groups, and unique as individuals. We are our own “human trinity.” Might not that be what is meant by being “created in the image and likeness of Christ?”

The Church does not want to deny us the opportunity to pay homage to Our Lord Jesus Christ in a unique fashion, as long as the core of our beliefs are upheld.

If you are offended by the Polka Mass, don’t attend. I’m offended by some preaching styles. I don’t attend. If you don’t have easy alternatives, all I can say, in the inimitable grace of Sister Agnes Marie, “Offer it up!” Become a saint!

 

[cyprian]

(returning to the church after 25 years) I was at a polka mass
not knowing it was going to be this and the wailing drone …ahhhhhh, I wanted to pull my hair out.Really distracting to me and *my kids * who are taught reverance, etc. I’m Irish so maybe we could have a drum and tin whistle Mass and dress up as leprechauns.Where did it all start, this sacred Liturgy of ours. Whoever said that 70% attendance was due to this Mass is saying that if every parish had the polka Mass we would have a higher attendance? What a rediculous notion some have about what the Mass really is. A giant beautiful prayer it is, and a sacrifice first. EWTN SHOULD BE THE TEACHER OF THE FAITH TO MORE, IF C. DONOVAN SAID WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THIS MASS,I AGREE. iT’S A DISTRACTION AT BEST. CELEBRATE YOUR HERITAGE WHEN YOU CELEBRATE YOUR HERITAGE, NOT AT MASS. DIDN’T THE KNOWN CHRISTIAN BODY AT ONE TIME (INCLUDING AFRICA) ALL CELEBRATE THE SAME FEW RITES??

 

[system]

traditio.com/nos.htm

Please go to the following like which documents with pictures abuse after abuse of the mass, with the biker mass, the polka mass, the cheesehead mass, the bagel mass (which I was unfortunate enough to have to sit through) and others. This is all fruits of Vatican II and the doing away of the beautiful Traditional Latin Mass.

We have been trying for 10 years to get an Indult mass in our diocese in NY, but the Bishop will not allow it and has told all of us to go the St Pius X which is 20 miles away, which we do from time to time. The Vatican and the Bishops are scared of the TLM as it brings back tradition, something the church wants us all to forget if they are going to push their liberal agendas and Vatican II ideas down the laity’s throats.

I recommend you look for a TLM and start attending the High Mass as my family and I did about 3 years ago and no Novus Ordo mass will ever feel the same

 

[robertaf]

traditio.com/nos.htm

The Vatican and the Bishops are scared of the TLM as it brings back tradition, something the church wants us all to forget if they are going to push their liberal agendas and Vatican II ideas down the laity’s throats.

I recommend you look for a TLM and start attending the High Mass as my family and I did about 3 years ago and no Novus Ordo mass will ever feel the same

These statements amaze me. Please remember that our Bishops are successors of the Apostles, unlike the rest of us. They are guided by the TRUTH, the Holy Spirit. We need to be reminded of this a little more often.

By the way, I am a pre Vatican II Catholic and have experienced the Latin Mass very well, thanks. I still prefer the Mass in the vernacular.

 

[system]

I understand what you are saying, but the Traditional latin Mass, and I and many who do not like the change do not care if it was in Latin or in the vernacular. The TLM was codified in the Council of Trent, with the wrath of St Peter and Paul to come down upon any mortal who changed with it, so much so that Pope Pius IX, when asked to add the name of St Joseph to the mass, refused saying " Who am I to touch the sacred canon of the Mass". From the time of our Lord until 1962, only 26 words, for liturgican reasons were added to the entire Mass. At Vatican II, and instituted in 1970, 70% of the mass was thrown out, and replaced with the vernacular mass formed by 6 Protestants and one Mason (Bugnini who was later reprimanded by Paul VI). Words were changed, prayers were thrown out, sacrmental words were changed even the way the body and blood are consecrated were changed. It is not the vernacular most are opposed to, it is the very nature of this mass, which has produced horrible abuses and a falling away from the faith. An educated laity is needed to bring the church back to its Traditions.

“To destroy a people, you must first sever its roots.”

To destroy a Religion, you must first sever its traditions.

Maybe you should try going back to the True Mass as passed down from our Lord.

God bless

 

[pnewton]

jtnova:

The Vatican and the Bishops are scared of the TLM as it brings back tradition, something the church wants us all to forget if they are going to push their liberal agendas and Vatican II ideas down the laity’s throats.

I recommend you look for a TLM and start attending the High Mass as my family and I did about 3 years ago and no Novus Ordo mass will ever feel the same

A reminder that the Vatican and the bishops are the chuch. I feel totally safe in following the Holy Father, my bishop and priest. I just do not see this big liberal conspiracy to control the laity.

On the contrary, I have read on these forums more attempt to promote the TLM from those that prefer that Mass. I seldom see anyone here encouraging legitimate TLM Mass goers to abandon that Mass they prefer.

 

[workinprogress]

Maybe some traditionalists (not all in that I’ve seen FSSP people at a reverent novus ordo mass on the weekdays–which are oddly less “entertaining” than on the weekends) are obsessed about the external things but then those not attached to those traditional things are attached to their innovations (the innovators of things like polka masses at least). Some people have to protect its traditions and timeless symbols that did not require a psychologist to say they protect the faith of most its members. Some are focused on the sacrifice and that’s works for them, but many Catholics are either not at mass or have no problem blaspheming even on holy days or wearing play clothes to mass.

My point is the masses are scandalized. If I had not begun to watch EWTN, I might have left. After all, we learn anymore more how we are similar to other religions in teachings and other things without learning what we teach and what’s so special about its other things. I think the Church’s management had lost its moral and teaching voice long before the sex abuse scandals. If you don’t care for even hearing FSSP sermons, which tell you something useful for life every Sunday, at least, EWTN is sometimes all you’ll get for a reverent mass according to rubrics and good sermons that tell you what you need to know.

I would bet deep down the boomers had more respect for the Latin mass and traditional ways because they didn’t compromise for any reason. My dad didn’t like the Latin mass as a kid who then would have decided these things by comfort level (which seems to have been either the spiritual level of maturity or self-fulfilling prophecy of innovater priests who thought people need to be entertained in order to remain–an appeal to the base sensibilities of mankind that will never be satiated and thus, result in silliness and loss of faith for most) and not by any mature understanding of things, but there was no confusion about what is and what isn’t for them till the '60s (though I hear they weren’t being taught what makes our Faith so special either and I don’t think it was till EWTN that I found out what did and does make it so special).

     Management (priests, bishops, highest clergy) may have been cold and insensitive before Vatican 2 (nothing an attitude change amongst the clergy couldn't have fixed, without feeling the need to trash the sacred arts that praised God the most being the first fruits of people of a more pious time since it worked even after St. Francis' reforms, but the post-vatican 2 reformers put the final nail in the coffin of the faith of millions more with silly innovations.  Instead of forced perspective;  we got forced community.  These innovations that reinforce that forced perspective have led its appreciators into the same errors as traditionalists.  Now, people gripe about Latin or Latin songs in mass because they can't understand it--well, I don't understand this alien art from an alien spirituality that has the tabernacle to the side, worldly arts (not meant to be in a mass that celebrates the solemn Last Supper and events up to Calvary--my problem with the upbeat party and dancing music of polka or Christian rock) and masses that accentuate the horizontal relationships of people over the vertical relationship with God, while pretending otherwise.  We might as well have the statue of Jesus from Dogma instead of a big crucifix in the sanctuary because it's all about feeling warm and cozy in many churches these days.

How can we take seriously the Eucharist with rock music as liturgical music and folksy ad-libs by the priest like “Anybody have any birthdays?”. It’s like the Constitution being displayed with Disney characters on the display case and cheerleaders with pom poms doing cheers for it—what American in this day and age could take the Constitution seriously in these days if presented as such? Eventually, respect would wane for most over time.

That is why we need to bring back the sacred high arts and tough sermons (with maybe a little light humor appropriate to the theme). With the exception of some good parishes, EWTN may be the one thing that will bring people back to the Church and their faith in the Faith, nothing excluded–even Catholics, SSPX and Call to Action alike and the indifferent inbetween, many of whom act like heathens during the week and sometimes on Sunday too (I need to shape up in many ways myself). We are the sheep. We need help not appeasement (appeasement probably noone asked for but which their fleshly desires must have yearned for before Vatican 2) from our shepherds.

 

[dbradio]

I’ve now seen the video. Not only did a Polka Mass take place in 1983 in St. Peter’s, Fr. Frank Perkovich was the celebrant!

God bless Fr. Frank!