Theft of Non-Catholic Symbols Intended for Mass

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*"Theft of sacred medallions may be protest of unity service
Student could be expelled
Michael Martinez
Issue date: 10/7/09 Section: News

A UDM student reportedly stole four medallions depicting various world religions in an attempt to deny their recognition in the Sept. 24 Celebrate Spirit service, the university’s opening liturgy.

The student, who has not been publicly identified, entered Gesu Church between 7 and 9 a.m., according to the UDM Department of Public Safety.

The suspect stole the medallions representing Islam, Confucianism, Buddhism and Hinduism and disposed of them, officials said.

…]

“It’s a sad thing that happened, and it illustrates how one person’s inability to accept others can affect a whole community,” said the Rev. Gary Wright, S.J., of Campus Ministry.

Despite the attempt to stop the inclusion of the other religions, Wright believes that **Celebrate Spirit’s message of unity **was not lost.

“It made us all pause and then realize that because of this we had the ability to bring the community even closer,” he said.

Hibbard agreed, saying that once the mass started she forgot all about what had happened,** and had a good time**.

“This (person) did not stop what was happening,” she said. “It was the best (mass) yet with the **most coherent theme **in everything we did.”"*media.www.thevarsitynews.net/media/storage/paper1411/news/2009/10/07/News/Theft.Of.Sacred.Medallions.May.Be.Protest.Of.Unity.Service-3794961.shtml#5

It seems this student might get expelled. I say he or she is a martyr. Martyrs died for less - expullsion from a liturgically liberal university should be considered an honour.
  1. Since when did symbols from other religions enter into the liturgy?
  2. What is a “Celebrate Spirit service”? Is that like the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass?
  3. Why would insisting a Catholic Mass exclude non-Catholic religions be considered an inability to accept others?
  4. When did a Mass have to have a message of unity with other religions?
  5. The nun had a “good time” at Mass? Did anyone have a good time at Calvary?
  6. What other theme besides Christ’s sacrifice needs to be a theme at Mass?
  7. Why does it seem typical a nun and campus Jesuit are responsible for this travesty?
 
*Some very good questions!!!
Not sure how to answer them. :confused:
Angel Face
*
 
“This (person) did not stop what was happening,” she said. “It was the best (mass) yet with the most coherent theme in everything we did.”

Therein lies the problem. The Mass is not about what you did, the Mass is about what our Lord Jesus Christ did for us. And why am I not surprised to see “S.J.”? Lord Jesus, I ask Your pardon for the person who stole. Amen.
 
Does anyone care about the simple fact that stealing is never right?
 
Cluny said:
Does anyone care about the simple fact that stealing is never right?
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But removing pagan symbols to be used at mass is definitely appropriate. The first commandment is first for a reason.
 
Was it actually a mass? The article uses the term “opening liturgy” to describe the service which seems to imply it was some sort of service for the starting of the school year. I’m not familiar with this school though.

I think a charge of a hate crime is over the top.
 
Cider said:
Was it actually a mass? The article uses the term “opening liturgy” to describe the service which seems to imply it was some sort of service for the starting of the school year. I’m not familiar with this school though.

I think a charge of a hate crime is over the top.
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The sister in charge of the liturgy called it a Mass in the linked article. Even if it wasn’t a Mass, Catholic liturgy does not include pagan symbolism. Liturgy is the prayer of the Church. If they wanted some kind of a multi-cultural prayer service to celebrate the start of school, it wouldn’t be a liturgy, certainly not a Mass and should not have taken place in the Church. The school calls itself a Catholic University and the two people quoted in the article were a Catholic sister and a Jesuit priest. One would think they know about these things and wouldn’t call a prayer service a Mass.
 
I disagree with what they were trying to do in the Mass, but to be honest I don’t think STEALING the medallions was the right solution… cause isn’t theft a sin… even if done for good reasons
 
Ockham said:
Is there anything you wouldn’t do in defence of the Faith?
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I don’t know. If taking an action in defense of the faith made it acceptable, regardless of what that action was, wouldn’t Christ have watched silently as Peter used his sword to slice his way through the mob?
 
Well… the Catechism does say evil may not be used, even for good means (paraphrased :))

But then removing them IS another thing entirely. If it was that big of a deal then the student should have gone through the proper channels, such as getting a Cardinal or Bishop behind him.
 
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