Tridentine Gregorian Mass in Paris and the FAITH in Paris, what do you think?

[Megan7]

I constantly hear that the faith is dead in Paris, in Europe as a whole. However, I just found a video on Youtube, titled “Tridentine Gregorian Mass in Paris”

The Church is packed with people, they have a lot of altar boys, I have never seen so many in 1 Church. It looks lovely.

So, I am wondering, how is the Faith in Europe, how is it in France?
This video paints another picture, it seems as though the Faith is pretty strong in Paris, a beautiful Tridentine Gregorian Mass.

What do you think?
Thanks,
Pax

 

[OraLabora]

Well I’m not from France but I’m francophone, being from Quebec. France has a long and interesting relationship with the Church, far too complex and long to discuss here.

But I can say this I saw and see evidence of a vibrant faith in France, more so than here. They may be few in number but those who take the faith seriously do indeed take it very seriously. In October 2010 I did a retreat at a monastery in France (St. Wandrille), the abbey in fact that founded the abbey of which I am an oblate. They still use Gregorian chant daily, and sing a Latin Mass (in the Ordinary Form) daily except Sunday, when the follow the format of my abbey: Latin Gregorian chant for the propers and ordinary and French for the rest (they do it that way on Sunday because of the large number of faithful that attend). It is a monastery with a surprisingly young community, and while I was there many of those on retreat were young men in their 20s (being led by a young 50ish priest whom I had the pleasure of meeting)

Other communities in France also betray a very vibrant Church. I can think for example of the Communauté St. Martin who released a complete diurnal Liturgy of the Hours (current 4-week format) in Latin Gregorian chant, something LONG overdue! There’s also the abbey of Solesmes, the “keepers” if you will, of Gregorian chant in the Church. Also a very dynamic place.

Overall then I’d have to say that the faith is quite lively in France.

 

[saraih]

So, I am wondering, how is the Faith in Europe, how is it in France?

While I can’t speak to France in particular, I can say that practising the Catholic faith has actually not been this easy for centuries in many European countries. The governments get more and more secular, the numbers go down, public life may be slightly harder, but for those of us living it, it’s pretty okay

Protections for other groups of people have meant more protections for us, in all honesty. Nice masses are rarely hard to come by, there’s an online community that never existed before and support is easier to find for home schooling. It’s changed for sure, from the old types of community, but in many ways it is better.