What do you think about patriotic songs during Mass?

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ctb95 said:
Fr. James Martin, S.J. wrote a thought-provoking article about patriotic music during mass, especially during the Fourth of July weekend. Usually, I disagree with him, but I found myself wholeheartedly agreeing with him this time.

americamagazine.org/faith/2017/07/03/father-james-martin-should-we-sing-patriotic-songs-mass-probably-not

What are you opinions about patriotic music during the Mass or other church services?
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I’m a huge patriot and I hate the songs at Mass.
 
pianistclare said:
We’re not saved by grace. That’s not a Catholic notion.
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Actually, it is. I think you’re confusing salvation by God’s grace with sola fide.

As far as I know, the Church does teach that we are saved by God’s grace. That is what Ephesians 2:8-9 says: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God — not because of works, lest any man should boast.” That is also what the Council of Trent said: “It is necessary to believe that sins neither are remitted, nor ever were remitted save gratuitously by the mercy of God for Christ’s sake.”

What we Catholics do not believe, as you might know, is that we are saved by faith alone (James 2:24).

In a nutshell: “saved by grace” ≠ sola fide.
 
patrick457 said:
Actually, it is. I think you’re confusing salvation by God’s grace with sola fide.

As far as I know, the Church does teach that we are saved by God’s grace. That is what Ephesians 2:8-9 says: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God — not because of works, lest any man should boast.” That is also what the Council of Trent said: “It is necessary to believe that sins neither are remitted, nor ever were remitted save gratuitously by the mercy of God for Christ’s sake.”

What we Catholics do not believe, as you might know, is that we are saved by faith alone (James 2:24).

In a nutshell: “saved by grace” ≠ sola fide.
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I thought sola fide meant faith alone.
 
Clevus said:
Never seen so many diverting eyes checking for the audacious ones in the congregation who were not quite patriotic. The front door opening is watched carefully.
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I’ve never in my life seen people in church looking for who’s not singing the patriotic song, especially since it is usually the recessional and there are going to be a couple dozen people leaving early regardless of what is being played. There is no way to tell if someone is leaving because they don’t want to sing “America the Beautiful” or because they want to be first out of the parking lot.
 
Tim_D said:
One time at my church they played the Battle Hymn of the Republic during the recessional. The first thing I thought, being in south Louisiana, was “*that’s a dab-burn-no-good yankee song.” * That was a very odd choice.
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Hahahaha. Perhaps you would have preferred “Battle Cry of Freedom” or “God Save the South” instead? 🙂
 
I agree with Fr. Martin that most of his post is subject. It definitely is a problem that may vary from parish to parish. My priest one even substituted the recessional I had for* God Bless America on Memorial weekend. This is simply not a problem at my parish, as there was no contradiction between this weekend’s Gospel and our recessional of America the Beautiful.* Does anyone think the commandment to honor one’s mother and father contradicts the Gospel? Of course not. This is a non-issue.

Much of this article addresses nationalism. Patriotism is not nationalism. There is no more thin line between the two than their are between following the commandment to honor one’s parents and ancestor worship. Whether the songs we sing would be appropriate for another parish is truly a subjective matter, as Fr. Martin admits.
 
quies said:
Nothing changes patriotism into nationalism faster than bullets spraying over your foxhole. :stretcher:
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What changes patriotism to nationalism is the same thing that changes any virtue into a vice. That is, a disregard of the first and greatest commandment. Virtue that comes only from our sense of duty to others is always vulnerable, though we know we must love our neighbors. Yet the greatest commandment, and our first priority in all things, is love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and strength. This is the proper position for which to love our neighbors, and which to pray for our country.

Heck, Jesus taught us the same lesson several different ways. This week’s Gospel was one of those. I also am partial to C. S. Lewis’ principle of first things.
 
I’m not a fan of “battle” or “we are the greatest” patriotic songs at Mass.

But I also don’t think there is a real problem with the occasion song that praises something virtuous, since God is the source of all virtue. Many of the Psalms do likewise.

Granted, America the Beautiful and God Bless America are not scriptural Psalms, but they are written in a somewhat similar fashion.
 
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