The following comes from a July 11 Catholic Voice article by Carrie McClish:
Even after having spent more than 40 years as a priest of the Diocese of Oakland — including more than a quarter of a century as pastor of Oakland’s St. Benedict Parish — the Very Rev. James Matthews was not quite prepared for the many challenges he assumed when he became rector at the Cathedral of Christ the Light over a year ago.
Although formed in 2007, Christ the Light Parish is made up of four separate communities. “They are separated — not divided — by language and by culture,” Father Matthews said.
While he presides over the “mother church” of the Diocese of Oakland, Father Matthews is also the territorial pastor of the Parish of Christ the Light. This parish formed following the merger of three downtown Oakland parishes — St. Francis de Sales, St. Mary, Immaculate Conception, and St. Andrew-St. Joseph — that had “distinctive ethnic/cultural communities” (Vietnamese, Latino and Filipino) along with English-speaking Caucasian, African American and African communities that also existed. All of which produced a patchwork parish of four worship communities without a “vision of unity as one parish,” Father Matthews said in an interview earlier this month.
Nothing reflects these individual communities more than in weekend Masses. On Saturday mornings there’s a Mass in Vietnamese; in the evening the vigil Mass is celebrated in English. On Sunday mornings there is a Mass in Vietnamese and one in English while in the afternoon there is a Mass in English and one in Spanish.
Father Matthews has plans to add more unity to the diversity by bringing together the different languages and ethnicities at one Mass. On Thanksgiving Day of last year only one Mass was scheduled and the worship space was filled. “We could have celebrated the Mass multiculturally and have everyone come together,” said the rector.
“Folks are very comfortable singing and praying in their own language, that’s part of reality,” Father Matthews said. But he said that it’s important to try to bring unity to diversity so that the cathedral parish can feel as one parish.
Get real. They all know English — or they should if they live in America — so English should be the exclusive language of the parish.
Or serve up Latin at all the Masses as the unifying language.
Parishes and dioceses that buy into the multicultural nonsense are contributing to the balkanization of America.
Tower of Babel Masses that feature three or more languages to appease all the interest groups are a terrible idea. Switching between so many languages and having to read translations distracts from the Mass as prayer. Then the Mass turns into a celebration of community and ethnic pride rather than a celebration of Christ’s sacrifice.
Since it’s America, celebrate the Mass in English. With that out of the way, focus on…
Sawyer, I have no idea where you live, different parts of the country have more or less languages spoken in the home. On the left coast, English may not be the majority language in the home. Some our school districts teach in 20 or more languages to meet the needs of the kids. Hispanics are the major population of the LA Archdiocese. Hispanics make up about 50% of all Catholics under 30 years old. Different cultures have different ways of celebration. And, a parish is a community, not just a place to go to Mass on Sunday. To bring people into one common parish requires exposing everyone to all the cultures. Ever been to an African-American Mass? Got 2-3 hours to sing?
When northern Europeans came to this country, ethnic parishes were the thing. On one street you might have Polish, French, German, etc. parishes. it took three to four generations to create the melting pot. You have to start with people are and bring them along over time. But you don’t turn them away because they can’t speak English or want to keep some of there cultural heritage.
When I was young, one of our pastors talked about frustrations, of trying to work amicably, with different ethnic groups, in his own parish- and all over the area! There were different ethnic Catholic churches, in those days, everywhere– with the same Latin Mass– but different ethnic cultures! Many, however, believed that in coming to America, one must leave behind the “old country,” and embrace the new one, and its language and customs. Many loved being new Americans! But sadly– American pride was shattered, in the 1960’s, by the liberals!
There are many countries around the world that speak more than one language. No one in Austria, for example, would have a problem with masses in English and German, for example, or French and German. The Church doesn’t involve itself in decisions about what language people “should” speak or pray in. Nor should it. It does, and should, minister to people without concern of anything except to announce the Gospel in the language that most effectively communicates Good News.
“…Get real. They all know English — or they should if they live in America — so English should be the exclusive language of the parish.”
English is not the “official” language in all 50 States in the US, Sawyer. So getting real is too often not something provided for in the law. That applies to the Church as well. Especially when ambiguity – precisely there for the sake of appeasement – is promoted as taking precedence over that which is clear and or logical.
And whereas “Latin” itself is a unifying language, the TLM is a more unifying rite as it is less open to personal interpretation. So while we lament “Tower of Babel” masses with regard to the choice of language, the reality of what the law provides if one adheres to…
have the people been surveyed to ask if they feel that there is no unity? from whose perspective is a lack of unity perceived? is it not possible that that things are fine as they are? how many parishes have we all seen where there are different music options to allow for generational diversity, all with unity?
Solution = Assimilation.
If you’re all going to talk about forced assimilation, I have only one response to that: LATIN. It is the common heritage of all Catholics.
Alberto, I’ll bet that some of our Native American friends would think that we should have all learned the Abernaki, Sioux or Navajo languages. After all, if you come here you should assimilate. Right?
That church is shattered into the tower of Babel.
‘Parishes and dioceses that buy into the multicultural nonsense are contributing to the balkanization of America.’ ==== bal·der·dash! ====== For DECADES, Italians were DESCRIMINATED by anglo-saxons and they have to build their own parishes to feel at home. Even though Latin was use in the liturgy.
The language of the Church is Latin, and in the United States, English rules. Sometimes the obvious solution is the easiest!
Because, you know, only Latin speakers and English speakers will be saved.
“Your Fellow Catholic” and “Bob One”: Rejoice now, because you are in your hour. In fact, as Cardinal Sarah recently said (and much literature and history support), there should be a common way of worshiping — ad orientem — with communion on the tongue while kneeling. And, there should be one formal language of worship — Latin. You can enjoy Babel, but it will not last. Pray in whatever language you wish, but worship in Latin, as the Church has done for centuries. But then, we now have open worshipers of sodomy in the Vatican, so, until they go, not much will change for the good of Mankind.
“YFC”, perhaps your confessor will enjoy your snarkiness. My point remains, even if you prefer to disregard it.
“Pro sapientia”, or as we say in English, “pray for wisdom”.
English, hard as that may seem to accept, is not the official language of all 50 states. This is a problem.
Unfortunately, that business model of diversification when one revenue stream turns to a trickle has its downside when the over diversification renders a company seemingly representing nothing special, but rather doing everything in a rather mediocre fashion. Then the call is to specialize.
That’s why many, for quite some time, are calling for the Church to do that which works – unify by engaging the unifying mass and language that helped build up the Church.
So before the “spirit” of Vatican II caused all this chaos, confusion and division… perhaps there was some “wisdom” evident before Vatican II when there was ONE mass and ONE language in the Roman Church… Latin ?
Is it now just a matter of time before we have Black Lives Matter masses… GLTB masses… Atheist masses… and how about Muslim Sharia Law masses… if we really want to be inclusive ?
Gabe, you missed part of the point, I think. Before VII the Mass was said in Latin only in the Latin Rite. But, each parish, in larger towns and cities, was ethnic and all communications and sermons etc. were in the language of the people: Polish, French, Croatians, Italian, English/Irish, etc. In my small town of 9,000 people there were two churches, one for the French Canadians and one for the Irish/English and the Mass could not have been more different. Yes, the Mass was in Latin, but the cultures, music customs, devotions, etc. were not even close.
Gabe, you know I’m sure that Latin is used in the Latin Rite, but don’t forget that the Roman Catholic Church has about 25 different rites, most using their own language. The Syro-Malabar tradition has about 2,000 parishes and 25 Bishops but uses a Syrian based language. The Ruthenian Church uses the Byzantine style liturgy, and the list goes on. The Latin Rite is the largest, but not the only one. When we speak of the Church in the U.S., even, we have to think of the universal Church, not just the Northern European.
St. Mary/St. Frances de Sales used to have unity Masses where all the language groups came together, I think at least once a quarter and maybe even more often than that. I guess this was dropped when they moved everyone to the Cathedral?
And part of the problem has nothing to do with language. When you try to merge five failed parishes into one, that doesn’t mean they are instantly going to begin working together–no matter what language they speak.
I Like Hearing the Word (properly translate) in my native English – and think that Most Parishioners (particularly the young) Benefit from the Understanding that goes with it
Our Parish does have a Spanish Language Mass & Confessions for those who speak no English. No Problemo – so long as advertised as such
However – by far the greatest downside to any Service IMO is a Homilist with Poor English Skills, who leaves the Parishioners more confused afterwards than before
This problem occurs when Vocations are lacking from the Country where the Mass is held
When looking at Catholics ‘Leaving the Church’ – the elephant in the room is a “Failure to Communicate”- in an accent from which they can understand the Message
The root cause of Diversity is: PC Illness. An excellent but long article : MENTALLY ILL AMERICA: 10 delusional demands of political correctness you are required to accept, despite the contradictory evidence witnessed with your own eyes….by Mike Adams, Health Ranger, July 11, 2016. Learn more @: http://www.naturalnews.com/054625_political_correctness_mass_mental_illness_insane_America.html#ixzz4EM6KJoCY
Read what PC really is. Then think of the last 7/8 years. Who knew controlled insanity was the name of the game? God deliver us.