While interviewing the Archbishop Roberto Gonzalez of San Juan, Puerto Rico for a profile that will appear soon in the Tablet, he said that the culture of Puerto Rico had been “generated” in the Church. This is a central theme in the New Evangelization that has been such a prominent part of the teaching of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. Sometimes, for us born in the U.S., where the culture was not born in the Church, it is difficult to imagine what that would look like. Now, thanks to Rocco Palmo, we have a link to a videotape of a Catholic Mass held in Miami by a group of New Orleans Saints’ fans. The Mass was presided over by Archbishop Gregory Aymond, assisted by other clergy including that city’s Archbishop Emeritus Phillip Hannan. The Mass was broadcast live and without interruption on local New Orleans stations. My friends, that is what a culture generated in the Church looks like, a culture that makes room for God in every way and includes Him in everything, including its sporting events. Archbishop Aymond’s leadership is giving the lie to the gloom and doom nostalgists who usually dominate Catholic airwaves. His humor is first rate to boot. Hats – and zucchettos – off to Archbishop Aymond.
Kudos to NOLA Abp Aymond
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It's time the "Church" (in this sense) learnt to listen and to hear, to watch and see, the world around it, learn its language, so that it can learn to speak and genuinely communicate and share its insights and message in ways that really connect with the everyday lives and deaths of everyday people, each in their own culture. The Church cannot have just one culture for 6,000,000,000 listeners!
I'm sure contextual preaching is not unheard of in the church, even if we can use more of it. And I'm sure that it is not only at "Super Bowl Masses" that people dress in the clothing of their "secular" passions and activities ... So I'm not sure why this Mass so excites you.
And in fact, the intensely pro-Saints bent to the Mass would, I imagine, make a Roman Catholic member of the Indianapolis Colts feel quite unwelcome. Furthermore, what if the Saints lost? It's only a game, after all, and they could have lost. Would that have been a demonstration of God's failure?
One more question - did this "culture generated in the Church" broadcast Mass the following Sunday? Or is that only when their team is in the Super Bowl?