Churches in the United States are weaving music from the Irish rock band U2 with their more formal traditional liturgy.
Episcopal parishes from California to Maine are holding “U2 Eucharists” in an effort to make their services more attractive to young people interested in rock music and social activism.
At the Grace Episcopal Church in Providence, Rhode Island, the Reverend Robert Brooks welcomed worshippers and then added some unusual advice – he warned them to protect their hearing.
“If the sound’s an issue, we do have earplugs available,” he said.
Ushers handed out complementary ear plugs and fluorescent glow sticks for this communion service punctuated by the Irish band’s rock music.
When I think of the Eucharist "complementary ear plugs and fluorescent glow sticks" always comes to mind. I wonder if the priest is acting In Persona Bono? When they talk about Pentecost do they mention The Unforgettable Fire over the Apostles heads? Do the parishioners who dread getting up and going there remark Sunday Bloody Sunday? Do these churches have an address or are they located Where The Streets Have No Name? I would think this service would give the parishioners Vertigo.
44 comments
John, I hardly think B16 has encouraged gays to enter seminary! What is your source?
It’s a shame that this is the same Grace Church that once had a really good choir school and boasts a 103 rank Casavant organ.
Better way to attract the younguns: stir them in the RIGHT direction.
BMP (who lives just minutes from Grace Church)
All that wordplay…I feel numb.
Yeah, but it’ll be easy to find them even if the streets have no name. Just look under The Joshua Tree.
No, no, no, “cjmr.” It’s on the one tree hill. You know, the one in that red hill mining town.
Well, if you want to reach someone, you go to where they are. It’s like picking up your date–you go to the door, you don’t just honk your horn. Showing youth the relevancy of the Church involves entering their world; I mean, would you follow someone who said, “Your music is inappropriate” or someone who said, “Kinda cool, I think we can use that?” In the same way, a missionary learns the language of the people. In the early Church, pagan customs and feast days were adopted then given a Christian redefinition so people could relate more easily and make a smooth transition from paganism to Christianity. Rock on!
Um, has it not occurred to any of these liturgists that U2 is an old band from the eighties? I mean, not to insult their current work, but U2 doesn’t scream “attractive to young people” any more than Lawrence Welk does.
Yes, Maureen. And perhaps that other fellow that all the kids are talking about, Jon Bon Jovi, is also available.
Incidentally, I recall doing a double-cringe when it was reported that the Vatican was going to have JPII’s poetry released via Michael Jackson. Not only was it ghastly on the pedophilia connection, but also, (and admittedly a shallower level)… it screamed, “We have absolutely NO idea what young people are paying attention to!!”
Having said that, I think it’s a mistake when 30+ year olds try to “dig where they’re comin’ from,” as the aging hippies used to say when I was a teen. Watching gray haired hippies strumming a folk guitar to Journey or Madonna was grotesque and it was apparent that these “adults” were in a netherworld: neither young people OR people their age. They were not to be believed.
Maureen,
While I’m not a fan of what they did at this church, U2 is NOT an “old 80’s band”. They are one of the biggest current bands-their last two albums being the best albums (IMHO) ever.
A side note, much of their music is like good art: they don’t give the answers, but they lead you on a journey. Many of their songs are quite Christian
As far as “meeting someone where they are”, church is supposed to be “different”. It sounds different than what you see everyday, looks different, it even smells different. When you hear a pipe organ being played (especially on Easter with one of the great Easter hymns) you know you are *in church*. Especially in our age of people being plugged into something all the time, the church should be strikingly opposite of what you have piped into your head for most of the day, because, doggone it, the church is the opposite of the world. And regarding all of the U2 references, I would especially cringe to hear my child, singing at Mass, “but I still haven’t found what I’m looking for”. Um, look at the Tabernacle.
Sorry, I’ve been exposed to much silly liturgical music over the years, tamborines and all, that this is a sore subject with me.
Would that the powers that be could understand that they can use whatever trends of the day in missionary work but that they should leave the mass alone.
Why are people always doing this in the mass? If the church wants to play U2 to ‘reach out’ to the young people, why doesn’t it have extra-liturgical gatherings where the music of u2 can be heard and reflected upon?
I can’t believe that no one pointed out that these services will go on With or Without You. Because that’s what too many people Desire.
The Rev. Brooks must be an Acrobat to talk like this and act like that.
I’m sure they think this U2 mass is “Even Better Than The Real Thing”. How I’d love to be “The Fly” on that wall, especially during the “Elevation” of the host after the consecration, and the “Gloria”.
I could go on, but I’ll stop “In The Name Of Love”…
you guys crack me up!!!;-)
At least they don’t call them U2charists.
Wow, Sunday, Bloody Sunday
Yick! I couldn’t stand U2 when they were marginally relevant in the mid eighties and nineties.
Maureen, young people aren’t staying away from church because it does not “rawk”, they stay away because it is deep and transcendant of history and style and therefore boring to those who are unwilling, unable and unencouraged by parents, educators and wider society to think deeply or to pray.
They stay away because its positions on the pelvis contradict the feel-good- all-the-time conventional “wisdom” of our age.
They stay away because their parents stay away and do not pray and contracept and divorce and adulterate and otherwise flout the rules and never grow up…
When you were a child and adolescent didn’t it seem faintly ridiculous when adults tried to be “cool”? It always seemed that way to me, like a combover on a bald head.
Make no mistake, as much as I loathe U2, I love to rawk myself…
Just not in church.
Ooops, I meant to rebut TCYM Lounge not Maureen…sorry Maureen.
Speak the Truth – they will come!
Great response Angelic Doctor! I whole heartidly agree!
I don’t recall JPII having to water down or candy
coat the gospel or the teachings of the Church
to make it more acceptable to the youth. They came-oh, how they came. They loved him deeply as he did them.
That’s what the youth and the rest of the world needs. A light in this present darkness.
JPII- we miss you!!
Well, at least U2 doesn’t suck, like that Protestant Marty Haugen that’s writing Catholic muzak 🙂
Of course it’s still silly.
There just is no sense of sacred music left, the minions with their guitars and bongos have killed that. Nowadays, when people speak of classic hymns, they mean ‘Be not afraid’. Idiot culture.
I was at the opening concert of the U2 world tour last year – Bono thanked ‘the Lord Jesus Christ’ at the end. If you watch the DVD you’ll also see him hang a rosary on the microphone.
TCYM Lounge wrote: “A side note, much of their music is like good art: they don’t give the answers, but they lead you on a journey. Many of their songs are quite Christian.”
See, A lot of their songs have Christian overtones, but when you really do a lot of thinking about them, I’m not totally convinced they’d hold up as Christian. And as much Rosary-slinging Bono does, he’s never come out publicly and said he’s a practicing Catholic. I don’t know if he’s using the beads as a decoration, a good luck charm, or to really pray on.
Actually Amy I thought that he described himself as evangelical or “born again”, and has never identified as a Catholic at all…certainly if he doesn’t go to mass and yet checks a Rosary on his mic stand, I’d say he was somewhat mislead.
I could be wrong, does someone else know?
Bono’s Protestant, as are (I believe) The Edge and Larry Mullen.
What a joke, what has the church become, soon they will be paying people to sit in those empty pews while the Eucharistic Ministers will outnumber the parishoners so they can all “participate” in their continued protestanization of the sacred liturgy and Mass
Maybe a sound liturgy, one that reflects reverence, true teachings, a sound Baltimore Catechism, and the rooting out of all of the gays by a Pope like a Pius X and not a liberal like JPII and B16 would do the trick. Oh yes the homosexual priests and liberal Bishops would run for the hills, but like prunning a tree, it will grow big and strong. Our Lord taught only a good tree could bring forth good fruit and a rotten tree rotten fruit, and what good has the church borne these past 40 years? JPII is supposes to be this great inspiration to all, but the seminarian count dropped dramatically during his pontificate, while those of FSSP, SSPX and SSPV continue to grow dramatically, even with no money and resources, just the sweat of the lay brow
Hey John,
I’m confused. You sound Roman Catholic but you speak of these other seminaries that are filling up while the RC ones are ‘dropping dramatically’.
Of what denomination are you?
(humming to self) I will sing, sing a new song . . .
U2 have considered themselves “fools for Christ” more than anything. Their lyrics have good aspects and I enjoy their music, but they aren’t Catholics and there’s no question that this is silly. Of course, I’d like to remind everyone that if you read the actual article, it’s about what’s happening in *Episcopalian* churches (which apparently are not *yet* beyond parody – just almost).
But then I think that’s why Jeff was pointing it out, n’est-ce pas?
Actually — I’ll come out and say I’m a huge fan, but while I can appreciate them as practitioners of “profane” (I mean that in the good way) music, I find Haugen/Haas distressing enough during the Sacred Liturgy — I’d definitely run screaming from a “U2charist” (if I didn’t try to shut it down!).
BTW, I think this whole discussion is just So Cruel. Maybe God Will Send His Angels?
Okay, this is my last comment:
If I had to do it at Mass – singing those songs would make me angry.
But I’m not angry with you.
What denomination am I?
I am “Catholic” as defined by the Baltimore Catechism
What denomination may I ask are you? Catholic today, somewhat Protestant/Catholic tomorrow, etc etc?
Linda
You hardly think that B16 encourages gays to enter the seminary,what is my source. Well stepping back a few decades while the “spirit of Vatican II” was, and is today, alive and well in the seminaries in order to obtain the liberal priesthood the church needed to implement these radical “Uncatholic”, and yes they are uncatholic changes that have taken place, the seminaries became an underground bastion of acceptance for the young gay males, who need to feel acceptance, and there are many other reasons why they enter the seminary, as I know from first hand discussions with them, entered in droves. What other “open minded” individual would be accepting of “woman ordination” and a married priesthood to mimic our Protestant bretheren than someone who is homosexual? If you believed in or mentioned any pope pre vatican II, and even JPII for that matter, you were basically blackballed. I can go on for ever but I think we all know from statistics taken that the seminaries are anywhere from 50% to 80% homosexual, and hence are your Bishops and Cardinals and possibly even the vicar himself.
Now fast forward to today with B16. What has happened to this so called paper which would ban gays from the priesthood? It has once again, as in 1961, been pushed under the table and ignored. A lot of lip service, but ignored. What message does B16 the “Rottweiler” send by this message? Gays, you are welcome, dont ask, dont tell. And the seminaries and the priesthood will continue to be a hunting ground for gay men to congregate and meet young unsuspecting boys and men and perform sinful acts because they are enabled by the upper clergy.
Our Lord made it very clear in scripture that it better a millstone be tied around the neck of anyone who has harmed the youth, and covering up ones crime and moving these sinful men from one parish to another so they can harm others is sinful as well, Cardinal Law? JPII a “saint”? The Cardinal should have been placed on trial and defrocked!
John – you still haven’t quoted me one source, one book, one document, etc.
“What other “open minded” individual would be accepting of “woman ordination” and a married priesthood to mimic our Protestant bretheren than someone who is homosexual?”
I know lots of Catholics who believe that and they are not gay.
Linda, your Catholic friends who believe in woman priests may not be homosexual, but they are certainly heretical.
I didn’t say they were my friends! I have better taste than that! Sheesh!
Linda
My source is my own life experience, and others have written books on the subject. I think that Fr Trugillio of Web of Faith has spoken of his experience as well in the seminary if I recall
Enough said
God bless all
This topic seems to have gone off track and is “Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of”. As far as the music for a mass is concerned, shouldn’t it be something that ties in to the mass and is approved by some Vatican (or appointed) governing body? There are places for these “concerts on the rock” but it shouldn’t be in mass. Now, addressing the second conversation going on here; as a new convert to the Catholic faith, is there something I should know about heresies happening in the Church? 50 to 80% homosexual? Where did these figures come from? Gays you are welcome? Radical Un-Catholic changes? Who decides what a “Catholic” change would be? I think Linda is correct in asking for sources. Not merely for your own validation, but more importantly, because if you know something and do not reveal it, you are much like the servant who hid his master’s talent, waiting for his return. If I joined the wrong Church, I need to know.
Hey John,
Sounds like you’ve logged off. In case you come back, I did want to tell you that I was sincere in asking your denomination? Your response sounded quite harsh
and judgemental. Then again so was your original
comment. I hope you find peace. I have friends who have left the RC church and are now part of the Pius X schism and I need to be honest with you. They are the mosts unhappy, judgemental,
angry, unpeaceful people I know. In fact, two of them have ended up with serious mental illness.
If that’s the fruit of being outside the Church
then I would have to wonder where is good fruit?
In the end these three things will abide, faith,
hope and love and the greatest of these is love.
Here’s praying you find the Truth, namely, Jesus
Christ and His love for you.
Do you have proof that Bono is a Protestant? That’s shocking.
Olga – that is really interesting!
Peace to you Honey!
Olga
I do think that you are being the judgemental one, as it seems the “church” is the one excommunicating traditionalists while clown masses take place and pedophilia runs rampant and it gets swept under the rug
As far as being angry, no traditionalists are a happy sincere group of people who have been persecuted even to a greater extent, for actually HOLDING onto the One True Faith and refuse compromise and the watering down of the faith, than those like Cardinal Kasper who professes that Eucharistic Hospitality to non Catholics, handing over the body of Christ to non Catholics the same way as the pharisies handed him over for crucifixion is the way to go. Something for you to actually reflect upon this lenten season.
As far as Fellay and SSPX, the last I checked I have not seen him kiss a Koran or participate in pagan worship with Hindus aka JPII, so who is really the schismatic?
God bless you
Hi John,
So glad you responded. Just to clarify, I couldn’t agree with you more in your frustration with the abuses in the mass and in the Church. In fact I actually laughed out loud when you questioned my being a protestant. I have just moved from a diocese where I was accused of being TOO Orthodox. There were a group of us that fought the liturgical abuses the best we could ie: liturgical dancing,
new age teachings by feminist nuns, watering down of the teachings on the Holy Sacrafice of the Mass, Holy Eucharist etc. etc. etc. YUK!!!
If felt like it took years off my life so I do
understand, to some extent, your frustration and pain. Please don’t mistake my questioning and defense of the RC church to mean that I am OK with homosexual practices, women priests, pedophilisa, new age teachings, discenting priests, religious and laity! Yuk, Yuk, Yuk!!!!!
I pray for the day when Catholics will
truly know and understand their faith so that we can all go back to worshipping the Lord instead of attacking each other. Great Satanic plan don’t you think? If there’s anything I learned in my 7 years of attacks for defending what is truly Catholic, it’s ‘Keep your eyes on Jesus’!
I would of dispaired otherwise. It’s so easy to get caught up in the ‘fight’ that we forget the very person we’re fighting for. God is good and
faithul, even in spite of us!! He really doesn’t give you more than you can bare if you are following His will. Although at times it feels like He has too much confidence in us. Never-the-less, please forgive me if I sounded judgemental, that was not my intent. I am enraged about one thing and that’s the way that Satan has divided our Church,the body of Christ, and has kept our focus on attacking each other and not him, through prayer. In fact it’s a good wake up
call for me to spend more time on my knees praying for these heretic priests, bishops,cardinals and laity. Our God is a God of miracles and I will put my trust in His mercy, even though it feels like nothing seems to be getting done about so many obvious abuses. Although we both have different beliefs about who is following the “True” Catholic church, our desire is for the same thing. Sad, isn’t it? It must make God weep. Seems fitting though to medidtate on that during this holy season of Lent, as you suggested. Where did you find your info on JPII
kissing the koran or participating in pagan worship. Please let me know. I am sincere in asking. I love JPII very much and have a personal devotion to him. I never heard of the things you are accusing him of. Keep me informed
ok?
Take care and pray for me as I will for you.
Your sis in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Olga
God Bless you Olga, you are a devout catholic and someone to be respected
Who knows, maybe they’re on to something. They say the Lord works in Mysterious Ways.
-Chris C.
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