{"id":31221,"date":"2015-09-20T14:58:44","date_gmt":"2015-09-20T19:58:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/praytellblog.com\/?p=31221"},"modified":"2015-09-20T15:02:50","modified_gmt":"2015-09-20T20:02:50","slug":"the-papal-mass-in-la-habana-cuba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/praytellblog.com\/index.php\/2015\/09\/20\/the-papal-mass-in-la-habana-cuba\/","title":{"rendered":"Mass with Pope Francis in La Habana, Cuba"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>by Ra\u00fal G\u00f3mez Ruiz<\/em><em> SDS<\/em><\/p>\n<p>I just finished watching the Papal Mass transmitted by CTV from the Plaza de la Revoluci\u00f3n in La Habana \u2013 the first of three Eucharistic celebrations at which Pope Francis will preside during his three days in Cuba. I specifically chose to watch on CTV since there would be no \u201cplay by play commentary\u201d during the transmission. So on a very warm, sunny Sunday morning, in a plaza by no means overflowing but full nonetheless (perhaps 250,000 \u2013 350,000 people), the Eucharist unfolded in a way that has come to be expected under Francis.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3btlEr6bpl4?feature=player_detailpage\" width=\"388\" height=\"218\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>This means not much wandering from the rubrics and text, or from the gestures and postures as found in the current editions of the GIRM and Roman Missal. Nonetheless, as noted by Anthony Ruff\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/praytellblog.com\/index.php\/2015\/09\/19\/vosotros-ustedes-todos-and-muchos-in-the-eucharistic-prayer-on-the-papal-trip\/\" target=\"_blank\">recent post<\/a>, the text of the Institution Narrative stood out in that it used the \u201cvosotros\u201d form of the verbs and prayed \u201cfor all\u201d rather than \u201cfor many,\u201d as was decreed by Benedict XVI. The <em>vosotros<\/em> form was also used in the second reading \u2013 presumably because of the lectionary translation approved by the Cuban bishops. This despite the fact that in Cuba this form is antiquated and not used in everyday speech.<\/p>\n<p>Whereas Francis has come to be associated with going beyond the borders in terms of mission \u2013 that is going to the margins and peripheries even to the point of pushing the boundaries pastorally, his approach to liturgy gives very little evidence of this. Instead we see a very controlled, precise, and careful celebration. Certainly it is clearly the liturgy that has ensued from Vatican II but with the retention of accretions by Benedict that point to a more staid, methodical and ritualistic approach to liturgy. At least he\u2019s moved the six candles to the side of the altar instead of blocking the view and the lacey, fancy European vestments have gone back into the closet.<\/p>\n<p>The only place where there is a bit of pushing of boundaries is in Francis\u2019 blending of popular piety and the liturgy. This was seen at the beginning and at the end of the Eucharistic celebration. The first example was the incensation of the image of Our Lady of El Cobre as part of the incensation of the altar at the start of the Eucharist. The second instance was prior to the final blessing and dismissal, when he led those present in the Angelus and Prayer for the dead.<\/p>\n<p>The inculturation of the liturgy in the Cuban context as a result was quite limited. Even the music as performed tended to be very controlled and less exuberant than that found in many US Cuban parishes, and I suspect in Cuba itself. Perhaps it was the fact that most of the hymnody, though in Spanish and with Caribbean rhythms, was accompanied by an orchestra. Though well played by the orchestra and well sung by the two choirs, it generally lacked \u201cspirit.\u201d Only on occasion did the Cuban \u201cbody and soul\u201d emerge as individuals in the choir began to move to some of the music. More Cuban spirit, spoken about by Francis in his remarks at the end of the celebration, was seen in the final of five communion hymns and in the postludes, especially the beautiful adaptation of the Salve Regina. This was sung after the Pope and clergy around the altar had left the area. Unfortunately, the second postlude with its joyful Cuban instruments, singing, and movement was cut off by CTV as it returned to its usual transmission of St. Peter\u2019s Square.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, it was significant that Francis preached from the ambo rather than from his chair as he usually does. From my perspective, this revealed an attempt to break out of the overly controlled liturgy in order to speak to people heart to heart. In his homily he used homey examples to illustrate the disciples\u2019 desire to be first or the most important \u2013 like a child asking a parent which one is the favorite.<\/p>\n<p>Living in Rome I have had the opportunity to participate as a concelebrating priest at various papal masses both inside St. Peter\u2019s Basilica and in St. Peter\u2019s Square during this pontificate. What I saw in the transmission today could have just as well taken place here in Rome except for the language and the rhythms. Perhaps the other liturgical celebrations during his time in Cuba may reveal otherwise. Clearly attention to liturgical development is not high on the agenda of this Pope but at least there has been no attempt to undo the principle reforms of the liturgy emanating from Vatican II.<\/p>\n<p><em>Rev. Dr. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ptsem.edu\/uploadedFiles\/HTI\/Professor_Profiles\/Professor_CVs\/Gomez-Ruiz,%20Raul.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Ra\u00fal G\u00f3mez Ruiz<\/a> SDS is Vicar General and General Secretary in the <\/em>Curia Generalizia<em> of the Society of the Divine Savior (Salvatorians) in Rome, Italy.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The only place where there is a bit of pushing of boundaries is in Francis\u2019 blending of popular piety and the liturgy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,2224],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-music-general","category-pope-francis"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Mass with Pope Francis in La Habana, Cuba - 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