Mass at the beach? - Page 4

Irishgal49 · #46 May 7, '12, 1:30 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikelionheart

As the other people have said there is nothing wrong with this mass.

Catholicism was illegal in England for over 200 years and masses were held anywhere they could be.

But that's different. In cases of persecution, war, or lack of a church it's allowed. I don't think this is allowed. There are people at beaches cranking out obscene music, swearing, scantily dressed people, and who knows what.

This is NOT falling under the criteria for an exception. You could always check and see if the Bishop gave his consent.

Irishgal49 · #47 May 7, '12, 1:34 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrueLight

I am really flabbergasted at how a number of posters don't see the difference between having a mass in times of persecution or war and having mass at a beach because you can.

In times of war/persecution, I'm sure people would receive the blood from a plastic cup if need be. Does that mean we should receive the blood that way just to "mix it up"?

I agree. John Paul II was in a persecuted country. Or should the priest set up a canoe and serve it that way? And if he can, maybe we should have a beach mass at the church too. I am stunned for the same reason.

**GEddie** · #48 May 7, '12, 1:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZxM

Having many thousands of people in a high-security situation is also a special case, though.

ICXC NIKA

garn9173 · #49 May 7, '12, 3:29 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by newyorkcatholic

Can't believe these answers! Masses said in times of war or persecution obviously cannot said in proper places, so they are exceptions.

But altars and churches are consecration for a reason. Mass on the beach, outside of war or persecution, sounds just awful.

The Church gives us sacred art, consecrated buildings with consecrated altars with relics, and so much more, and we should use it.

For Mass. Person/group prayer, not liturgical, is fine anywhere almost.

During Blessed Pope John Paul II's visit to Iowa in 1979, he said Mass from Living History Farms in a Des Moines suburb which is an outdoor museum of working farms.

newyorkcatholic · #50 May 8, '12, 7:55 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by garn9173

During Blessed Pope John Paul II's visit to Iowa in 1979, he said Mass from Living History Farms in a Des Moines suburb which is an outdoor museum of working farms.

If you can't see how a Papal Mass in Iowa (attended by so many thousands of people and he's the Pope) isn't a totally different situation from a "Mass on the beach" with a relatively small group ... I don't know what else to say.

You just have to be willing to see the distinctions, which many have pointed out on the thread already.

apulido4 · #51 May 8, '12, 8:21 am

1. I'm a HE, not a SHE lol

2. I am also surprised that many people are comparing a battlefield or persecution with a "beach get-together". There is absolutely no way you can include a "beach day" to the list of exceptions to have mass outside of a church.

3. After looking at all the answers, and reading the quoted sentences from the Church documents, I'm convinced that it's just not good to do such things. I will definitely NOT attend, and hope my friends understand why this is not appropriate.

So thank you very much for ALL the responses!

A G · #52 May 8, '12, 8:28 am

This is wonderful. Actually, throughout history, Mass has been celebrated in so many differenct locations... on the beaches, in basements, caves, on the battlefield...etc etc...

Mass can be celebrated anywhere.

triumphguy · #53 May 8, '12, 8:35 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by apulido4

Hello,

A monthly youth group at my parish is organizing a "get-together" at the beach in a couple of months.
They are planning to have a bonfire, some activities, etc... and I just found out that our Priest will be there as well, and he will celebrate Mass at the beach.

I absolutely don't feel comfortable with this, but I'm not sure if it is actually wrong, or just my personal opinion.
I tried to get some info here, and all I found is that it might be okay if it's a "special occasion", but I still can't see how this would be considered a "special occasion".
They invited me, and a couple of my friends are planning to go, but I'm not sure if it's even allowed in the first place.

Can anyone help?

Thanks!

Sounds great.

I've been on opus dei led hikes with mass on a mountaintop.

JoyIsLikeRain · #54 May 8, '12, 1:25 pm

The Christmas Mass of Fr. Hsia and how Chinese would love to have a mass that isn't underground...

http://opinion.inquirer.net/19715/%E...s-day%E2%80%99

triumphguy · #55 May 8, '12, 1:49 pm

[IMG]<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/astralglow/5683136282/" title="outdoor Mass by Astral Pax, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5026/5683136282_775556a76c.jpg" width="500" height="341" alt="outdoor Mass"></a>[/IMG]
1920's outdoor mass for children.

Lots of Catholics seem to have experienced an outdoor mass.

Denimguy · #56 May 8, '12, 1:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by garn9173

During Blessed Pope John Paul II's visit to Iowa in 1979, he said Mass from Living History Farms in a Des Moines suburb which is an outdoor museum of working farms.

Don't want to hijack this thread but I was there in "79"
I've been to a mass poolside once, but no bathing suits just casual clothing as part of my college orientation.

TheRealJuliane · #57 May 8, '12, 2:04 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by triumphguy

Lots of Catholics seem to have experienced an outdoor mass.

Still doesn't make it right, according to the Church's norms, not just my opinion.

I guess to me, this seems an awful lot like the "Twinkie and Diet Coke" example of why we can't just consecrate anything as Christ's body and blood. Sure, Christ can turn anything into His Body and Blood, if He wants to. But he specified bread and wine. He also could have held the Last Supper next to the Sea of Galilee or in a sheep field, but he held it indoors, effectively establishing the first altar, and the first Church.

If Catholic couples can't marry on the beach or in the mountains, why should a regular Mass be allowed?

**GEddie** · #58 May 8, '12, 2:11 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRealJuliane

Still doesn't make it right, according to the Church's norms, not just my opinion.

I guess to me, this seems an awful lot like the "Twinkie and Diet Coke" example of why we can't just consecrate anything as Christ's body and blood. Sure, Christ can turn anything into His Body and Blood, if He wants to. But he specified bread and wine. He also could have held the Last Supper next to the Sea of Galilee or in a sheep field, but he held it indoors, effectively establishing the first altar, and the first Church.

If Catholic couples can't marry on the beach or in the mountains, why should a regular Mass be allowed?

Well, the Last Supper was not by the Sea of Galilee because that is several days' walk from Jerusalem

He did, however, break bread there with them after His Resurrection.

And wasn't the Cenaculum a rooftop deck in His time? The modern vault was put up in the 1200s.

ICXC NIKA

triumphguy · #59 May 8, '12, 2:38 pm

There used to be a rule that every altar was somehow structurally built on the real earth beneath the Church, so that even if a church had a crypt the altar's foundation had to go through the crypt and be built into the earth.

Also the altar had to have an altar stone in it.

Stone and earth are not antithetical to the celebration of the Eucharist.

And humility a Christian virtue, means of the earth, the humus. In respect of this the early friars said that Francis' feet were so dirty you could not tell where his feet ended and earth began - this was seen as virtuous, not a complaint about his sanitary habits.

Earth, stone, humility, Eucharist - they all go together.

How about this?

On this stone altar overlooking the Sea of Galilee, Msgr. Kozar celebrated Mass.

Quote:

How do you best begin your first full day in the native land of the Lord? How about a beautiful and tranquil early morning liturgy on a stone altar along the shore of the Sea of Galilee? That is how the four of us — Father Guido; Sami El-Yousef, our regional director for Palestine and Israel; his colleague, Tony Za’rour; and I — began our Saturday. Just a few hundred yards from the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves, we walked past some olive groves and some ancient olive presses and arrived at a quaint little chapel looking out over the sea. What a blessing to celebrate Mass on this holy ground. http://www.cnewa.org/blog.aspx?ID=31...35&sitecode=HQ

Maybe most Bishops feel that outdoor masses with youth, with kids, with young adults is a pastoral need, and maybe they allow it in their dioceses. And maybe they have done for 2,000 years.

triumphguy · #60 May 8, '12, 2:45 pm

And another from Cardinal Sean's blog:

Quote:

A wonderful aspect of this retreat was the opportunity to visit several holy sites, mostly around the Sea of Galilee. The Holy Land is sometimes referred to as the “Fifth Gospel,” because the geography and the sites speak of Christ and His message of salvation.

At the Rock of the Primacy of Peter, just a few yards from the Sea of Galilee, we celebrated Mass outdoors.