Do You Want to Drive them from the Church?

I can certainly sympathise with those correspondents who object to ‘folk Masses’ under the impression that there is some conspiracy to force the middle-aged and the elderly and those who dislike folk music to attend Masses of this kind.

I am now middle-aged man myself; and I would not like to turn up to a Sunday Mass and find suddenly that three guitarists were twanging and three others dancing in the aisles, while the congregation sang Negro spirituals.

But where is the conspiracy? Where is the threat? The opponents of folk Masses are deeply mistaken.

I have never heard a priest who was in favour of folk Masses advocate them except in special circumstances and for special groups.

And this situation is by no means unprecedented. There was an episode in Old Testament times when King David danced naked before the Ark of the Lord, to express his joy and destitution; and his wife very naturally said to him: ‘My word, you’ve made a fair monkey out of yourself!’

But he was right; and she was wrong. I am not advocating nudism. I am only pointing out that what seems indecorous may be pleasing to God.

It is in Seville, I think, that dancers used to leap each year, at a special festival, before the Blessed Sacrament in the cathedral. ‘Ah, but those Spaniards! What do they know about religion? We’re not going to have them there exotic habits in little old Pig Island!’

Again, if African drums and dances can be part of the liturgy – as they are at present in Africa, with the full approval of the Holy See – why should not a few of those whose hearts are given to Bob Dylan and Joan Baez find reminders of those whom they love in the Mass?

There is a ton of genuine spirituality in these folk singers, compared to the half-ounce that our generation dug out of the songs we valued.

We should get down on our knees and thank God that these long-haired louts and mini-skirted girls who are the Church just as much as we are, sing songs about the Passion and worry about war and civil justice, where most of page 558 us only worried about money and safety.

Is Christ angry when young people come to Communion in bare feet and jeans? I imagine His heart is full of joy that they approach Him so trustingly, not as an authoritarian elder, but as a beat brother, which indeed in some measure He is.

Tastes differ of course. I’m not trying to change anyone’s tastes. But I am absolutely certain that unless the Church makes a real effort to accommodate the liturgy to this cultural group, they will be largely lost to the Church as the working class was lost to the Church in Europe. Fortunately a few inspired priests are making the effort to come to grips with the problem, which is above all a problem of relevancy.

If the Mass is not a religious experience for many young Catholics, then it is our business to see that it is so, by any means that are not sinful. They might even bring their friends along to folk Masses.

I would like to put a blunt question to the critics of folk Masses: ‘Have you ever been to a folk Mass? If not – then why do you condemn on hearsay? And which would you rather have, if you were given the choice – an unchanged liturgy or young folk, including non-Catholics, coming to the Church to sing about their own concerns and the death and Resurrection of Christ?’

All we have to give the young in this regard is our full and genuine tolerance. If we don’t, they will not stay with us. They will go away into the desert.

And a voice will be heard in Israel – the voice of Rachel mourning for her children; Rachel, who is the Church; Rachel, who is Our Blessed Lady. And nobody will be able to comfort her grief.

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