While it was a surreal service (imagine the Vatican choir singing in the middle of a windy tomato field) I had very mixed feelings. The priest most definitely a new-ager who during the homily starting talking about our universe was created by the big-bang theory.
I didn't know the big-bang theory was accepted by the church, being that it hasn't even been accepted by much of the scientific community yet.
The "Crystal Cathedral" architecture doesn't exactly speak to tradition. Neither does the fact that from what I've heard, the Latin rite won't be performed at all. Federal funds are nothing but poison in the long run.
I'd be happy to be wrong about all of this, as I live nearby and would love a traditional or orthodox influence. Doesn't look that way though.
>>The priest most definitely a new-ager who during the homily starting talking about our universe was created by the big-bang theory. <<
Read "A Brief History of Time" by Steven Hawking. He describes how he presented the Pope with the scientific support for the Big Bang. The Pope asked many questions which, in Hawking's mind, confirmed that the Pope understood the issues with phenominal clarity. The Pope asked to think about it overnight. He returned the next day and answered Hawking, "See, I told you so." (Paraphrased... the Pope doesn't often quote Rush Limbaugh book titles in public.)
Immediately, Hawking understood that the theory he was pushing so hard in fact confirmed the existence of a singular "first thing" (i.e., creator-God) from which all else depended. Ever since then, Hawking has been creating theories to undermine The Big Bang. At just about every turn, however, his theory's predictions turned out 180 degrees from reality, and they grotesquely violate Occam's razor. All this has been done, I believe, out of Hawking's need to invalidate religion. I routinely chortle as I see each one of Hawking's prediction die a fiery death: the greatest mind in physics is now blinded into dysnfunction by an obsessive drive to disprove God.
Neither Monaghan or Fessio are promoters of Latin Masses. Fr. Fessio likes the Novus Ordo but I think more for special occasions, I could be wrong about this point but I have definately been told by several who know him well that he is not a Tridentine Mass kind o guy. As for the New Agey stuff Monaghan is into, unfotunately Tom Monaghan was very influence by Word of God Charismatic Communities in the 1970's and 1980's. He is a close personal friend of Ralph Martin. If you are a fan of Ralph Martin Catholicism you should be fine with Ave Maria.