Posted on 06/23/2005 2:52:16 PM PDT by murphE
The cornerstone of Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral boldly proclaims, in the words of the Prophet Isaiah, "My House Shall Be a House of Prayer for All Peoples." We enflesh those words in number of ways.
Since its dedication, an innumerable number of interfaith prayer services have been held in our Cathedral. Last month for example, representatives of the Armenian, Evangelical Christian, Baha'i, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, United Church of Christ, Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Faiths lead a large congregation of diverse people in an Interfaith Prayer Service commemorating the life of our Late Pope, John Paul II.
Earlier this week, as part of the seventh International Conference on Buddhist Christian Dialogue, representatives of various Buddhist traditions and Catholic, Southern Baptist, and Episcopal clergy gathered in the Cathedral to conduct a Buddhist Christian Prayer Service. An Interfaith Prayer Service is currently being planned to be held at the Cathedral prior to the upcoming inauguration of our new mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa.
In addition to such services, the Cathedral has hosted a number of sacred music events, such as choral presentations, organ recitals and performances, reflecting the diversity of faith found in our city. An Interreligious art exhibit, Passion and Passover, recently graced the walls of the side chapels of the Cathedral, featuring the works of Jewish and Christian artists.
The Cathedral has also been made available to members of other faiths in times of civic tragedy, such as the recent funeral for a member of the Airport Police Department who was so tragically killed in an act of violence: a non-Catholic, his funeral service was conducted by a Baptist Minister.
Occasionally we are asked by a single denomination to use the Cathedral. Our Guidelines for the Ecumenical and Interreligious Use of the Cathedral specifically state: "If a particular denomination is celebrating a special moment in its life and history, then the Cathedral may be available for Prayer Services, Vespers or other non-sacramental celebrations" [III.A].
The Guidelines further state: "The use of the Cathedral's altars is reserved for the celebration of the Eucharist by Catholic priests and bishops according to the usages of Catholic Churches, that is, those in communion with the Bishop of Rome" [III.B]. And further: "The celebration of Eucharistic or other sacramental liturgies by other denominations is best reserved to the designated places of worship of those denominations or other appropriate locations" [ibid].
Last Sunday, we were honored to host the Pontifical Divine Liturgy of His Holiness, Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, at our Cathedral. Why this exception to the above guidelines?
In Unitatis Redintegratio, the Vatican II Degree on Ecumenism, the special position of the Eastern Churches is specifically noted: "These Churches, although separated from us, yet possess true sacraments, above all --- by apostolic succession --- the priesthood and the Eucharist, whereby they are still joined to us in closest intimacy" [III.14]. This cannot be said of all Christian Churches, but certainly can be said of the Armenian Church.
In light of the conciliar document and the Ecumenical overtures of both our late Pope, John Paul II, and our current Pope, Benedict XVI, to the Eastern Churches, and acknowledging the hospitality extended by Karekin II to John Paul II during his pastoral visit to Armenia, when the Pope celebrated Mass on the altar of the Catholicos' Palace Chapel, we were singularly honored to host that spiritually rich and historic liturgy on our Cathedral altar.
Given the religious diversity of our city, it is fitting that our Cathedral be used both ecumenically and interreligiously, that it truly serve as the spiritual heart of Los Angeles.
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House of prayer for all peoples doesn't mean house of prayer for all gods.
Yeah, someone should mention that to this joker who wrote the article.
It's as if we are an infinite collection of provincial small villages, each assuming that we are the center of the universe and nothing further needs to be said.
Try asking nicely and maybe I'll tell you.
Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral in Los Angeles (CA, USA)
Sadly, your church is starting to sound just like the Episcopagans, starting with the word [cringe] "enflesh." Episcopagan clergy speak that kind of gibberish all the time. It's known as "Episcobabble."
If this is how the RCC clergy are thinking, you are on the slippery slope to oblivion. You can check out the Feminist/Wiccan/Druid Mass on the ECUSA site for an example (although I think they took it down when too many people started making fun of them). Clown Masses done in mime are also fun.
Could this be perverted any further? Convert them and then they can pray there.
"And in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the top of mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go, and say: Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall come forth from Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." (Isaiah 2:2-3)
Bite your tongue. That's a pretty frightening question to ask when Cardinal Mahony is involved. =O
That's NO cathedral...
That's a grim air hanger for the spirits of the damned.
Apt description.
Our Churchmen are sounding and acting like pagans. Not our Church.
The major attack on the Catholic Church is modernism as described by Pope St. Pius X in his encyclical "Pascendi" it's a bear to read but it's worth so much. I'm sure you'll spot the same trends in Protestant denominations and in the Political realm.
The Mods can try all they want and they can rock the Church back on its heels and humiliate her but they will never be able to escape the fact that the tradition of the Church can't be changed and it will keep coming back to haunt them.
As it stands, they can't stop the traditionalist movement from growing and at some point the conservative middle will split and God will force them to take sides.
The first example of that I've seen in evidence since the Vatican council is Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."
Fr. Malachi Martin stated that the Church is going through it's own Passion and it won't stop until the Church is entombed and then it will rise again.
I should have made clear that I was not intending to disparage the Catholic Church. As you say, however, your Churchmen are sounding more than a little kooky.
Observe and profit by the Episcopagan debacle. Disillusioned Episcopagans can at least "swim the Tiber." But where will Catholics swim to if the Catholic Church heads down the same path?
As it is written in Revelation: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches."
Oh, don't worry. I didn't think you meant anything malicious.
Catholics have gone underground for the most part.
We are back in the catacombes in so many ways.
The diocesan structure is so rife with apostasy that it's eventually going to collapse, but there are bishops who have been quietly consecrated and live there normal lives as priests.
There are married men who have been secretly trained and ordained as "emergency" preists. Who say the Mass privately just to keep it going.
You have the traditionalists of various stripe that are attacking the problem head on.
And there are bishops and Cardinals that are sympathetic but unwilling to act until they believe they can have the most effect.
The Church will painfully and eventually just shed this skin of apostasy and God will restore her better than ever. Till then, we hold fast and wait for the night to end.
I report, you decide.
I can imagine the Catholicos hitchhiking on I-5 (goes right past it) all the way to all Armenians, in horror.
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