Jeffrey Miller

American
Papist has exclusive photographs of the pulpit, lectern, and chair that were chosen to be used for Pope Benedict’s U.S. visit in DC. Below is the winning design.

Makes me wonder how bad the losing designs were? I could try to describe what my first impression was of the Pope’s chair and the image that came to mind, but I think it is better to show you what came to mind.

The chair immediately reminds me of what I think would be the perfect chair if Captain James T. Kirk was elected Pope. Surely he would feel right at home in such a chair. I have commented on Kirk chairs used as celebrants chairs in the past, though this is the first Papal Kirk chair I have noticed. Maybe IKEA is now designing liturgical furniture?

Now the design is not exactly ugly, but beauty does not come to my mind when I look at this rather cold and stark set. The designs on the pulpit and lectern are kind of interesting, but incongruent and they bring nothing to mind of the Church. They could easily be used in any non-liturgical setting without looking out of place in for example an auditorium.

It does make me wonder about Captain Kirk as Pope on the U.S.S. Vatican. Currently though we do have theologians who have gone where no theologians have gone before
In fact I think many bishops have a Prime Directive towards theologians in their diocese – that is a non-interference policy – I guess in hope that one day they might develop intelligent life.

I would like to see a Star Trek movie
developed along Kirk as Pope lines – surely if the Enterprise could
visit one planet with Cowboys and another with Gangsters, and so surely there is a parallel world that is explicitly Catholic.

How about “The Wrath of Kung”?

Pope Kirk: Kung is denying my Papal authority again! We must return to Switzerland. Scotty give me warp factor nine and your opinion on Kung’s latest treatise.

Cardinal Scotty: Captain, I am engineer not a theologian!

I don’t know whether to call this
liturgical Jekyll and Hyde syndrome,
a liturgically accommodating bishop,  or something else
entirely.  Do a compare and contrast for these
href=”http://slatts.blogspot.com/2008/01/diocese-bishop-opts-for-circus-mass.html”
target=”_blank”>two
href=”http://culbreath.wordpress.com/2008/01/23/how-to-implement-summorum-pontificum/”
target=”_blank”>stories.

Last Sunday, Diocese of Venice Bishop
Frank Dewane celebrated Mass at a Sarasota church accompanied by
priests wearing colorful Ferris wheels, clowns, giraffes, unicycles,
lions and merry-go-rounds on their vestments.

This was the annual circus Mass, Dewane said, honoring the nearly
100-year history of the Ringling family on Floridas west coast and the
importance of itinerant people like circus performers to the Catholic
universal church.

and

Bishop Dewayne of Venice, Florida, requires daily mass in the Extraordinary Form at Ave Maria University:

Due to the demand for the celebration
of
the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, both from Catholics residents
in Ave Maria Town as well as from students, faculty, and staff at Ave
Maria University, and in accordance with Summorum Pontificum, it is
fitting that a Sunday Mass be celebrated on campus in the Extraordinary
Form. In keeping with the same manifest desire, it would seem opportune
that the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite be celebrated on a daily
basis at the University, and at a convenient time. Further, it is noted
that, in accordance with Summorum Pontificum, unscheduled Masses can
also be celebrated by priests on campus, in the Extraordinary Form of
the Roman Rite.

Well I guess priests wearing vestments
like that would be an
extraordinary form of the Mass.  I have never really
understood these circus or clown themed Masses anyway.  For
example for the annual Red Mass they don’t wear vestments with law
books, blind lady justices, bar exams,  or courtrooms.
I am pretty sure Masses celebrated on Navy bases or at sea
don’t have priest’s wearing vestments with various classes of ships,
missiles, carrier aircraft, and various insignia of rank.  So
exactly why is it that a parish closely associated with care of
Catholic working with Ringling Brothers Circus get this kind of
treatment?

I believe the Church involved is
href=”http://www.stmartha.org” target=”_blank”>St.
Martha Catholic Church staffed by the Pallottine Fathers
(shouldn’t that be Pantomine Fathers) which calls itself the
U.S.A. Circus Church. They have a “full-sized, restored and gaily
painted wagon wheels mounted on the wall behind the altar.”  I
do wonder if Catholics involved with the circus like having a liturgy
like this?  It would seem to me that if you worked at the
circus all day the last thing you would want to see is vestments with
clowns and unicycles.  This seems to me something that would
be seen as more fun by the priests involved than the community they are
pastoring.  It does make me wonder if in May they have a
style=”font-style: italic;”>Clowning of Mary.

alt=”Clown Mass Indialantic, Fl Holy Name of Jesus Parish”
src=”http://www.splendoroftruth.com/curtjester/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/clownmass_Indialantic_HolyNameJesus.jpg”>

The picture above is from another Florida parish Holy Name of
Jesus Parish in Indialantic in the Diocese of Orlando.