The Polka Mass


Some years ago I slipped into the back pew of a local Catholic church to see it for myself. And yes, there it was - a local polka band prominently perched on the high altar, ready to 'lead' the worship in a rousing 'oompa' to inspire the faithful. I was aghast at what I saw, observing one denim-clad young mother swaying to the music as if she was at the summer fair. But I was equally disappointed when this 'event' showed up shortly afterwards in a local Lutheran church as well. Now I open my paper and see the advertisement once more: "Church plans polka Mass." And yes, they even call it an "event." Of course it was an article in the paper, and the word may not have been provided by the pastor or the church. But they got it right. Polka and polka bands are musical "events" and not to be mistaken for reverent worship, no matter how one attempts to dress it up. I am embarrassed for these poor people. It must take every ounce of strength for someone not to suddenly erupt into "Roll out the barrel" in the middle of the liturgy.

The logo above is from the site which calls itself the "Home of the Polka Mass." Here Father Perkovich states that his polka masses are "presented in a manner of dignity that enhances the solemnity of the mass." Raised in a German-Lutheran-Catholic community where polka bands were the regular staple at beer gardens and wedding receptions, I'm struggling to see it his way.... An interesting counter-argument from the EWTN site can be found here.

Comments

Cindy R. said…
Crazy things happen when people try to make church cool, fun, or entertaining. Reverence goes right out the window, and the service becomes much more about us than about God.

We live between Green Bay and Pulaski, and I've seen signs for polka Mass, generally coinciding with the local polka fest. The idea used to make me chuckle, but I suppose if I actually went to a service I would have your reaction - aghast, not amused.
June 28, 2008 at 8:12:00 AM PDT
Anonymous said…
So how is this any different than a "U2" liturgy that a New York Episcopal church lead some time ago. I love U2 music and there are a lot of Christian referenced in their lyrics, but it is not music appropriate for worship.

We confuse the secular with the sacred in so many ways. We are coming on one our high holy days in many churches, Independence Day. How many churches will have special music and sermons on the US while at the same time failing to have the same type of worship services for important days such as Pentecost.
June 30, 2008 at 5:12:00 AM PDT
Donald V. Engebretson said…
>>We confuse the secular with the sacred in so many ways...<<

I agree. On the weekends of patriotic holidays I confess that I use one of the hymns like "God bless our native land" as a closing hymn, but the theme of the service remains with the seasonal designation (e.g. 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We need to keep the focus of our worship on Christ and not on personal tastes or preferences. Thank you for the post!
June 30, 2008 at 7:19:00 AM PDT
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Historical Roots of the Warham Guild Hood

Image
In doing just a little checking on the internet, it's interesting to see how the Warham Guild hood, which I have as part of my STM degree attire, is actually a throwback to the Medieval hood. One article notes "the work of the Warham Guild in its imaginative renderings of medieval hoods" (reference is from here ). Again, here is my hood: The Medieval hood, which was originally a very practical outer garment to cover a person's head and shoulders, protecting both from the elements, bears striking resemblance to this revived form: This hood was also a part of the garb of monks in that era. The Medieval hood, in some cases, also had what is known as a "liripipe," a long tail hanging from the back of a hood. You can see the modern stylized version of this on my own hood. From an article on "Academic hood development" we read that "By 1463 the favourite dress of doctors was the hood with round bell-shaped cape, and the lir
Read more

The Firefighter's Cross

Image
[Note: A similar article to this will be shared with my department at their next meeting. During this Lenten season when we are meditating on the significance and meaning of the Passion of our Lord and the Cross at Golgotha, it seemed like one way to offer a witness to the department that captured their interest and yet was not too heavy.] [Editorial Note: In response to a recent comment on this article I have made some changes to the original version of this article especially in regard to references to the so-called St. Florian's Cross. For any confusion the previous unreferenced information may have caused I apologize. I hope that the changes are satisfactory.] THE STORY OF THE MALTESE CROSS In many ways the familiar symbol to the right requires no explanation. It is the universal insignia of firefighting nationwide. Yet the precise origins of this symbol are less clear. The most popular explanation proposes its beginning in the far distant past of medieval Crusaders fi
Read more

KFUO-FM Sale: Editorial from Board of Directors

October 9, 2009 Letters to the Editor St. Louis Post-Dispatch 900 N. Tucker Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63101 RE: “Missouri Synod agrees to sell KFUO” - Oct. 7, 2009 Dear Editor, The ongoing news coverage of the sale of KFUO-FM has been disappointing in its lack of completeness. There is significantly more to the story than has been reported. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s (LCMS) Board of Directors is elected by convention delegates and is responsible—on behalf of the 2.4 million members of the church—for conscientiously evaluating the assets of the church to determine how best to use those assets to further the proclamation, mission, and ministry associated with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Synod’s board has been open about its intentions regarding the disposition of its FM station. Since as early as February 2008, this item has been on the board meeting agenda. Board minutes are made public by posting on the LCMS Web site and summaries are reported in the board’s insert “Board
Read more