Berkley Center

One of the unique things about the Catholic Mass is that it has the same structure all over the world. On any day of the year, people in India will hear the same gospel that is read in Germany, with the only difference being the language. No matter the continent or hemisphere, there is the same Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist and all of the lines and prayers within both are also the same. However, the style of the Mass and how it is delivered can differ greatly, within the same city, or even within the same parish. It's one of the main variations within the Catholic Church—as anybody who's been to both the 5:30 p.m. Mass and 8:30 p.m. Mass at our own Dahlgren Chapel on campus can attest to. In an appeal to its youth many parishes have become more contemporary in their presentation of the Mass—putting forth a style that strays from the traditional structure.

This same distinction can be seen in Buenos Aires, with the presentation of the Mass and the style of the parish varying throughout the city. While nearly 88 percent of the 2001 population was baptized Catholic according to a recent study by the Argentina Catholic News Agency, the number of practicing Catholics is drastically lower, especially in the capital. As the practicing population ages, some churches have taken to this more contemporary approach that can be seen throughout the United States as well. The first few Masses I attended here in Buenos Aires were very traditional, especially the Mass at the National Cathedral. Traditional hymns were sung accompanied by only a large organ, and the priests wore decorative vestments and spoke from a pulpit on the altar. While my sample size is too small to draw any definitive conclusions, I think it's worth noting that the majority of those in attendance were elderly individuals, and in the case of the cathedral, more people wandered in to take pictures of the side chapels and San Martin's tomb than to celebrate the Mass.

A few weeks later I stumbled upon a more “modern” presentation of the Mass in Villa Crespo, the neighborhood where I live. Within the first few minutes I could tell that this Mass was going to be very different, as the opening hymn was accompanied by youth on a few guitars and a drum, and a young priest with long flowing hair came down the aisle wearing a simple white robe. The music was persistent throughout the Mass, with peaceful guitar picking and song even accompanying the consecration of the Eucharist, one of the most sacred parts of the Mass. During the sermon, the young priest opted to walk amidst the first few rows with his Bible in hand rather than lecturing from the pulpit. While the church is nearly full of people of all ages nearly every Sunday, the parish's youth is one of the most active groups within the church. After each Mass, a twenty-something altar boy studying to be a priest leads a prayer session exclusively for jóvenes, or young people. A theme is put forth for reflection amidst the guitars and the singing of a contemporary song. While the traditional prayer, "Our Father," closes each 10 to 15-minute session, the experience is far more contemporary than anything I have experienced in the Catholic Church.

The youth group also holds small get-togethers at the church once or twice a month as well. In the first that I attended, the young priest had prepared an exercise to better illustrate how Jesus' resurrection from the cross liberates us from our sins and imperfections. Throwing a large rope in the middle of the circle, he had us close our eyes and then used the rope to bind us to others in the group in uncomfortable positions, and then had us open our eyes and undo the loose knots a few minutes later. It was untraditional way to convey a traditional Catholic message. More song and fellowship closed the evening, along with the grilling of a staple of the Argentine asado, the churripan, a bratwurst-like sausage sandwich.

Finally, the Via Crucis (Stations of the Cross) in Buenos Aires on Good Friday was one example of a contemporary touch blended into a very traditional practice. Organized by the archbishop of Buenos Aires in 2003, this ancient Catholic tradition combined traditional Catholic hymns and prayers, such as the "Our Father" and "Hail Mary," with a contemporary acting out of the first and last three stations of the cross amid a stage at both the beginning and the end of the march down Avenida de Mayo. While people of all ages made up the 40,000 strong crowd, young families and young adults seemed to make up the majority. The acting out of the twelfth station, in which Jesus dies on the cross, was even accompanied by claps of thunder played over a loudspeaker. Only time will tell if this variation of the presentation of the mass is something that sticks with the Catholic Church. But at the very least, in appealing to its youth, it seem as if the Church is consistent across the world—not only in the traditional structure of the Mass, but in its evolution as well.