Pic #2, Under old canon law, electronic media like tv was not allowed in the church. Maybe they dropped that. I know it has been extensively used at outdoor papal masses.
Pic #3, looks like something you would expect to see in an old pagan temple, and is just plain weird-looking.
There may not be anything wrong with any of that now, but it all looks like more conditioning for mass disobedience. I wouldn't be comfortable at any of those masses. #1 I might not go forward for communion, doubting its validity, and #2 and #3 I would probably walk out, and feel justly exempt by heaven for my mass obligation.
I've been to a mass worse than any of the three pictures.
I thought about writing the Vatican about several of these issues, but figured it would be futile. No way can I see any of that kind of behavior by the women especially condoned in the early church.
I've read a lot of that occult and new age stuff in the past, and it's insidious, beguiling, you can derive an exhiliarating sense of power in some of it, and it is difficult to cleanse yourself from. As least it gave me some discernment. I don't know about catholic men, but I've talked to several catholic women who have gone to psychics and the like. I did, too, at one time (pre-catholic), and confessed it as a sin once I became catholic, realizing finally from some sensible protestants that Christians shouldn't do those things, and hope to heck I didn't forget any of it.
I've meekly confronted at least three priests about some of this sort of thing, and felt intimidated by their power over me (I already tend to be scrupulous, and felt like it was my problem, not theirs), so this is about the only forum in which I can talk to a few people who are as concerned as I am about some of it. None of us can reach common consensus as to just where the lines should be drawn, however.
I do see where clinging to my own cultural conditioning which was pretty western whether catholic or protestant could be considered an arrogant position in light of the multi-cultural nature of modern Christianity, especially catholicism.
It's late, and I hope this makes some sense, as some of it is difficult to express.
Did you happen to notice the large wicker basket? That's supposed to be the ciborium.
The mass was for thousands, so instead of pitchers, I'm surprised it wasn't barrels being blessed.
Being a large event where all people couldn't see or hear, I'm sure to have the thousands participate, they broadcast the sound and maybe even a picture for those farthest away.
I think B16 is going to be putting the smackdown on this type of abuse. You shouldn't feel that it is "arrogant" to demand an orthodox liturgy. The Mass is not about "multiculturalism". It's not about us. It's about Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. It is ancient. It transcends cultures. We are meant to enter into it as if we were entering into a divine mystery. It is not meant to be a vehicle for us to represent our "culture". It's not the Opening Ceremony for the Olympics! It's the Lord's Supper.