[ninenot]

Maybe he does understand culture quite well. But his offhand use of the 'essentials matter, non-essentials don't' in the context was a bit jarring.

The whole debate over liturgy and worship (music, text, smells/bells, altar 'girls', architecture, decoration) is a debate about culture, at least within the confines of the church building proper.

Many are of the opinion that the demise of the inter-building culture led to the demise of the larger culture. I do not hold this position; rather, the reverse: that the culture at large has a deleterious effect on the inter-building culture of the Church, which has had a serious negative impact. This is not to say that there are OTHER contributing factors, nor that it is black and white.

But the willingness of the American Bishops to push Americanization of the Church (and this stretches back more than 100 years) is certainly a major component.

Thus, the 'counter-reformers' (of which I am one) are pushing for at LEAST an 'inter-building', e.g., within the walls of a church, culture which reflects the cult, what actually happens at Mass.

[Catholicguy]

I don't want to be misunderstood. I don't like the architecture of the new Cathedral. Folks like Duncan Stroick (sp) and his coterie from Notre Dame are leading a real revival of authentic Catholic art and architecture.

We will have this abberation with us for awhile yet. But, imo, we have turned the corner