I have used a white chasuble for the funeral of a Chinese man, I can understand an Indian prostrating instead of just genuflecting, or a Burmese crawling on his belly before the Blessed Sacrament, that is enculturalisation... but a dead polar bear?
This is obviously an episcopal ordination, presumably in Alaska or Canada. The rubrics do not call for a rug or carpet but speak about prostrating on the floor, certainly no mention of dead wildlife.
Do you think the candidate shot it, perhaps on his pre-ordination retreat/hunting trip, there is 'manliness' for you.
13 comments:
I suppose that, if there were two bears it could be described as a bi-polar disorder. Sorry Father.
Surely the word is enculturation.
Ah now Fr. That must be paintshoped. This is crazy.
And the bear isn't even ad orientem. Ursus Novi Ordinis.
Ordination of Fr. Wieslaw Krotki as the new Bishop of Churchill in Canada. I'm not choked, after all bear carpets are common there, and so is the use of fur in liturgy (almuces et al.).
+ pax et bonum
Benedictines prostrate on a funeral pall before their final profession.
Surely this bear would have made for a potentially lovely papal mozzetta? Dye it red and hey presto...
I LOVE this. Photo shopped or not. I suspect it is, because that head would be in the way at Communion time. A bear like this was in Easter Parade and Astaire and Garland managed to dance around the thing without tripping so anything is possible, I suppose.
Is it dead? perhaps it is a candidate for ordination?
Of course he shot the polar bear Father.
Love it.
The clerics are so manly up there in Alaska, they're not even scared of the animal rights brigade.
Yep, no caving into PC-ness over there.
Father Blake, I'm glad that several people here have seen the light side of using a bear rug. It does appear to be an expression of enculturation in deepest, darkest Alaska just as dancing in much of sun-filled Africa. Methinks that perhaps you may be making much ado about nothing.
Forgive me if I appear rude (it is not intended) but you seem to have been somewhat cranky in recent weeks; possibly time for a well-earned holiday?
I don't think it is about "enculturation", I think it is an attempt to be "relevant", instead it just seems to be a bit laughable or silly, it is the great taxidermied big head, with glass eyes, glaring at the faithful that is out of place.
Endangered species! maybe it is a trial by fleas. I think its a scene from a Woody Allen movie!
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