The Deacon's Bench
Visiting a parish in Maryland this weekend, I was surprised that the recessional hymn at today’s mass wasn’t altered for political correctness. But no: to my amazed ears, they actually sang “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen.”
The reason this surprised me was because the entrance hymn, on the other hand, was changed from “Good Christian Men, Rejoice” to “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice.”
And the offertory was tweaked for “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.”
Seems that what the angels really said was: “Peace on the earth, good will to all…”
But I’m still baffled at how “gentlemen” slipped through; I’m sure somebody, somewhere, was aghast. I imagine letters are being sent to the archbishop, even as I type.
Somebody in that parish needs to wise up before this kind of travesty is repeated and becomes a widespread and insidious abuse.
“Gentlemen,” indeed. Feh.
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