MAGE, Brazil, July 20, 2013—Bishop Gregorio Paxiao on July 18 celebrated Mass with all the pilgrims being hosted by the Diocese of Petropolis for the Missionary Week.
It was the first Mass Paxiao presided to welcome delegates from the Philippines, Venezuela, El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, and Panama who are staying at various host parishes within his diocese for the week before the World Youth Day (WYD) on July 23 to 28.
Pilgrims were exposed to the Brazilian way of celebrating the Holy Eucharist—singing Mass songs with clapping of hands, jumping, and dancing.
“That is the charismatic way. The Brazilian culture manifests in the way they worship,” Legazpi Bishop Joel Baylon observed.
The charismatic nature of the Brazilian Mass enticed all the pilgrims to be participative despite the language barrier. The Mass was said in Portuguese, the language of Brazil.
Baylon admitted that the charismatic way of celebrating the Mass makes it appealing to the young.
“But we cannot force that in the Philippines because we are used to the solemn way. Our elderly may feel disgraced if we start having concert-like music and dancing in the Mass,” he pointed out.
Baylon added that the Filipinos’ solemn way of celebrating the Eucharist doesn’t make it less in terms of intensity that the Brazilians’ charismatic way.
This is why the prelate encouraged young people to join charismatic groups if this way of worship can help them grow in faith.
Baylon and at least three more bishops and more than 20 priests concelebrated the Mass.
Paxiao will say Mass again to the WYD delegates during the closing of the Semana Missionaria and send off of delegates who will go to Rio de Janeiro for the WYD week. (YouthPinoy)
