Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Mass on board ship off coast of Iwo Jima 1945
The priest and the congregation sway back and forth with the motion of the ship as Mass is celebrated just off the coast of Iwo Jima in 1945. Thanks be to God that these men were so well prepared for what was a fiercely fought battle with 28,000 US casualties and 6,800 dead. There were 22,060 Japanese soldiers in heavily fortified positions; 21,844 died either from fighting or by committing suicide in order not to be taken prisoner. This is a reminder to us that codes of honour, customs, and personal conscience can be gravely erroneous. Their suicide may well not be imputed to them by Almighty God and therefore we should pray for the repose of their souls as well as those of the Americans who died.
As well as the crucial spiritual benefit of this Mass for the troops, watching vintage footage of the celebration of Mass is always of interest. Those of us who were children when the Mass was substantially changed from about 1964 onwards have tried assiduously to be faithful to the rubrics and customs of celebrating the old Mass. It is consoling for me to see that the gestures and movements are basically the same, but there are always little differences that are noticeable.
In this video, the priest gives Holy Communion from a large pyx. He does not make the sign of the cross with the sacred host before each communicant. I wonder whether this was simply a precaution because of the effects of the swell or whether the custom was simply not universal.
Here is a link to another clip (commercial so I can't embed it) of a US Military Chaplain celebrating Mass on the pier at Weymouth harbour three days before D-Day. Interesting to think that my dad was probably not too far away somewhere on the South coast with others preparing tanks. He went across on 8 June.
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10 comments:
Very moving, Father!
Thank you,
in Christ,
Patricia
This is a reminder to us that codes of honour, customs, and personal conscience can be gravely erroneous.
Including christianity of course!
No big sky fairies, anywhere, at all.
Well if we can at least start from the point that there is truth and falsehood in such matters, we're a little bit closer than those who don't accept that.
We don't believe in sky fairies and I guess you don't really think it is turtles all the way down...
Absolutely fascinating. Thanks for posting this, Father :)
The most glorious battle in USMC history! What true Marine can ever forget the raising of Old Glory upon Mt. Suribachi! (even if it was a setup) Thank you so much, Father! It is good to be reminded of the Faith of our Fathers to keep us Americans from despairing. God Bless the USMC, the US, Japan, and Fr. Finigan!
G.Tingey, While 99% of the world believes in a creator of some sort, YOU are somehow privy to the knowledge that they are all wrong while you are correct. You must be a very brilliant man with rare intelligence. However, you simply left an empty comment with no evidence or reasons. Evidence for God exists in philosophical/logic proofs, science itself, history, and the countless public miracles. You can read about this in a book entitled, "Answering the new atheist" by Benjamin Wiker and Scott Hahn. This book was a response to the "God Delusion". Also see Father Robert Barron on YouTube. I will pray for you.
The criticalpast site also has a fascinating Mass on a Jeep (not kidding): http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675059701_Catholic-Mass_Chaplain-conducts-mass_Marines-attend-mass_serving-communion
The elevation of the Precious Blood was quick. I assume because the swaying of the ship posed a real risk to spilling it, held over his head!
I am a Methodist and, as such, am not an adherent to the doctrine of transubstantiation. I am an old Methodist and, as such, am not entirely comfortable with the concept of Real Presence that has gained an increased level of doctrinal approval in the Methodist Church in my lifetime. However, I cannot look upon the faces of those young men and deny that the Real Presence of Jesus Christ was in that room with them.
Seeing those young men, I am humbled to think how many of them did not survive the next five weeks on Iwo Jima. Kyrie eleison.
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