The recent formal approval of the Mass of the Land of the Holy Spirit by Australia’s bishops has been welcomed as a ‘big moment’ not only for the Indigenous Catholic communities of the Broome Diocese, where it originated, but also for other First Nations communities around the country.

Australia’s Catholic bishops have approved a liturgy which incorporates elements of Aboriginal language and culture.

A motion was passed at the plenary meeting of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference in Sydney in May approving the Mass of the Land of the Holy Spirit (Missa Terra Spiritus Sancti) for use in the Diocese of Broome in Western Australia.

The Mass will now be submitted to the Dicastery for Divine Worship for what is known as “recognitio”, or official recognition by the Vatican.

“We have to walk with Aboriginal people. I am so pleased that after such a long period of use the Missa Terra Spiritus Sancti has been given official recognition by the bishops of Australia,” Bishop Administrator of Broome, Michael Morrissey, said.

“We recognise there are many Aboriginal cultures in Australia and we pray that they all be guided by the Holy Spirit to develop the best way of celebrating the Eucharist in the most appropriate ways with their people, within the life of the Church.”

Fr Paulo Vatunitu SVD, who is parish priest in the Indigenous community of Balgo in the Broome Diocese, said that although the Mass has been celebrated in the Kimberley for many years, the news of the official recognition by the bishops was well received by the local people.

“They were really happy, actually,” he said.

“The Mass has been around for some time, so the people were not surprised, but when we heard about it, everyone was very happy.”

Two elders from the Bidyadanga (La Grange) parish in the Kimberley – Maureen Yanawana and Madeleine Jadai – travelled to Sydney to present a printed copy of the Mass to bishops and talk about their experience with it.

Maureen said of the sung Mass: “Singing at the top of our voices brings us peace.”

“We would like to see you, all our bishops, stepping in our shoes, be invited to sit around our people, have that patience and just listen,” she told bishops at the presentation event at Mary MacKillop Place.

Fr Paulo said the Mass of the Land of the Holy Spirit, known as The Kimberley Mass, is celebrated every Sunday in Balgo and to have it recognised by the bishops was a significant occasion.

“They were very happy when it was finally recognised because now they feel they have a voice in the liturgy and in the Church,” he said. “It is good for the people and it is a very interesting time in the local Church, a time of moving forward.”

Meanwhile, over in Alice Springs, Fr Alfonsus Nahak SVD, Catholic Chaplain to the Arrernte people said the recognition of the Kimberley Mass had also been received warmly by the First Nations peoples of Central Australia.

“It was very, very important for them,” Fr Alfonsus said.

“It is a big moment for our elders because it is an acceptance of one of the contributions from Indigenous people for our Catholic celebration.”

He said it brings to life the words of St John Paul II when he visited Alice Springs in 1986 that: “ … the Church herself in Australia will not be fully the Church that Jesus wants her to be until you have made your contribution to her life and until that contribution has been joyfully received by others.”

Fr Alfonsus said the Catholic communities of Central Australia had been celebrating a modified form of the Kimberley Mass for some time, adapting it to incorporate elements of the Arrernte language and culture, in consultation with Darwin Bishop Charles Gauci.

He said liturgy expert, Sr Carmel Pilcher RSJ, who has long championed the use of the Kimberley Mass in Indigenous communities, had visited Central Australia to work with them on adapting the Mass to their local language and culture.

Fr Olivier Noclam SVD, parish priest at the Indigenous community of Santa Teresa in Central Australia, said they too were already using the Kimberley Mass with Arrernte adaptations, and the people would be pleased to hear of its official approval by the bishops.

“It is encouraging for sure,” he said. “The people like it when the Mass is in their language. They really appreciate it when it is done in Arrernte.”

 In Daly River in the Northern Territory, Fr Daniel Polla SVD and Fr Rius Salu SVD, also welcomed the official recognition of the Kimberley Mass.

"The liturgy approved by the bishops which incorporates elements of Aboriginal culture and language to be used in the Diocese of Broome is certainly happy and inspiring news,” Fr Rius said.

He said that while the news wasn’t talked about or discussed publicly in Daly River, it was still a positive step.

“I feel that everyone must feel happy because the Church brings them close to elements that are in direct contact with their daily lives,” he said. “At the same time, this reality is an inspiration to uphold one's own culture and express it in faith.”

Fr Rius said in the six months he and Fr Daniel have been in Daly River they have not used regional languages in the liturgy, largely because of the existence of several local languages.

“This needs to be considered and reviewed further for the sake of an inculturation process,” he said.

“However, cultural and linguistic elements have been included in the Church and liturgy, namely songs in local languages, dance and painting. We have hope that as time goes by, we and the people here will always feel and appreciate God's presence in culture."

On Palm Island in the Townsville Diocese of Queensland, Fr Manh Le SVD said he and his parishioners were not familiar with the Mass of the Land of the Holy Spirit, but any step in the direction of incorporating Indigenous elements in the Roman liturgy was to be welcomed.

“It’s good that the bishops have approved it, but now they have to encourage its use and invest in it and promote it and give local communities the tools to reach out with this Mass so that it can move from an approval to a reality,” he said. “Because when we make the liturgy creative, truthful and attractive, it liberates people. When it really hits the nail on the head, liturgy can be truly uplifting.”

And Fr Niran Veigas SVD said that Divine Word Missionaries working in the Tiwi Islands for the past two years welcome the Australian Bishops approving the Mass of the Land of the Holy Spirit.

“Some of the elements are being adapted t our local situations already, like the smoking ceremony on important events before the Holy Mass, which is believed to be a ceremony of cleansing or healing,” he said.

“This is very much respected by the Tiwi people. Besides that, there is also a special entrance dance, and priests join in the procession. Tiwi language traditional songs are being sung. There is also ‘Gospel Yoyi’ (Gospel procession), which is part of the celebration in our local community.

“One of the beautiful things during the Holy Mass in the singing by the faithful during the Consecration, and the celebrant responds in the local Tiwi language. All these little elements make the Holy Mass closer to the hearts of the Tiwi people.

“We, the Divine Word Missionaries are very positive about this move and appreciate the Mass of the Land of the Holy Spirit, which is meaningful to the First Nations Peoples. This type of liturgy helps people to remain part of their culture.”

To read more about the history and development of the Mass of the Land of the Holy Spirit, click here.

PHOTOS

TOP RIGHT: Bishop Michael Morrissey, left, Maureen Yanawana, Madeleine Jadai and Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB with a copy of the Mass of the Land of the Holy Spirit (ACBC).

MIDDLE LEFT: Balgo parishioners in the Broome Diocese entering the local church where they have been using the Mass of the Land of the Holy Spirit for many years.

MIDDLE RIGHT: Alice Springs parishioners - the parish has been having Mass in the Arrernte language for a number of years.

BOTTOM LEFT: The Apostolic Nuncio was welcomed to Palm Island with a traditional smoking ceremony.

BOTTOM RIGHT: The Tiwi Islanders incorporate traditional elements of culture, language, dance and song into the Mass.