Opportunities to reclaim our Catholic culture in a secular world, especially in the midst of All Things New, are questions that come up regularly in conversation. Reflecting on those opportunities, I'm reminded that our ancestors had rich traditions and customs to bring a more practical sense to their faith and engage their piety in a real and interpersonal way.
Oktoberfest is one such tradition with Catholic roots. We associate Oktoberfest with festivals that feature beer, food, dancing, and often oompah bands. However, it was originally a celebration of Holy Matrimony.
In 1810, the crown prince of Bavaria, who later became King Ludwig I, married Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The citizens of Munich were invited to participate in the royal event, which consisted of five days of festivities, including a large parade and horse races. This became an annual event that we now know as Oktoberfest.
"THE Oktoberfest" is held annually at the Theresienwiese (named after Princess Therese) in Munich, Germany during a period of approximately two weeks, traditionally ending on the Sunday following Michaelmas (the first Sunday of October).
Inspiration for the two-week period for the festival comes from another Bavarian royal wedding when Duke Wilhelm V married Renata of Lorraine in 1568. This event was attended by thousands and the celebrations - which included feasts, music, dancing, and jousting - lasted about two weeks. The famous Rathaus-Glockenspiel (clock tower) in the Marienplatz square of Munich immortalized this royal wedding and reenacts scenes from it twice a day.
As Catholics, we have an opportunity to celebrate Oktoberfest with the intentions of these Catholic roots. We have an opportunity celebrate a proud tradition that can enable us to embolden our faith and witness to the world around us.
The invitation to all of us is to take Oktoberfest as an opportunity to celebrate our marriages. We can take the opportunity to witness to and evangelize to others in terms of the importance of Holy Matrimony. We can celebrate the beauty of marriage and share stories to encourage others to embrace the sacramental life of the Church. We can use traditions like Oktoberfest to help others find God in the midst of their struggles and walk with them in the path of grace.
In doing so, we can remind the world of the truth and beauty of humanity. In doing so, we can be an example of what it means to be human, to contemplate the beauty of the human person, and to hunger for our ultimate destiny in Christ.
Reclaiming our Catholic culture in a secular world involves rediscovering and embracing the Catholic roots of traditions and customs like Oktoberfest and using them to spread the sacramental worldview to others. Oktoberfest can be one stone in the rebuilding of the foundation of our society - a foundation of man and woman in the full dignity of humanity in Christ, modeled after the New Adam and the New Eve.
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