Posted on 01/21/2016 7:55:50 AM PST by ebb tide
The text of the decree in Latin and Italian, signed by Robert Cardinal Sarah: Decreto della Congregazione per il Culto Divino e la Disciplina dei Sacramenti sul Rito della “Lavanda dei Piediâ€, 21.01.2016
From Vatican Information Service:
The Pope decrees that not only men may be chosen for the washing of the feet in the Liturgy of Holy Thursday
Vatican City, 21 January 2016 (VIS) – The Holy Father has written a letter, dated 20 December and published today, to Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, in which he decrees that from now on, the people chosen for the washing of the feet in the liturgy of Holy Thursday may be selected from all the People of God, and not only men and boys.
The Pope writes to the cardinal that he has for some time reflected on the "rite of the washing of the feet contained in the Liturgy of the Mass in Coena Domini, with the intention of improving the way in which it is performed so that it might express more fully the meaning of Jesus' gesture in the Cenacle, His giving of Himself unto the end for the salvation of the world, His limitless charity".
"After careful consideration", he continues, "I have decided to make a change to the Roman Missal. I therefore decree that the section according to which those persons chosen for the Washing of the feet must be men or boys, so that from now on the Pastors of the Church may choose the participants in the rite from among all the members of the People of God. I also recommend that an adequate explanation of the rite itself be provided to those who are chosen".
The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has today published a decree on the aforementioned rite, dated 6 January 2016, the full text of which is published below:
"The reform of the Holy Week, by the decree Maxima Redemptionis nostrae mysteria of November 1955, provides the faculty, where counselled by pastoral motives, to perform the washing of the feet of twelve men during the Mass of the Lord's Supper, after the reading of the Gospel according to John, as if almost to represent Christ's humility and love for His disciples.
In the Roman liturgy this rite was handed down with the name of the Mandatum of the Lord on brotherly charity in accordance with Jesus' words, sung in the Antiphon during the celebration.
In performing this rite, bishops and priests are invited to conform intimately to Christ who 'came not to be served but to serve' and, driven by a love 'to the end', to give His life for the salvation of all humankind.
To manifest the full meaning of the rite to those who participate in it, the Holy Father Francis has seen fit to change the rule by in the Roman Missal (p.300, No. 11) according to which the chosen men are accompanied by the ministers, which must therefore be modified as follows: 'Those chosen from among the People of God are accompanied by the ministers' (and consequently in the Caeremoniale Episcoporum No. 301 and No. 299 b referring to the seats for the chosen men, so that pastors may choose a group of faithful representing the variety and unity of every part of the People of God. This group may consist of men and women, and ideally of the young and the old, healthy and sick, clerics, consecrated persons and laypeople.
This Congregation for Divine Worship and the Disipline of the Sacraments, by means of the faculties granted by the Supreme Pontiff, introduces this innovation in the liturgical books of the Roman Rite, recalling pastors of their duty to instruct adequately both the chosen faithful and others, so that they may participate in the rite consciously, actively and fruitfully".
Where was he sitting when he said this?
...It matters.
It matters if it is an exercise of magisterial authority. This is discipline. Before 1955 it didn’t even happen in the context of the Mass.
Well, besides my reproof of more substantial issues, I think men should only be handling the feet of their wives, while what we need is more men and women who will wash the feet of the sinless Son of God with their tears of repentance and gratitude, myself included.
Regards,
I suspect he just has a foot fetish.
Didn’t he wash the feet of a Mohammedan at the prison? That’s not one of the People of God.
Wow! Breadth tacking! /s.
Actually "sitting" as in sitting in the seat of Peter means in place/authrity, and as regards non-inspired but infallible teachings it requires the subject must be on faith and morals, and the address of its scope must be universal, and basically stated in a formal definitive binding manner and form (though though not necessarily, and how many infallible papal (besides papal-affirmed conciliar teachings) there are is subject to varying estimates, from all encyclicals to just 3).
But the pope does not have the authority of Peter or any apostles, and Rome's so-called apostolic successors even fail of the qualifications and credentials of manifest Biblical apostles. (Acts 1:21,22; 1Cor. 9:1; Gal. 1:11,12; 2Cor. 6:1-0; 12:12). Nor did Peter provide any non-inspired binding teachings as a infallible pope.
Half my family is Catholic.
The last Maundy Thursday I went to at a Roman Catholic church had foot washing of everyone. Asked my wife, and she doesn’t remember not being able to do it (she is Catholic).
We lived a few places, so I am a bit surprised that this WASN’T supposed to be done.
In your average liberal parish, nobody listens to the Instructions of the Roman Missal unless it suits them. Up till this point the rule was “viri”. Period.
Now of course Franky changed that.
I am steadily inching away from “Francis should be ignored” toward “Francis should be deposed.”
Good-bye Maundy Thursday.
I’ve seen them washing girls’ feet on Maundy Thursday for at least fifteen years.
No, it doesn’t matter, because this is neither faith nor morals.
Resign! Resign! RESIGN!!!
I think the vast majority of practicing Catholics in North America are in your position. I welcome this change primarily because as it has stood for the last several decades the rule has mostly been a burden upon those who are aware that it exists and want to follow the will of the Church. A new pastor who goes into a place where the old pastor “did things differently” (or worse yet, a curate assigned to a more progressive pastor), usually makes many enemies and few friends, while largely undermining his (human) effectiveness if he seeks to follow what the Church has said ought to be done.
The present pontiff hasn’t exactly helped things. I hope he issues an “I’m sorry for getting ahead of myself in my actions” apology as well, but I’m not holding my breath.
Any man for whom pouring water over the foot of a woman, and then toweling the foot dry, is a source of sexual temptation, is a pervert.
Take me back to 1954.
Are you aware of many places that omit the ceremony, which would seem to be the cleanest way forward for the last several decades?
This is not new. And it’s not doctrinally improper.
Jesus chose only men for apostles...so only men priests today still. However, though I have lost this battle here, He wadhed the apostles’ feet to show them they could forgive sins in His name,aking them worthy enough to receive Him in the Eucharist....and as both genders receive penance in confession and therefore Eucharist, it lends sens that womens feet may be washed too, as their souls are in reconciliation. But only priests ought do that, it seems to me, as only priests, not even deacons, may absolve in persona christi.
And the muslim girl last year.....this is the Christian God hete, supposed to be consistent, not datanic or false allah who professes to be as arbitrary as he dang pleases.
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