Screenshot of the proposed liturgy Posted on 07/31/2023 3:00:35 PM PDT by ebb tide
VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) –– Mexico’s Catholic bishops have overwhelmingly approved and sent to Rome their proposals for a Mayan rite of the Mass, which incorporates lay leadership and apparent elements of idolatry. LifeSite has received a copy of the text now being examined by the Vatican, and presents elements of it below.
ACI Prensa reported on July 25 that the Mexican Bishops’ Conference has submitted its proposals for an “indigenous” liturgical adaptation of the Mass to the Vatican’s Congregation (now Dicastery) for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (CDW).
The emeritus bishop of San Cristóbal de las Casas, Cardinal Felipe Arizmendi, described the proposed rite as “advancing the progress of inculturation of the Church in the native peoples and of taking responsibility for the celebration of Holy Mass with some elements of these cultures.”
Arizmendi is one of the chief proponents of the initiative, and—as LifeSite’s Dr. Maike Hickson has reported—Arizmendi’s record of overseeing the ordination of female deacons and formulating an indigenous rite of the Mass has received notable support from Pope Francis.
He added that “the creators of these initiatives are the same Indigenous people of San Cristóbal de Las Casas.”
Arizmendi told ACI Prensa that he had responsibility for writing the text and presenting it to the bishops before they voted to approve it.
The proposed liturgical changes were then approved almost unanimously by Mexico’s bishop, who voted 103-2 in favor during the April 2023 plenary assembly. Arizmendi also stated that the country’s bishops extended the proposals to “all the native peoples of the country,” rather than just to those of the San Cristóbal diocese.
READ: The new Mayan rite of Mass encouraged by Pope Francis is replete with pagan idolatry and symbolism
Joining Arizmendi in promoting the endeavor to the other Mexican bishops was the cardinal’s successor in the Diocese of San Cristóbal—Bishop Rodrigo Aguilar. Aguilar also joined Arizmendi in presenting the proposals to the Pope and the CDW, stating that the Vatican had received the proposals “favorably” when they were delivered to the CDW in June.
LifeSiteNews contacted the CDW asking for further information about the Vatican’s decision and when it might be expected, but did not receive a reply by time of publication.
The proposal’s presentation to Rome comes shortly after the Mexican bishops conducted their ad limina visit to the Vatican in February, meeting with Pope Francis and the various curial departmental prefects. At the time, the bishops announced that they wished to send a proposal of such a new rite in May to Rome for approval.
Dr. Maike Hickson has extensively reported on the developments of the proposed “Mayan” rite of the Mass. (See HERE and HERE). She noted that a Mayan rite has already been practiced in the Diocese of San Cristóbal, as it has been approved by the Mexican bishops’ conference. Just as with the Amazonian rite, Pope Francis has signaled his support of the liturgical changes, Dr. Hickson noted.
In March, Cardinal Arizmendi provided LifeSite with a copy of the official draft of the new Mayan rite of Mass that was presented to the bishops’ conference. Dr. Hickson reported extensively on the text.
As Hickson reported, the proposals include numerous elements of lay promotion in the liturgy, including the two liturgical offices of a “principal” and an “incensor.” A rubrical outline of the proposed Mayan rite is thus provided in the image below, with the “principal” and the “incensor” taking key prominence, and the “principal” at times appearing of equal or greater importance than the priest. Screenshot of the proposed liturgy
Arizmendi has now been gracious enough to provide LifeSite with the official version which has been submitted to the Vatican, noting that “we now await the response of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. We hope that everything proposed will be approved in Rome.”
The proposals do not differ too greatly to those sent to LifeSite in March, albeit they have been slightly summarized for the CDW’s perusal. The text focusses on the precise liturgical actions the new lay offices would involve, rather than giving the wider details and theological-style explanations about the new roles which are contained in the more expansive version written in March.
READ: WATCH: Retired Swiss bishop living with the SSPX says Novus Ordo Mass is ‘departure from tradition’
Interestingly, in the version now submitted to Rome, the “principal’s” duties remain the same as in the version LifeSite saw in March and which the Mexican bishops approved, but the process of summarizing the details for the CDW’s perusal has removed from this version the description that the “principal” will be either male or female. Instead, no stipulation about the sex of the principal is given.
The celebrating priest serves as the one to introduce the lay “principal” to the congregation. The proposed formula is “Brethren, with hearts well disposed, guided by the Principal, let us pray together to God.”
LifeSite’s translation of the text is provided in the image below, which details the “principal’s” liturgical duties. 
Duties of the principal
Details provided in the more expansive, March version of the text note the high importance given to the “principal.” Such a person is described as follows:
the liturgical office of principal is conferred on the person, male or female, who is a moral authority in the community, who guides his people in prayer and faith. He is the one who guides and gives advice on the life of faith, religious traditions and also takes care of the good performance of the work of those who have a ministry of service in the Christian community. Within the liturgical celebrations its function is to guide the people, at the invitation of the one who presides over the celebration, in moments of community prayer.
The March text also noted that the role of the “principal” will “become even more relevant during the period of absence of the clergy in our diocese.”
The “principal” can be either male or female and would be chosen by the parish, before being confirmed by the local bishop.
A woman blessing a new priest in the diocese of San Cristóbal
While the role of the “incensor” might sound akin to the role of the thurifer, it is fact a combination of the roles of the thurifer, the deacon, and the celebrating priest.
As such, the “incensor” will not just hold the thurible but will be responsible for incensing the cross, the altar, and the sacred images—an action that is proper to the priest or a deacon if a deacon is assisting the priest in a solemn Mass.
Notably, the “incensor” again assumes the duties of the priest (or deacon in a solemn Mass) by incensing the Gospel book, as well as the Offertory incensing, which includes censing “the offerings, the altar, the cross, the priest and the people.”
LifeSite’s translation of the text is provided in the image below:
Role of the “incensor” in the proposed liturgy
As already highlighted by Dr. Hickson, the new Mayan rite does include a form of “ritual dance” which is described as being a “thanksgiving after Communion,” although it can be done “as a Prayer of the Faithful, or as an Offertory offering” the text notes.
The priest introduces the dance, which “is performed with a ritual dance (light movements of the body), accompanied by local instrumental music.” However, after introducing the dance, the priest once more cedes his ground to the “principal,” who calls upon musicians to lead the music.
“The community prays by dancing with light movements of the body,” the text notes.
At the close of the dance, the priest issues the customary final prayer and blessing for Mass.
In March, Cardinal Arizmendi told LifeSite that “in the Mayan rites that we propose in the Mass, there is nothing of animism, polytheism, etc., of the ancient Mayas. The rites that we propose have a Catholic base, but developed by these new peoples, who have Mayan origins, but who have distanced themselves from the ancient Maya.”
Cdl. Arizmendi
While much of the essence of the March 2023 draft remains in the text now being examined by Cardinal Arthur Roche’s dicastery, certain elements are notably absent: as already mentioned, the current draft sent to the Vatican does not contain any of the explanation or theological style language used in the March draft.
But other aspects are also missing, such as the suggestion that the “principal” might engage in the pagan practice of praying to the four directions of the earth. “On special occasions,” the March draft says, “this prayer can be realigned by invoking God from the four cardinal points.” To invoke God from the four cardinal points implies in the Mayan tradition polytheism: the four directions of the earth—north, west, south, east—are traditionally connected with gods.
While these lines are not mentioned in the Vatican’s version, what is contained is the note that the candles used during the prayer “can be of the same white color, or of different colors, according to the directions of the universe.”
Indeed, widely removed from the current text are the overtly pagan descriptions of many of the actions which are nevertheless still being performed. The “ritual dance,” for example, was referenced in the March text thus: “the feet caress the face of Mother Earth, making light movements. The face of God is greeted by moving to the four directions of the universe.”
Such lines were not present in the current text sent to LifeSite.
However, the question must be raised as to why such lines are absent. Should Mexico’s bishops wish to create a pagan-style Mayan rite, then removing any problematic language from the text sent to the Vatican would be very recommended in terms of achieving their goal.
READ: Abp. Viganò: Pope Francis wants to create a ‘schism’ by excommunicating Latin Mass devotees
Presuming the CDW does indeed approve the proposed liturgy, then the liturgical actions—based on, and drawn from, pagan actions—will still be present in the liturgy, regardless of whether the CDW has examined the pagan-style theological language in the March draft or not. Such a liturgy would then be at the liberty of the individual cleric involved, who would feel at ease incorporating the wider, accompanying pagan aspects of the rituals which the Vatican would have approved.
While no date for the Vatican’s decision on the document has been given, its approval should not be unexpected. The Undersecretary of the CDW—Bishop Aurelio García Macías—was heavily involved in drawing up the rite.
He told local media in March that the process was “a personal enrichment for me because I believe that the local experience of San Cristóbal de Las Casas has discerned, has been able to study, reflect and can be enriched with the universal experience of the Catholic Church.”
Ping
Faith of our Fathers! Holy Faith! We will be true to thee till death.
Our Fathers, chained in prisons dark, Were still in heart and conscience free: How sweet would be their children's fate, If they, like them, could die for thee!
Faith of our Fathers! Holy Faith! We will be true to thee till death.
Faith of our Fathers! Mary's prayers Shall win our country back to thee: And through the truth that comes from God England shall then indeed be free.
Faith of our Fathers! Holy Faith! We will be true to thee till death.
Faith of our Fathers! we will love Both friend and foe in all our strife: And preach thee too, as love knows how By kindly words and virtuous life:
Faith of our Fathers! Holy Faith! We will be true to thee till death.
This is a difficult qustion, as the Church does recognize different rites and always has. I dont know why the Church in Yucatan wants one, after five centuries of the Latin rite, and that alone is suspicious, but it cant be rejected simply on the grounds of difference.
I once attended a Mozarabic Mass in Toledo Cathedral.
https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10611a.htm
AS long as it includes human sacrifice all will be fine. I can think of a large number of people for this ritual.
I’m old enough to remember when our popes were Catholic.
Wait till they approve human sacrifice and statures of Santa Mueta.
Will Quetzalcóatl get a mention in this new “liturgy”?
When can we expect Papal and BLM approval of an Ebonics Liturgy uniquely promulgated for “people of color”?
I’m old enough to remember when our popes were Catholic.
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I think that would have to be back to the pontificate of Pius XII!
Wait till they approve human sacrifice and statures of Santa Mueta.
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Santa who?
N.B. There's nothing traditional about this abomination.
In two years or less they could be castrating little boys and throwing their genitalia down the side of the pyramid… just a thought… making sterilization and First Puberty Blocking Medication into sacraments…
That ended with Pope Pius XII.
This is a really bad idea.
If this is ok, that is possibly wrong with Tridentine?
But we can’t have Latin Mass?
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