Posted on 11/05/2003 6:25:02 AM PST by StAthanasiustheGreat
I Really Need all your Prayers today and for the next couple weeks. As some of you know, I go to a rather interesting Catholic Center at my University. However there is definitly a "war" going on between Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy. Unfortunately the Heterodox forces control most of the cash and are firmly entrenched, while the Orthodox students tend to change regularly. Well, as hard as I fight for Orthodoxy at the Center, I cannot but help feel that I am fighting a losing battle. I am meeting with a friend tonight and we are going to compile a list of our grievances and proposed solutions and then next week take it to the priest (he is more on our side than theirs). If that fails to the Cardinal. Please pray for us, that we might be strong and do what is right.
What can be done about liturgical abuses? First, know your rights. Inaestimabile Donum and Canon Law state: "The faithful have a right to a true Liturgy, which means the Liturgy desired and laid down by the Church, which has in fact indicated where adaptations may be made as called for by pastoral requirements in different places or by different groups of people. Undue experimentation, changes and creativity bewilder the faithful. The use of unauthorized texts means a loss of the necessary connection between the lex orandi and the lex credendi. The Second Vatican Council's admonition in this regard must be remembered: "No person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove or change anything in the Liturgy on his own authority." [Sacrosanctum Concilium] And Paul VI of venerable memory stated that: "Anyone who takes advantage of the reform to indulge in arbitrary experiments is wasting energy and offending the ecclesial sense."[Paul VI, address of August 22, 1973: "L'Osservatore Romano," August 23, 1973.] Canon 528 §2: "The parish priest is to take care that the blessed Eucharist is the center of the parish assembly of the faithful. He is to strive to ensure that the faithful are nourished by the devout celebration of the sacraments, and in particular that they frequently approach the sacraments of the blessed Eucharist and penance. He is to strive to lead them to prayer, including prayer in their families, and to take a live and active part in the sacred liturgy. Under the authority of the diocesan Bishop, the parish priest must direct this liturgy in his own parish, and he is bound to be on guard against abuses."
Charitably approach your priest and, with the documents in hand from this site, explain that you require the Church's Liturgical rubrics be followed. If personal contact is difficult, try writing a letter and again include the referenced Church documents. If, after several attempts, the priest does not return to the Church's rubrics, report the priest to his Bishop. Should that fail, then find another properly celebrated Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to attend. Drive to the next diocese if you must. Isn't your worship of God worth it? If you must contact the Vatican to deal with liturgical abuse, then write to:
Cardinal Francis Arinze
Prefect - Congregation for Divine Worship
Piazza Pio XII, 10
Vatican City (Europe) 00120
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the greatest activity and prayer that one can participate in on this side of Heaven. Guard your rights to a proper celebration of the Liturgy and give God the love and reverence that He deserves.
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