"Devious Romans" is also a phrase used throughout the Eastern Catholic Churches and rites, especially with reference to forced Latinizations which continue now under the banner of "the spirit of Vatican II."
The Process of Latinization
The actions of the Papal legates and the Synods of 1580 and 1596 give us graphic examples of the attempted Latinization of Maronite liturgical practices. As we have seen, elements of Latinization can be traced back to the time of the Crusades. However, at that time the practices were superficial, limited to such secondary points as the wearing of ring and miter by prelates, the manner of making the sign of the cross, the use of bells, unleavened bread, and Western altar furnishings. Even these changes did not become universal. With the Synods of 1580 and 1596 we see an attempt to give canonical and ritual legitimization to a systematic process of Latinization. This does not mean that there was an intentional policy on the part of the Roman Church to Latinize another tradition. Rather, we should recall that in this period after the Protestant Reformation in Europe and the holding of the Council of Trent, there was a desire to ensure ritual correctness seemingly through uniformity of practice.
Although conferring the three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist at the same time was the ancient tradition of Christian Initiation in both the Western and Eastern Churches, as time went on the Roman Church had introduced the practice of conferring Confirmation by the bishop and the Holy Eucharist only after the age of reason. The Churches of the East had continued the ancient practice. It would seem that the Papal legates felt that the Roman practice should be favored and supersede the Maronite practice as a better way of conferring the sacraments. In the same way, preference was given to the Roman sacramental formulas as a better way to ensure ritual correctness. Ironically, the Maronite College of Rome also had a decisive influence on the Latinization of Maronite practice. Its students were anxious to follow the idea of their teachers and the customs of the center of Christendom.
On the other hand, the Maronites were anxious to show their fidelity to the Roman Church and their gratitude for its support and concern. Even so, decades and sometimes centuries passed before these Latinizations went into practice. And there were certain proposals that the Maronites actively resisted. It should also be noted that most of the Latinizations dealt with externals, and the essence of the Maronite tradition remained unaffected.
History Maronites
The most recent reform in the Maronite liturgy came about as a resent of Vatican II. On December 4, 1963, the Vatican Ecumenical Council issued a decree entitled " The Liturgy". In accordance with the terms of the decree and the wishes of the Maronite Clergy, His Eminence Cardinal Patriarch Peter Paul Meouchi in a patriarchal decree, dated April 13, 1973, ordered the priests of the Maronite Church to amend the Mass and to use the new Ordo Missae, as new form of prayer and devotion for a trial of one year from the date of the decree. This was not implemented until several years later and is still the common practice. Here is one example of a church that has profited from switching to the vernacular, while retaining many elements of the liturgy in their original Aramaic and/or Syriac. As more RC catholics discover the Eastern Catholic Rites, they have begun to grow those communities.
Forced Latinization???????? Is the Vatican maintaining armies to persecute the Eastern Orthodox or something?