Indeed. But the 1970MR and GIRM sides with Pius XII in all of the points which he singles out.
one would be straying from the straight path were he to wish the altar restored to its primitive tableform
The celebration of the Eucharist in a sacred place is to be carried out on an altar; but outside a sacred place, it may be carried out on a suitable table, always with the use of a cloth, a corporal, a cross, and candles.It is appropriate to have a fixed altar in every church ... (GIRM 297-8)
were he to want black excluded as a color for the liturgical vestments;
Traditional usage should be maintained for the vestment colors ... (e) Black may be used, where it is the custom, in Masses for the dead; (GIRM 346)
were he to forbid the use of sacred images and statues in Churches;
Thus, images of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Saints, in accordance with the Church's most ancient tradition, should be displayed for veneration by the faithful in sacred buildings and should be arranged so as to usher the faithful toward the mysteries of faith celebrated there. (GIRM 318)
and lastly were he to disdain and reject polyphonic music
All other things being equal, Gregorian chant holds pride of place because it is proper to the Roman Liturgy. Other types of sacred music, in particular polyphony, are in no way excluded, provided that they correspond to the spirit of the liturgical action and that they foster the participation of all the faithful. (GIRM 41)
Pius XII's reference to the vernacular is to those who were on their own initiative holding Masses in the vernacular contrary to liturgical regulations. This is clear from the fact that in Musicae Sacrae he approved of vernacular hymns during Mass.
Furthermore the faithful should be taught to sing the Ordinary in Latin in accordance with the postconciliar directives issued by the Holy See - so an all-vernacular Mass is hardly prescribed by Rome.
Please stop citing the General Instructions. They were rewritten to appease orthodox Catholics who were appalled by the first version--which more genuinely reflected the radical intent of the humanists who invented the New Mass. In other words, the Instructions were deceitfully and deliberately peppered with orthodox expressions to make the new liturgy seem more acceptable to Catholics. But the liturgical text remained untouched and is what it always was--an abomination to Heaven and a danger to the faith.
Nearly all N.O. churches have a table, the altar, along with the tabernacle was removed.
Traditional usage should be maintained for the vestment colors ... (e) Black may be used, where it is the custom, in Masses for the dead (GIRM 346)
There is no Requiem Mass *at all* any more as it was replaced with the "Mass of the Resurrection" and requires white vestments.
Thus, images of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Saints, in accordance with the Church's most ancient tradition, should be displayed for veneration by the faithful in sacred buildings and should be arranged so as to usher the faithful toward the mysteries of faith celebrated there. (GIRM 318)
While some churches still have a few statues, they have mostly been replaced by banners
All other things being equal, Gregorian chant holds pride of place because it is proper to the Roman Liturgy. Other types of sacred music, in particular polyphony, are in no way excluded, provided that they correspond to the spirit of the liturgical action and that they foster the participation of all the faithful. (GIRM 41)
Gregorian chant and guitars? I don't think so. Gregorian Chant has no place in the N.O. How many N.O. Catholics know Tantum Ergo or any Gregorian chant at all?....yet I bet "Amazing Grace" is popular.
Furthermore the faithful should be taught to sing the Ordinary in Latin in accordance with the postconciliar directives issued by the Holy See - so an all-vernacular Mass is hardly prescribed by Rome.
An all vernacular Mass has been prescribed by Rome since November 26, 1969.....Pope Paul VI: It is here that the greatest newness is going to be noticed, the newness of language. No longer Latin, but the spoken language will be the principal language of the Mass. The introduction of the vernacular will certainly be a great sacrifice for those who know the beauty, the power and the expressive sacrality of Latin. We are parting with the speech of the Christian centuries; we are becoming like profane intruders in the literary preserve of sacred utterance. We will lose a great part of that stupendous and incomparable artistic and spiritual thing, the Gregorian chant.