Regarding novelities of the post concilliar era:
Communion in the hand
I personally have no problem with that. It was done in the early church. One can just as well claim it was a restoration. I think there are few places where receiving on the tongue is prohibited
altar girls Bishops are not forced to accept them. They choose for their Jurisdiction. I have been at Masses with altar girls and I haven't noticed a dimunition of Graces generated by the Perfect and Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Unless they were used at Conventual Masses previously, I guess this would be a "novelty." Ok, I accept the Pope was forced into making a concession on that point for a greater good. He repeatedly refused the AmBishops but relented to maintain as much unity as possible.
Extraordinary Eucharisitc Ministers (which are very often used in ordinary circumstances) I think they make sense as originally intended. Rome can't be blamed when it is not obeyed.
Lay people in the Sanctuary A layamn had never been in the Sanctuary previously? Do you mean EEM's or Lectors and Lectrix?
ripping out altar rails I have seen nothing from Rome requiring that. I like altar rails.
hiding tabernacles I have told you our Parish just returned it to the Sanctuary. Befriend the priest in your parish and work to resacralise your Church. My convert priest was trained to say the Second Eucharistic Prayer. We have had many discussions about many things and increasingly he says the Roman Canon. We have had many talks about Sacred Music. Changes already are happening at Mass. virtual abandonment of "Ecumenism of Return" Disgree. Goal same, route different. TONS of debris needed to be removed so the path home was traversible
common worship with non-Christians hasn't happened
redefining martyrdom (i.e. St. Maximillian Kolbe) I am not sure what you mean here. Do you mean number of miracles needed? When Martyrdom was first defined, did you object to that novelty?
The Ballamand Agreement Nothing novel about agreements enterned into with a long term goal in mind. Rome has patience
The Catholic Lutheran Accord Patent has linked to several explanantions that ought to address your displesasure with the agreement. I must be missing something here. You know that Trent invited protestants to dicuss anything they desired. They had been extended an invitation to debate any doctrine and to advance their view of it - during an Infallible Ecuemnical Council. Is that the sort of "novelty" that ought to be rejected? All of the above moves attempt to make Catholicism more like Protestantism. They are novel and go against tradition. They do no such thing. They might clear obstacles out of the path for some protetants desiring to reenter the Sheepgate and for that we ought to sing a Te Deum. The problem I have with your statement is that is "goes against tradition" is that I think you have a wrong idea of tradition and you, like me, have an insufficient amount of knowledge and expertise to judge Rome wrong. The Magisterium decides what is and isn't Tradition and what of "tradition" needs to be discarded to recall lost sheep - which, I know you agree, is FAR more important than keeping an altar rail intact.
Great post.
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