John Paul II Warns About Liturgies Being Distorted Under Guise of Inculturation

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 23, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The growth of sects is due to the lack of religious formation among the baptized, and is a challenge to ecclesial communities to renew their style of welcome, says John Paul II.

Meeting today with a group of bishops from southern Brazil on their quinquennial visit to Rome, the Pope referred to the worldwide "religious revival," which is "not lacking in ambiguity but which contains ferment and stimulation that must not be ignored."

He asked the Brazilian bishops if the growth of sects in their country is not "a concrete sign of an unsatisfied aspiration to the supernatural."

"Is it not for you, pastors, a real challenge to renew the style of welcome within ecclesial communities and revitalize the stimulus to a new and courageous evangelization, which will develop appropriate forms of catechesis, especially for adults?" the Holy Father asked.

"You know well that, at the base of this diffusion there a great lack of religious formation with a consequent indecision about the need for faith in Christ and adherence to the Church he instituted," John Paul II continued.

"There is a tendency to represent religions and various spiritual experiences as leveled down to a minimum common denominator, so that they seem almost equivalent, with the result that every person feels free to pursue indifferently one of the many paths proposed for salvation," he added.

Because of this, one can understand "the urgency today to support the faith of Christians, giving them the possibility of a continuous religious formation, to go ever deeper in their personal relation with Christ."

Referring to the country's eclectic culture, John Paul II said this raises "the delicate question of inculturation, especially in liturgical rites, terminology and the musical and bodily expressions typical of the Afro-Brazilian culture."

Whether inculturation involves vestments, songs, language, ceremonies or liturgical objects, there must be a "rigorous application of a serious and profound discernment about its compatibility with the truth revealed by Jesus Christ," the Holy Father stressed.

Authentic Catholic liturgy must not be transformed by or confused with "the pantheon of spirit and divinities of African cults," he insisted.

"The Church views these cults with interest but considers harmful the concrete relativism of a common practice of both [rites] or of a mixture between them, as if they had the same value, and [sees it] a danger to the identity of the Catholic faith," the Pope concluded.

Authentic Catholic liturgy must not be transformed by or confused with "the pantheon of spirit and divinities of African cults," he insisted.

The Catholic Church has a long and proud history of incorporating "indiginous" rites and practices into Catholic practice.

When the Pope performed a mass in Mexico City a few years ago, the alter was designed to resemble an pagan Aztec temple mound.

Prayer beads were adopted from other religions.

When you go down this path, there will, always be some who want to go further. There is a movement in South Africa led by a Catholic Bishop to incorporate "animal sacrifice" into the liturgy.

It's a lot like passing trivial laws contrary to the Constitution. Some people will always want to go further.

Authentic Catholic liturgy must not be transformed by or confused with "the pantheon of spirit and divinities of African cults," he insisted.

He’s a bit too late with this advice. Trying to close the barn doors after the horses have run off?

Vatican II already wrote the bishops and their “experts” a blank check on perpetual transformation of the liturgy through neverending “inculturation.” You can hardly blame them for cashing in.

As Mao said, “Let a thousand Novus Ordos bloom!”

Sacrosanctum Concilium, 4 December, 1963

D. NORMS FOR ADAPTING THE LITURGY TO THE TEMPERAMENT AND TRADITIONS OF PEOPLES

37. Even in the liturgy the Church does not wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not involve the faith or the good of the whole community. Rather does she respect and foster the qualities and talents of the various races and nations. Anything in these people's way of life which is not indissolubly bound up with superstition and error she studies with sympathy, and, if possible, preserves intact. She sometimes even admits such things into the liturgy itself, provided they harmonize with its true and authentic spirit.

38. Provided that the substantial unity of the Roman rite is preserved, provision shall be made, when revising the liturgical books, for legitimate variations and adaptations to different groups, regions and peoples, especially in mission countries. This should be borne in mind when drawing up the rite and determining rubrics.

39. Within the limits set by the typical editions of the liturgical books it shall be for the competent territorial ecclesiastical authority mentioned in Article 22:2, to specify adaptations, especially as regards the administration of the sacraments, sacramentals, processions, liturgical language, sacred music and the arts, according, however, to the fundamental norms laid down in this Constitution.

40. In some places and circumstances, however, an even more radical adaptation of the liturgy is needed, and this entails greater difficulties. For this reason:

(1) The competent territorial ecclesiastical authority mentioned in Article 22:2, must in this matter, carefully and prudently consider which elements from the traditions and cultures of individual peoples might appropriately be admitted into divine worship. Adaptations which are considered useful or necessary should then be submitted to the Holy See, by whose consent they may be introduced.

(2) To ensure that adaptations may be made with all the circumspection necessary, the Apostolic See will grant power to this same territorial ecclesiastical authority to permit and direct, as the case requires, the necessary preliminary experiments over a determined period of time among certain groups suitable for the purpose.

(3) Because liturgical laws usually involve special difficulties with respect to adaptation, especially in mission lands, men who are experts in the matters in question must be employed to formulate them.

"Inculturation" can mean whatever the local bishops's "experts" want it to mean, so long as there's a pretense of Christianity hinted somewhere.

"Let's dance! Under the moonlight -- the serious moonlight!" --David Bowie

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