Posted on 08/30/2003 10:58:53 AM PDT by Loyalist
VATICAN CITY, AUG. 29, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Four decades after the liturgical reform carried out by the Second Vatican Council, it is right to examine the way it has been implemented, in order to relaunch it, says Cardinal Angelo Sodano.
The Vatican secretary of state made that proposal in a letter to the participants in Italy's National Liturgical Week, held in the town of Acireale. The event ended today.
In the letter, which expresses the Pope's greetings to the participants, Cardinal Sodano reflected on the 1963 constitution "Sacrosanctum Concilium," approved by the council fathers.
"Forty years later, it is right to ask what the liturgical reform itself has represented for the renewal of Christian communities, to what degree the liturgy, reformed according to the indications of the council, is able to mediate between faith and life, so that it forms believers able to offer consistent evangelical testimony," the cardinal said.
At the same time, "it is useful to ask oneself with clarity and sincerity if the reform has experienced some weak point and where, and, above all, how it can be relaunched for the good of the Christian people," he added.
According to the cardinal, the challenge the Church faces today is "to translate the reform in the life of the believer, called to integrate himself in the communion that the Son desires to establish with each one, a communion that we celebrate constantly in the liturgy."
Cardinal Sodano presented these questions to the participants in the Liturgical Week and asked them to give thoughtful answers. At the same time, he offered guidelines for their answers.
"Although it can rightly be said that the conciliar reform has been carried out, the liturgical pastoral program represents a permanent commitment which enables one to draw from the richness of the liturgy the vital force that is spread from Christ to the members of the Body, which is the Church," he said.
In this connection, "perhaps some of the principles of the constitution have to be better understood and more faithfully applied," the cardinal added.
In particular, he said, "it is useful to analyze some specific topics such as, for example, the relation between creativity and fidelity, between spiritual worship and life, between catechesis and celebration of the Mystery, between liturgical presidency and role of the assembly, between formation in the seminaries and the permanent formation of priests."
T'Heck is this place doing to me?
Short confessional lines have no correlation to belief in the Real Presence.
The Gallup Poll was a phone poll, and the respondents were presented with four different definitions of the Real Presence. Two of the four could have been correct, and all were fuzzy.
Traditionalists love to use this poll, but its methodology is questionable.
The Vatican II euphoria screwed over the Catholics committed to the Tridentine Rite. Continually picking at that wound has gotten us to where we are today.
Novus Ordo bishops are not going to bend, and, even if they did, there would be continual conflict.
A separate rite is the answer, don't you think?
You might want to print out the exchanges on this thread twixt you and the old schoolers, trads, conservatives, whatever-they/we-are-called and show them to the Bishops.
Liturgical Diversity within Christian Unity with all obedient to legitimate authority.
I think an approach like that would go a long ways towards ending the Liturgical Wars and enmity twixt those on the starboard side and those on the port side of the Barque of Peter.
Well, I've taken some time away from the religion forum and thought about this conflict.
I just don't see Novus Ordo bishops acquiescing to a wholesale re-evaluation of the place of the Tridentine Rite in the American Church.
I'm not a big fan of Bishop Bruskewitz' style, but he seems to have achieved a balance, and is ordaining men to the Novus Ordo at a much higher rate than other dioceses. I'd be stupid to argue against success, wouldn't I?
Our friend ninenot tells us that Archbishop Dolan will have a class of 25 new men in the seminary this year. Now, Dolan is an ardent Novus Ordo bishop, but, as you've noticed, has allowed his priests to write an open letter about optional celibacy. I'd bet he would entertain a major effort from the advocates of the Tridentine Mass as well.
I've decided that Dolan is the model bishop: let a thousand flowers bloom. Some will die, some will thrive.
We've got a vibrant Church here, guys. We don't agree on the model, but we do agree that our eyes need to be fixed on Him who is with us, In His Body.
Let mutual respect prevail, and we'll All Be One.
There's no dialogue with Michael Matt, so he needs to lash out to get somebody's attention.
I'm not conversant enought with his position to rebut it, but I wonder if a Tridentine Rite would satisfy his objections?
The spiritual needs of Catholics are paramount here, and a separate Rite would free those who favor it from the strictures of local bishops who want to shoehorn everybody into a particular process.
Now, Thorondir, I know you're going to question my motives here, and that's fine.
If we were sitting across from each other, my goal would be to admit that what you want is due you, from the Church, while eliciting from you an admission that this was a good faith effort.
There are no "sides" here. This is The Body of Christ, that we belong to.
I'd bumper-sticker this in a heartbeat.
You know that is not John Paul II's style. He will go after the one sheep to the point of exhaustion.
I'd guess that there will not be the luxury of "anathemas" from either side, for a very long time from the successors of JP II.
The Hound of Heaven will pursue every soul.
We MUST facilitate His delicate touch.
Actually, I trained a class of 14 lay people to assume the Office of Lector over the last three days.
I'm always humbled by the dedication of men and women to the Church. They allowed themselves to be critiqued, objectively, and stayed with our program. And I KNOW that Christ has lifted them up to exercise this ministry.
I do drink heavily, on rare occasions. But, this is not one of them.
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