Pope appoints new Secretary to Congregation for Divine Worship (surprises all observers)

WITL ^ | December 10, 2005 | Rocco Palmo

[NYer]

New CDW Secretary

Moving quickly to replace Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino, who was named three weeks ago to the Umbrian diocese of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino, Benedict XVI has tapped Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don, the Sri Lanka-born nuncio to Indonesia and East Timor, to be Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

This is another one of those appointments which is a surprise to 99% of everyone. A few weeks ago, I got an e.mail from someone who turned out not to be in the know, claiming that an English-speaking "Indian" was being mentioned, "but nobody seriously believes he will be named." Hmm. Oh well.

My favorite analysis of the Don appointment came in another note kindly shot my way: "I guess if you have dealt with the civil war in Sri Lanka and the military in Indonesia and Timor, then you're ready to deal with the machinations of Trautperson."

It's inculturation time.

-30-

[onyx]

Interesting selection.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"Trautperson." Ha ha. Hadn't heard that one before.

[cielo]

OH! You're funny.

[DBeers]

"I guess if you have dealt with the civil war in Sri Lanka and the military in Indonesia and Timor, then you're ready to deal with the machinations of Trautperson."

LOL -yes Trautperson must be dealt with...

[voiceinthewind]

Can I lay the blame for liturgical dancing at Bishop Trautmans feet?
As a convert I was stunned when I first saw it. I find that I am more conservative than most cradle Cathoilcs I know.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Wow. Someone from an area where they know that Christ is worth following even if the cost is high...

[ninenot]

No. The "Lord/Lady of the Dance macabre at Mass is/was Cdl. Bernardin (but remotely.) More proximate suspects can be found in Cincinnati, retired in Milwaukee, and others who flit about. Trautperson's merely a continuation--not an innovator.

[RFT1]

Again, with slime like Rocco Palmo, and yes I do mean that, I would not take any of his opinions at face value.

[Theophane]

"It's inculturation time."

Oy vey.

[Antoninus]

then you're ready to deal with the machinations of Trautperson.

Trautperson. I love it!

[mirabile_dictu]

"Again, with slime like Rocco Palmo, and yes I do mean that, I would not take any of his opinions at face value"

Sounds like a personal problem... my deepest sympathies.

By the way, other than "at face value", how is one to evaluate any opinion?

[NYer]

Can I lay the blame for liturgical dancing at Bishop Trautmans feet?
As a convert I was stunned when I first saw it. I find that I am more conservative than most cradle Cathoilcs I know.

You should be more than stunned; you should be angry. Inaestimabile Donum and Canon Law state: "The faithful have a right to a true Liturgy."

5.3 Performing Liturgical Dance 

Dance is not allowed whatsoever. The document Dance In The Liturgy contains a full explanation. To summarize:

"[In western culture] dancing is tied with love, with diversion, with profaneness, with unbridling of the senses: such dancing, in general, is not pure."

"For that reason it cannot be introduced into liturgical celebrations of any kind whatever: that would be to inject into the liturgy one of the most desacralized and desacralizing elements; and so it would be equivalent to creating an atmosphere of profaneness which would easily recall to those present and to the participants in the celebration worldly places and situations."

The Bishops have expressly prohibited any and all forms of dancing in the Liturgy.

That said, the bishops stand behind the phrase: Therefore, it is commended for study by diocesan liturgical commissions and offices of worship.. They justify the use of liturgical dance by saying they are still "studying" it. However, NO guidelines have been laid down on this study; hence, it is prohibited.

The pastor at my (now former) parish, tried to introduce liturgical dance. He chose 'volunteers' from amongst the 11th grade students preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Coincidentally, I had been asked to teach one of those classes that year and I was shocked when the DRE asked for kids to volunteer. I confronted her with the above documents; now it was her turn to be shocked. She spoke to the pastor who gave her the 'go ahead' nod. The following week, the same kids were called out of class. This time I confronted the pastor.

He tried to side step the issue by telling me to think of it as "liturgical movement". He even explained that the nuns across the road, performed liturgical dance at their weekday masses, as if this were some form of approbation. As chaplain to these nuns, I suggested he remind them of the bishop's admonitions.

When the kids were called out again on week 3, I wrote to the Diocesan Office for Liturgy and Divine Worship. In their response, they cited some arcane VCII document on 'multiculturalism' and threw full support behind the pastor. Undaunted, I wrote back quoting the Inaestimabile Donum clause. In their response, they agreed with the statement. That was the end of liturgical dance at that parish.

By nature, I normally am not confrontational. As a Catholic in love with our Lord and my Church, I was not going to sit back and allow this to occur in my parish. Worse yet was the notion that a priest was asking young, impressionable youth, preparing for a Sacrament, to sin.

Know your rights!. Then, act on them. You can learn more about liturgical abuse at this link.

Is Your Mass Valid? Liturgical Abuse

If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to freepmail me. Whatever you do about this abuse, do not give up this beautiful faith. If I could stop it in a diocese run by one of the most reprobate bishops in the US, you can too. God speed!

[JohnRoss]

I take little comfort in the knowledge I was confirmed by Bishop Trautperson.

[Frank Sheed]

Thanks for this, NYer. I gotta run and am just checking the board. I wanted to post this backgrounder though.

http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/branjith.html

If you Google his name, a lot shows up on the tsunami and on the adoption scams going on in Southeast Asia. He is young. I pray this is a good appointment.

F

[RFT1]

Read what else he posts, I can not call him anything more charitable than that.

[TaxachusettsMan]

Well, I can see that your attendance of Mass is having a profound influence - especially in the area of charity.

[RFT1]

Read the rest of Rocco Palmos posts, going back the last few months then get back to me. Charity is honesty, and quite honestly, at best, Palmo is a poor copy of Michael Moore in terms of ideology. But when Mr Palmo praises the homosexual community, and more recently, a SF based write who said having large familes was selfish and vile, and his recent ridding of comment boxes on his blog so people can not bring him to task for his many errrors, all I can say is any kind of "soft" charity towrds him went out the window.

[ninenot]

The truth is a complete defense--RFT1's willingness to tell the truth about Rocco the Philly priest who claims to be well-informed is just fine.

Seems you have a rather prissy approach for someone on FR. Grow a pair and come back next year.