Pope Benedict XVI
Posted on 08/31/2009 10:18:25 AM PDT by NYer
.- The Italian Vatican analyst Andrea Tornielli wrote this past Saturday on his blog that the recent clarifications by high-ranking Vatican officials do not refute what he stated in a column for the Italian daily Il Giornale on August 22. Tornielli had reported that Pope Benedict XVI is considering various measures to move forward with a liturgical “reform of the reform.”
Both in his column and on his usually well-sourced blog, Tornielli announced on August 22 that the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, led by Cardinal Antonio Canizares, had put forth a series of liturgical reforms—including greater use of Latin in the Mass, the possibility of celebrating the Mass ad orientum at least during the consecration, and a greater emphasis on Communion on the tongue—that were being studied by the Holy Father.
In an apparent response to the report by Tornielli, the vice director of the Holy See’s Press Office, Father Ciro Benedettini, said on August 24, “No institutional proposals currently exist that refer to a modification of the liturgical books.” Additionally, last Friday, in an interview with L’Osservatore Romano, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone called the reports “imaginary.”
According to Tornielli, the denial by Father Benedettini and the comments by Cardinal Bertone were provoked not by his article but “rather, by the manner in which the story was picked up by various blogs, which claimed the ‘reform of the reform’ and the changes to the Mass in a more traditional sense were imminent.”
He said on Saturday that his column referred to “the beginning of work” and not to “imminent reforms or documents already prepared,” adding that both the results of the meeting of the Congregation led by Cardinal Canizares as well as their presentation to the Pope for his consideration are real facts.
“All of this is an attempt to tell people not to believe what I wrote, saying there is nothing happening, that the Pope and the Congregation for Divine Worship are not considering anything, that the ‘reform of the reform’ and the recovery of a greater sense of the sacred in the Liturgy is a false story reported by me,” Tornielli said.
He concluded his blog saying, “Ever since I become a Vatican analyst I have made many mistakes and I will continue to make them, but the article in question, believe me, is not among them.”
I’ve always said that English services aren’t the problem. Irreverent services are the problem. Just because the service isn’t in Latin doesn’t make it disrespectful. Just look at the 1928 BCP or the Orthodox Church in America.
I’ve seen quite a few “folk masses” in ECUSA. They’re usually pulled off by aging hipsters who want to have a 60’s era drum circle and accoustic guitar jam in the context of the Eucharist. The one place, and likely the only place, such a thing is appropriate would be during a high school youth retreat at some camp where everything is informal (think of Happening weekends).
I have no idea. I think the music was beautiful although I couldn’t understand any of the words. I hope it makes a comeback.
Give it ‘em back, AnAmerican Mother! Lord love you!
ROFL! That must have been quite an experience!
Oh, believe me, the Episcopal masses can be REALLY bad, too. Banal rock-light knows no bounds. We attend the early Catholic mass, NO music except occasional Latin chants within the liturgy. It is heavenly (and I am a musician. Perhaps all the musicians have fled to the early, no-music services?)
Unfortunately, the unindicted co-conspirators at the Oregon Catholic Press (OCP) and the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM) continue to recruit and train new schlockmeisters.
The Eastern Rite parishes somehow avoided the contagion of the hippies. I wonder how!
We are SO fortunate in our music. The senior permanent deacon in charge of the music program was a music major at LSU, and he has excellent taste. He is now widowed (I played handbells with his wife before she died, tragically young, of cancer) and has commissioned a memorial concert in his wife's honor of all the best music he and our music director can cook up between them. It will be during Advent, and it will be GOOD. Lots of English and German Renaissance composers, with a few French Romantics for leavening.
Yeah. They do ... you.
Seriously. Do you honestly believe that the average Joe & Mary Catholic, sittin' in their pews actively want OCP/NPM garbage at Mass? Were they ever given a choice?
Not merely "No" but ... "censored NO!!!!!"
The demand comes from "ministers of music" and Priests who either don't know any better, or like the garbage for ideological reasons. Parishoners who object get "delphied" into oblibion.
BTDT.
But I was raised on the '28 BCP and I miss Cranmer's lovely cadences. But I'd lost them anyhow on account of the hideous new prayer book.
A couple of good determined sensible people on committees can put the kibosh on THAT sort of nonsense. You can't have a mass meeting and 'breakout groups' until you've organized it via committee. THAT's where things really happen.
. . . I wound up on the Music Director Search Committee via working hard for the music program -- indexing sheet music, showing up every practice and Sunday, learning my parts, being friendly to new choir members, recruiting in the congregation (putting the arm on Joe and Mary Catholic), etc. Not any deliberate insinuation to achieve some plot, but simply working hard for what I love.
Once we all quit just complaining and get in there and pitch, it's amazing what can be accomplished.
You’ve commented in the past on the wonderful music at your parish, and it sounds like that has continued.
I think the Eastern Rite parishes avoided all the contagion of the red-diapers because many American Catholics may not be aware that there are even Eastern Rites in the Church! Sometimes obscurity and not being well know may be a blessing. When I visit Williamsburg, I always go to the Byzantine Rite parish there. Absolutely splendid! Their Divine Liturgy is beautiful and spiritually refreshing!
We do not have a hymnal, we use song sheets which are under the direct management of the music department for the major Masses, and the back of the missalette for the rest.
We got 40 copies of the St. Gregory Hymnal and Catholic Choir Book (1948 edition) for the choir. Ordered them myself.
I simply love our music department. Don't know what we'd do without our music director, he's just a stone cold genius and he keeps the standard high.
It’s the tune. It’s SO pop, and SO trashy, and SO predictable. Not predictable in a nice way, like Mozart or Bach . . . .
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