Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

A Pentecost Monday Lesson: “And Paul VI Wept.”
What Does the Prayer Really Say ^ | 5/23/10 | Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Posted on 05/24/2010 5:43:30 AM PDT by marshmallow

Years ago I told this Pentecost Monday tale and it has made the rounds.

It stands being repeated.

I think this stands as a lesson for what happens when we lose sight of continuity.

Take this for what it may be worth. Some years ago I was told this story by an elderly, retired Papal Ceremoniere or a Master of Ceremonies who (according to him) was present at the event about to be recounted.

You probably know that in the traditional Roman liturgical calendar the mighty feast of Pentecost had its own Octave. Pentecost was a grand affair indeed, liturgically speaking. In some places in the world such as Germany and Austria Pentecost Monday, Whit Monday as the English call it, was a reason to have a civil holiday, as well as a religious observance.

The Monday after Pentecost in 1970 His Holiness Pope Paul VI rose bright and early and went to the chapel for Holy Mass. Instead of the red he expected, there were green vestments laid out for him.

He queried the MC assigned that day, "What on earth are these for? This is the Octave of Pentecost! Where are the red vestments?"

"Santità," quoth the MC, "this is now Tempus ‘per annum’. It is green, now. The Octave of Pentecost is abolished."

"Green? That cannot be!", said the Pope, "Who did that?"

"Holiness, you did."

And Paul VI wept.


TOPICS: Catholic; Worship
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 05/24/2010 5:43:30 AM PDT by marshmallow
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

I don’t get it. Did he forget he had done it, or what?


2 posted on 05/24/2010 6:02:48 AM PDT by ExGeeEye (Palin/Undecided 2012...make that Palin/Whoever She Picks...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ExGeeEye
Who knows?

The general gist is that Paul VI did or permitted many things which he naively thought were for the good of the Church only to discover later that there was another agenda afoot.

3 posted on 05/24/2010 7:02:15 AM PDT by marshmallow ("A country which kills its own children has no future" -Mother Teresa of Calcutta)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

I don’t understand? Did the man suffer from dementia?


4 posted on 05/24/2010 7:51:31 AM PDT by Grunthor (Faster than the speed of smell.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grunthor
Not that I'm aware of.

However, he may not have understood the implications of some of his decisions and later regretted them bitterly.

5 posted on 05/24/2010 8:13:27 AM PDT by marshmallow ("A country which kills its own children has no future" -Mother Teresa of Calcutta)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

I would like to see this reversed, wouldn’t you.

I would love to have an Octave of Pentecost!


6 posted on 05/24/2010 8:51:56 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Salvation

Well we have one, called Trinity Sunday!


7 posted on 05/24/2010 9:07:09 AM PDT by Biggirl (I Have A New Rainbow Bridge Baby, Negritia! =^..^=)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: marshmallow

This would be really nice to have. A day off today would have hit the spot.


8 posted on 05/24/2010 5:09:34 PM PDT by Desdemona
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson