No wider use of the Tridentine Liturgy forthcoming

National Catholic Reporter ^ | 7/3/2003 | John L. Allen

[sinkspur]

On Friday, June 27, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments held an unusual joint plenary session. The topic for the closed-door session was a forthcoming document on liturgical practice and abuses that will be the disciplinary follow-up to John Paul’s recent encyclical, Ecclesia De Eucharistia.

A 55-page draft was discussed at the meeting and in subsequent follow-up sessions. One topic of debate, even among some of the cardinals who took part, was how tough the rules ought to be on inter-communion with Protestants.

One aim at the moment is to reduce the size of the draft, which some participants consider overly long. If the final version is too complicated, these participants worry, it will not have the desired clarity.

Because the participants take their obligation of confidentiality seriously, it’s difficult to pry loose many details. One point that can be reported with confidence, however, is that as it stands, the document contains no reference to wider permission for celebration of the pre-Vatican II Mass, the so-called “Tridentine rite.” Interest in whether the document would address the old Mass was generated by a May 13 news item published on the Web site of Inside the Vatican magazine, based on an interview with Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship.

Under the terms of John Paul’s 1988 indult Ecclesia Dei, it is up to diocesan bishops to decide who may celebrate the old Mass and under what circumstances. It appears that the forthcoming document is not likely to effect that discipline.

“There may be some who would want us to address it,” one source said, “but so far it’s just not there.”

[Loyalist]

Rome won't be rebuilt in a day.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Very, very disappointing.

[Loyalist]

This fight would make all the others look like tea parties in comparison because of what the New and Old Masses have come to represent in the Church.

The Pope may feel that he hasn't got time and strength enough left to start it.

[JNB]

The document wont be out till October, and in any event, even if they promote a Latin Novus Ordo with tridentine rubrics would(ad orientum, use of communion rail, no EEMs, no altar girls) would be a great step forward in the restoration. I know Cdl. Arinze in a recent interview talked about wider use of Latin.

[ChicagoGirl]

because of what the New and Old Masses have come to represent in the Church.

What do you mean exactly?

[narses]

Steven Hand would say that even if it were 180 degrees from the truth. I'll wait and see. Card. Arinze was pretty darned clear.

[Domestic Church]

Perhaps there is a cloaked separate document in the works. If it were to happen I would expect a document solely devoted to the issue.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

I hope so.

[BlackElk]

Bear in mind that the article is from the National "Catholic" Register, newsletter of the wreckovation which resulted in AmChurch. Allen may be right and Allen may be wrong. Improvement is coming no matter what. There seems no rational reason to leave to the likes of our despicable AmChurch-type bishops the decision as to whether a specific priest may say a specific Mass (the Tridentine) which is certainly a valid Mass. Nor should any priest need permission from a bishop to say the Novus Ordo.

[BlackElk]

I meant, of course, to be critical of the National "Catholic" REPORTER not the Legionnaries paper the Register.

[Thorondir]

One point that can be reported with confidence, however, is that as it stands, the document contains no reference to wider permission for celebration of the pre-Vatican II Mass, the so-called “Tridentine rite.”

You must be overjoyed. I'm happy for you. Congrats.

I think I'll just go vomit, now.

[ultima ratio]

I am not surprised. Rome is now in the modernist camp. Why should it return to a Catholicism which condemned modernism unequivocally as heresy? It would rather pretend nothing has changed, while it goes about changing everything--which is an untenable position ultimately. If the past was wrong--then the whole Catholic Church is a fake and should be rejected, starting with the papacy. If the past was right--then the present course is an intolerable outrage.

[ultima ratio]

A Novus Ordo Mass in Latin would still be an abomination in defiance of Trent. It subverts Catholic teachings and supports the Protestant theological perspective.

[drstevej]

AHEM, correction...

... and supports the LIBERAL, ECUMENICAL Protestant theological perspective

[ultima ratio]

No--all Protestants reject Transubstantiation, I believe--as well as the dogma of expiatory sacrifice.